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Portrait of Artiste with Chrysanthemums, Clément Tournier & Cie., circa 1900 by redpoulaine

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17.00 USD

Superb photographic portrait of unidentified theatrical performer, published in Geneva. No photographer attribution, either.
A fine card in fine condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!


Superb Photographic Portrait by Edgar Schmidt of Dresden circa 1900 by redpoulaine

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11.00 USD

Wonderful image of a beautiful young woman in gorgeously sensible Victorian attire. German photo by Dresden photographer Edgar Schmidt, taken probably sometime in the late 1890s.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Up a Tree with a Mandolin. Fancy French Nude, Charles Collas and Company, posted 1906 by redpoulaine

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24.00 USD

Well, we've all heard of being "up a creek, without a paddle," how about being up a tree, with a mandolin? No matter how cute she might be, lounging up there in her tree, plucking tunes on her mandolin, we, unfortunately, have no idea who this young lady was.
The publisher, C.C.& C.C. was Charles Collas et Cie (and Company), Cognac, whose offices, for a time at least, were located at 100 de la Route de Pons in the Quartier Saint-Martin, Cognac.
Monsieur Collas is one of the great names in the history of the French postcard, and it might seem curious to some, when considering that the center of picture postcard printing in France was certainly Paris, that a big name in that industry would have been located in Cognac. Well, the answer is just that: cognac :) With the great popularity of the liquor, the producers needed gazillions of lovely labels to slap on those bottles, and so the typesetters and lithographers were never out of a job.
As the popularity of the picture postcard grew, Germany continued to take up most of the slack, but Paris got busy too, and then Monsieur Collas and others, already set up with a busy printing trade, began printing postcards in Cognac as well. In terms of collectibility, C.C.& C.C. has a very definite stream of followers. We happened to run across a couple of wonderful nudes, which we're featuring this week, but Collas printed work across a broad spectrum of image subjects.

Many thanks to Alienor.org from whose site we got almost all of our information on the printer, publisher, and photographer, Charles Collas.

The fact that this image was posted through the mails is an interesting point. It illustrates how the legislation of morality was constantly shifting in France, nude images legal one month, illegal the next.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Mary Miles Minter, Hollywood Silent Movie Star, circa 1920 by redpoulaine

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16.00 USD

The story of Mary Miles Minter is full of drama, one might even say melodrama, as seems appropriate for an early silent film star. It's almost as if she were living in a movie, herself.

Born Juliet Reilly in Shreveport, Louisiana on April 25, 1902 (her birth date is often misremembered as April Fools Day), she was the second daughter of Joseph Homer Reilly and Lily Pearl Miles. Her parents divorced while she was still very young, and her mother moved with her children to New York City, where she became the popular Broadway actress Charlotte Shelby. But, Charlotte's aspirations were not only for herself, but for her daughters, as well. From the time they were very small she had engaged Margaret and Juliet, only two years apart, in play acting "little parts" that would prepare them for a life on the stage.

In an interview published in Movie Weekly on May 7, 1921, Mary told the story of how she was to get her first part on Broadway, in [1907?], when she was just 5-years-old.

Before I forget it--let me tell how it was that [as a small child] I got my part in "Cameo Kirby." It's really funny and mother and I have laughed over the incident many times. We had come up from Dallas to New York, and one day a friend told mother that a little girl was to be engaged for "Cameo Kirby," so down to the theatre we went.

Margaret, my sister, had been successful in other child roles, and it was she who was to be the applicant for the part. I was just taken along as there was no one to leave me with.

Margaret, however, did not prove to be just the type and Mr. Arnold Daly went slowly down the row of sixty-five children--while I stood over in one corner.

They told me to be quiet--but all of a sudden I cried out, "Oh, mamma, see what a funny face that man has!"

Mr. Daly whirled--and instead of annihilating me with a glance walked right over to my corner and said, "This is the little girl I want." Then mother told him I had never acted. But I was given the part.

From that moment on, Mary, who at that time was still called Juliet, was the star of the family and making the biggest earnings. While her mother and sister continued to act, it was Juliet who was most in demand. Under that name, she appeared in her first film, a short drama called The Nurse, released in 1912, but when she got a part in a play in Chicago that same year, child labor laws would have interfered with her appearance, and so her mother used the birth certificate of Juliet's cousin Mary, who was no longer living. The ruse worked, and so began the career of Mary Miles Minter. Over the course of the next 11 years, she would appear in 54 silent films.

In 1919, when she was 17, she made her first film for director William Desmond Taylor. Taylor lauded the young star's work, publicly promoting her. Minter developed romantic feelings for Taylor, despite the fact that he was 30 years her senior. The two worked together on several films and Mary sent him love letters, but friends and colleagues reported that he never returned her feelings with anything more than friendship.

Despite the apparently chaste relationship the two maintained, Taylor was to prove the young star's undoing, albeit in death, rather than in life. On February 2, 1922, at 7:30 a.m., Taylor was found dead in his home. He'd been shot in the back. The police case, involving a large number of high-profile stars, generated a media frenzy which grew even more virulent with the discovery of Mary's three-year-old love letters. Although the police don't seem to have considered Mary a likely suspect, the news media found her a wonderfully satisfying suspect. And, if not her, her mother.

Mary managed to complete four films that year, three the next, and then made her final film, "A Sainted Devil," as a supporting actress, with Rudolf Valentino and Nita Naldi as the leads, before ending her career with the claim that she was content without it.

Taylor's murder was never solved, but the constant strain of the aftermath wore on Mary's family. Mary fell out with her mother, suing her in 1925 for an accounting of the funds she'd managed during Mary's minority. The two settled out of court and reconciled, eventually living together again. Some years after Mary's suit, in 1937, her sister Margaret brought a similar suit against her mother, then making public accusations that her mother had killed Taylor. But, by this time Margaret's alcoholism was surely affecting her judgement, for she died of related causes in 1939.

In its January 1928 issue, Photoplay published an article based on an interview with Mary and her mother, who were at the time living in Paris. The author, Jane Dixon, claimed that she saw "no evidence of any hard feelings during [her] visit," but went on to paint a picture of two bitter women at odds with each other, with Mary complaining of a toothache and her mother ostentatiously over-solicitous.

In 1957, Charlotte died in Mary's Santa Monica home, and a year later Mary wed Brandon Hildebrandt, a real estate investor. The couple shared interests in astrology and numerology, and, in accordance with numerological recommendations, changed their surname to O'Hildebrandt. After her husband died in 1965, Mary was left with no close family. She suffered from a number of medical complaints, including diabetes, but lived until 1984, when she was 82-years-old.

And so it was that bright little Juliet Reilly had suffered more twists and turns than the heroine of "The Perils of Pauline" over the course of her life, but she had proved stronger than any of them and lived until a ripe old age.

* * *
Sources:

IMDB
Mary Miles Minter filmography at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0591704/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Mary Miles Minter bio at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0591704/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Anne of Green Gables at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0009879/

"It Happened in Hollywood: Remarkable Events That Shaped History," by Gerald Schiller at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=AzzY-vccRmAC&lpg=PA36&ots=gjd8bflX-C&dq=Charlotte%20Shelby%20Broadway%20actress&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

Mary-Miles -Minter.com at: http://www.mary-miles-minter.com/

"The Silent Collection, Featuring: Mary Miles Minter," by Tammy Stone at:
http://www.things-and-other-stuff.com/movies/profiles/mary-miles-minter.html

Photoplay
January 1929 issue at: http://www.archive.org/stream/photoplay3334movi#page/n159/mode/2up
April 1923 issue at: http://www.archive.org/stream/Picture-playMagazineApril1923/PicturePlay0423#page/n0/mode/1up
January 1923 issue at: http://www.archive.org/stream/Picture-playMagazineJan.1923/PicturePlay0123#page/n59/mode/1up

Taylorology at: http://www.angelfire.com/az/Taylorology/

Wikipedia
Taylorology at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylorology
Mary Miles Minter at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Miles_Minter
William Desmond Taylor at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Desmond_Taylor
Margaret Shelby at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Shelby
Charlotte Shelby at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Shelby

"Who was Juliet Reilly?" by Marilyn Slater, at: http://looking-for-mabel.webs.com/julietreilly.htm

Virtual History
"Mary Miles Minter" at: http://www.virtual-history.com/movie/person/10007/mary-miles-minter

******

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, the price is the same as for a single card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, due to the costs of international shipping will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

French Nude, Indolence, by G. Seignac, Salon de Paris, 1914. Selecta Pub. by redpoulaine

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12.00 USD

Wow, what a beauty! Guillaume Seignac (1870-1924) was an award winning French painter in the academic tradition who incorporated classical, renaissance and mythological elements into his work, which today appears in many important collections. He studied under William Bouguereau at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, among others. He regularly showed his work at the Salon de Paris. Indolence was shown in 1914. Seignac's work with the human figure was, at the time, considered to be second to none.
A lovely card in very nice, unposted condition.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Electric Kool-Aid Musical Mermaid, Elaborately Tinted Jugendstil Postcard, circa 1905 by redpoulaine

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22.00 USD

And you thought psychedelia was limited to the black light posters of the late 60s and 70s? Hey, the Belle Epoque had absinthe!

Just kidding. Though it is suggested in popular media that absinthe is a "wild ride," the fact is (according to modern research), that, despite the addition of a tincture of wormwood in its make-up, absinthe is hardly more psychoactive a substance than any other potent spirit, such as whiskey or gin, and though a popular drink among the bohemian crowd of Belle Epoque Paris, it is likely that its bad reputation is owed more to the temperance movement of the time, than to any actually inherent "evil."

No, the psychedelic quality of this early 1900s image is probably due entirely to innovators in the field of photographic image coloration. Not "captains" of industry, but amateur photographers, and the scientist and engineer "foot-soldiers" who were often themselves artists of the "Art Nouveau," or "Jugendstil," movement, and whose names and accomplishments are often lost to us now. After all, the entire Art Nouveau movement was, from a certain perspective, an effort to blend, both technically and philosophically, the two pillars of art and industry!

This particular coloration style probably originated in Germany (the center of the picture postcard industry at that time), and was popular (as far as we have seen) for about the first decade of the 20th century.

Its popularity also happens to coincide with some of the earliest public showings of silent film, and we have a pet theory that the filters of colored glass used in these showings (a blue filter used in a wintry snow-scape scene, for example, was very effective), might have originated out of this style of tinted images.

The play of light and contrast in these beautifully colored cards seems to encourage a "popping" of detail that enhances the overall image in a sometimes breath-taking way. This is a particularly fine example. Wonderful elements, the "mermaid" gown, her dreamily ecstatic expression, the guitar and potted palm. Great stuff!

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we occasionally post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more.

Wonderful Rare "Fishbowl" Lens RPPC of Ste. Catherine's Day Fete, circa 1905 by redpoulaine

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26.00 USD

Absolutely wonderful panoramic lens RPPC of a Ste. Catherine's Day Fete, circa (we have to guess here) about 1905. The early panoramic lens was usually not quite up to the standards of the modern fish-eye lens, offering the turn of the century photographer something closer to a 150 degree angle. Still, as we see here, even lesser versions were great for large, indoor, group portraits.

"Rare" postcards? Like any collectible, there are certainly some very hard to come across postcards, but it is difficult to apply the term rare to many cards produced by the major European or American printers of the early 1900s. Certainly the printing runs were limited by comparison to today's "mass production" standards though, and reproductions aside, when speaking of vintage postcards, the phrase, "Buy land. They ain’t making any more of it" (often attributed to either Will Rogers or Mark Twain), easily applies :)

However, if there is one category of vintage postcards for which the term "rare" is almost always an accurate one, it is that of the "Real Photo Postcard," or RPPC.
Even though most of the postcards in our shop are "real photographs" printed on postcard stock, and so technically "real photo postcards," RPPCs (in the generally accepted meaning of the term), were photographic prints produced on postcard stock by home photographers, or independent studios, in extremely limited runs.

In fact, at about the time this image was produced, Kodak offered an RPPC ready camera to the home photographer, that used postcard stock sized negative plates, ready to be developed on pre-printed Kodak AZO postcard stock! Just think. Take a holiday image of the family, develop it out in the shed, and the next day, stick a stamp on it, and mail it off to good ol' Uncle Fred! That's about as close to uploading a digital image as they were going to get :)

In this instance, it is possible (though unlikely) that every single attendee of this fete received one of these RPPCs as a souvenir, who knows? But it was certainly not a "commercially" produced image, and given the ravages of time in general, and two devastating world wars in between, it is just as likely that no more than this single card survived the intervening years. Rare, indeed.

In France, Ste. Catherine is the patron saint of unmarried women. According to Wikipedia, in order to qualify as a Catherinette, and attend our lttle fete, you would need to have reached the ripe old age of 25 without marrying.

On St. Catherine's day, Catherinettes would send postcard greetings of women in fantastic hats to one another, wear amusing hats themselves, bonnets or turbans, throughout the entire day, often in the colors yellow, or green, or both, (symbolizing patience and faith, virtues which, come to think of it, one can put to use when one IS married too, sigh. :)), and set off sparkly wheels of fireworks. Look up St Catherine's Day for further information!

Saint Catherine might as well have been the patron saint of milliners too, considering the number of hats they sold to Catherinettes. In the past, there would be milliner's parades on her day, showing off their fanciful offerings! And....well...yes! POSTCARD dealers might thank Ste. Catherine too!

In this image, our ladies are wearing bonnets decorated with flowers, but not anything particularly wild. In the Wikipedia article on Ste. Catherine's Day, there is a great image of two Catherinettes wearing really crazy hats!. Is that a biplane? We included that image for your pleasure, though *Not For Sale*.We imagine that the flowers on our celebrant's bonnets are yellow petaled. By the way, Ste. Catherine's Day is the 25th of November, so coming soon!

***Note*** There are a couple of men wearing fancy hats and attending this fete, as well!

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Dancer of Jugendstil Epoche, Louise Luska, by G.G. Co. of Berlin, circa 1905 by redpoulaine

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14.00 USD

Gorgeous tone and contrast on this wonderful portrait out of Berlin. Searching our vast archive of late 19th, early 20th century theatrical history (sometimes also referred to by our strange, and now foreign to us, offspring as "teh interwebs" :), we've found not a trace of Fraulein Lusca, but we'll keep looking! What a costume, Very nice, unposted condition.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our brand new blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!


Friendship and Roses, Lovely Belle Epoque Image, circa 1905 by redpoulaine

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17.00 USD

Setting: A Victorian Garden

"Shall I pluck this tiny blossom, Mariette?" whispered Cybelline breathlessly, her pale cheeks flushing with anticipation, "For I confess, my hands do tremble, and I grow quite dizzy at the very prospect. Surely, we have ventured as far in this experiment as we dare,,,"

"Do not be afraid, dear Cybelline," responded Mariette softly, but with an air of supreme confidence she hoped would embolden her friend. "You have only to pluck it gently, just so."

"Like this?" ventured Cybelline with evident trepidation.

"Oh, yes," Mariette responded happily. "You have it now," she encouraged. "Though the fruit of our actions may weigh heavily upon us, our hearts are strong, and besides," she continued. "Our plan was to balance as many of these roses upon our heads, as were left growing on this little bush, making little rose bushes of ourselves. And we have not gone nearly so far as that."

"Of course you are right, my Dear," Cybelline said, laughing merrily at her friend's clever rejoinder. The lovely bell-like tones thus produced, were joined a moment later by Mariette's laughter as well, resulting in a complex harmony, complimented by the song of a dear little robin, perched in her nest nearby, as both young ladies returned to their innocent game with renewed vigor, and joyous abandon.

Now you tell one :)

Unidentified artistes, though the one on the left (from our perspective) closely resembles the artiste Mlle. Marville, and her friend next to her, Mlle. Carmen De Villers.

No photographer attribution, either, darn it. Really a sweet image, published by Aristophot A.G. out of Leipzig, Saxony, and posted in 1905.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Paule Morly in Mermaid Gown, by Prof. Edward Stebbing, circa 1905 by redpoulaine

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19.00 USD

Gorgeously hand-colored Stebbing image of Mlle. Paule Morly, from a wonderful series of cards published by Monsieur G. Piprot of Etoile publishers, Paris.
This is probably the 5th time we've had the pleasure of sharing a version of this card in our shop, so if you love it, grab it, because it will probably not last long.

Paule Morly (born Charlotte Mélanie Augustine Martin, 1881-1926), was probably most well known for her interpretation of the Afro-Brazilian dance, the Mattchiche, or Maxixe, which she perfomed with Mlle. Marthe Derminy in 1905, at the Alcazar D'Ete. The music they danced to was from a song by the same name, La Maxixe, performed by singer Felix Mayol and instantly popular. This resulted in Mlles. Morly and Derminy being pictured on the cover of the sheet music which sold in uncountable numbers, copies of which may still be found available online for a few dollars (we're looking :). We have an image we found online of that sheet music for you to look at and enjoy. It is Not For Sale. A link below to the song they danced to, sung by Mayol, but a later recording from the 30s, might be fun as an added time machine component :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbJbkv2BvBU

Also below, is a link to a bit of interesting film made at about the same time as our postcard (circa 1905), not of the Maxixe by Mayol, but still of Mayol as he would actually have been seen on stage at that time. It is a variety of very early talkie film, in which Monsieur Mayol got in front of the camera, and lip-synched to a recording while being filmed, some of it appears to be hand-colored frame by frame. Some of this is introduced by Maurice Chevalier. Interesting bit of history: Maurice Chevalier, when he was a teenager performing in the small cafes in Paris, did impersonations of Mayol . Mayol saw him doing this, and with good humor, supported his efforts, which pretty much sent Chevalier on his way to stardom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yochox_YOVo

There was a silent film actress, named Paule Morley (rather than Morly) according to one French film history site we found, where were listed a number of short silent films in which she appeared between 1913 and 1917. Since this Paule Morley was born 1881, and deceased 1926 as well, we are assuming there was either a name change for film work, or merely a misspelling, and that they were the same person. Below is a link to that site, should anyone desire a list of those silent films.

http://www.lesgensducinema.com/biographie/MorlyPaule.htm

This card is another very fine example of Professor Stebbing's ability to prepare negatives, and Monsieur Piprot's ability to print them, in such a way that the end result was ideal for hand-tinting. Just superb!

We're very pleased to be offering you this card in such fine condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Tinklefoot Prunebottom Collects Titania's Tribute, Oranotype Posted 1906 by redpoulaine

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18.00 USD

Tending a garden in Faerie's borderlands has its benefits, to be sure. Provided you tie a few tiny silver bells in your raspberry canes, and put out a saucer of sweet milk every now and then, the fair folk will intervene with the rabbits and moles on your behalf, and see to it that the fruits of your labors are undisturbed by common meadow creatures. Furthermore, on that patch of ground, the growing season will last a little longer, and the Spring thaw come a little sooner.

And while you are yet a child, or for as long as you retain the heart of a child, the difference between fireflies and woodland sprites, as they dance and play among the iris and the bluebells, may easily be discerned by you. Even in Winter, rings of wild mushrooms will often appear. They will be tasty and plentiful, and you may fill a small basket whenever you like, without fear of incurring displeasure.

However, at the ripening of the ninth moon, when the queen sends forth her agents to exact a tribute in the form of whatever tasty provender she may desire, whether it be little, or all, you must be willing. And should you happen to meet her collectors while they are about their errands, you may smile and bow, and if your manners be elegant, they may leave a pearl in place of some parsley, or a golden ring where once grew a pleasant patch of sweet onion. Do not allow even a shadow of fear or resentment show in your expression, and by no means forget yourself to the extent that you make the sign of the new god, or utter his name, for should you be so careless, know that the woods will reclaim that garden plot within a fortnight, and that you will never again find welcome there.

As to this particular fairy's surname, the Queen chose it, not us, and if it points to an embarrassing family trait, we've seen no evidence of it. Even if we did, we would be certain not to notice.

Now you tell one :)

A very nice card of unidentified stage performer, published in Germany by the Neue Photographische Gesellschaft, and posted in 1906. Some wear to edges and corners.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Suzy Prefers to Lean on the Pedestal, not Stand on It, circa 1910 by redpoulaine

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18.00 USD

This magnificent image of Suzy as she leans nonchalantly against a pedestal provides a lovely example of the use of a plain gown over which was worn a decorated outer gown. This particular form of dress construction was quite common during La Belle Époque, and many examples of this can be found, not only in the images we share with you, but in many gorgeous gowns from the Edwardian and late Victorian periods which may be found on Etsy.

The decorated outer gown was generally composed of a sheer material or net fabric with any of a number of different types of lacework. Often, the type of lace used was tambour lace, which was a form of hooked embroidery in which chains of fine thread were used to form the design on the gown. At first glance, we thought this card presented an example of tambour lace, but closer inspection of detail images, will show that the designs on this dress were formed with sequins, a practice favored by stage performers who appreciated the extra sparkle this added. Quite possibly, however, the sequins were attached in a process very similar to that used for tambour lace.

We are not certain, but it's possible that this poised young woman is Suzanne Mainville, who danced and sang in the French music halls of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We obtained this image from the same source as another in which the model is clearly identified as Suzanne, and we notice that Suzy certainly bears a striking resemblance to Suzanne. But, regardless of her full name, we can certainly imagine that while young men might have been tempted to place her upon a pedestal, she was having none of it.

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A truly wonderful card with only minor wear to edges and corners. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, the price is the same as for a single card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, due to the costs of international shipping will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Suzanne Mainville, French Music Hall Performer, by Cav. A. Pesce, circa 1905 by redpoulaine

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22.00 USD

Suzanne Mainville was a French music hall performer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who was both a singer and a dancer. Very rarely do we see images of theatrical performers that so wonderfully capture the sense of movement that is seen in this image. Remember that these early photographs typically required that the subject remain still for a number of seconds, or even minutes, so that it required both physical strength and balance as well as great strength of will for a dancer to hold a pose such as this one.

This image is one of a series by Cavaliere Alfredo Pesce. Another image in this series was included in an exhibition of photographic portraits at the National Library of Naples, showing Suzanne in the same dress, but in a much less dramatic stance.

You may be interested to know that Cavaliere, usually abbreviated to Cav., is the Italian honorific for a knight. Cav. Pesce was a well-known and well-respected Naples photographer who photographed such luminaries as Giacomo Puccini and Émile Zola. His studio was located in the lavish Galleria Umberto I in Naples, an amazing structure graced by mosaic floors and a high glass dome that soars 187 feet above the heads of the pedestrians who walk below. Built in the last decades of the 19th century, this elegant precursor to today's malls was designed to combine public with private, filling the lower floors with businesses, shops, and cafes, while locating apartments above, on the third floor.


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This dramatic card has only minor wear to the edges and corners. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, the price is the same as for a single card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, due to the costs of international shipping will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

La Belle Otéro in Ruffles and Frills by Paul Boyer of Paris, circa 1900 by redpoulaine

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24.00 USD

Agustina Otero Iglesias, later famous as La Belle Otero, one of the Beautiful Era's most beloved dancers, was born on this very day! (the day we're listing this lovely card by Paul Boyer), November 4th, in the year 1868.
Here we see her, dressed to the nines, and with a smile as bright and warming as the Galician sun. Happy Birthday, Senora Otero :)

We did do quite a lot of research on La Belle Otéro, and if you follow the link below, you can enjoy several photographs of this dancer, posters of her from the period, a concise but detailed biography, and even an early film clip of her dancing!

http://redpoulaine.blogspot.com/2012/09/la-belle-otero-last-of-les-grandes-trois.html

An uncommon image, and a fine card in superb condition.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, the price is the same as for a single card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, due to the costs of international shipping will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Romantic Banjo Serenade, Hand Tinted Couples Romance by Alfred Noyer, circa 1920s by redpoulaine

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12.00 USD

Posted from Belgium in 1930, this is a lovely romance fantaisie by Alfred Noyer, the prolific picture postcard publisher whose offerings were so often top of the mark.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!


Arlette Dorgere in Maenad attire, Theatre Variete, circa 1900 by redpoulaine

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19.00 USD

Gorgeous image of beautiful French stage performer Arlette Dorgère. So beautiful! This one will find its way into our marvelous maenad section, of course :)

Mlle. Dorgère was a favorite on the Parisian music hall scene, spending most of her time in Paris, while occasionally resting up at her chateau in the country. We include an image, ***not for sale***, of the Chateau Dorgère (as it was called for a time), otherwise known as Chateau Vigneux, on the river Seine, to offer an idea of the kind of wealth accumulated and enjoyed by these well known Belle Epoque performers. Famed poster artist Jules Cherét captured Mlle. Dorgère's image on a poster for the Scala Theater in 1904 an image of that poster, also ***not for sale***, is published in this listing.

Mlle. Dorgère did not perform only in France, but traveled extensively, performing in locations as far afield as Rio De Janeiro in Brazil. According to one source, she moved to Morocco in 1929, where she quietly settled into retirement from the hustle and bustle of theater life.
This information was found in a very interesting blog entry (address below), whose focus seemed to be primarily on historic buildings.

http://dandylan.over-blog.com/article-du-ministre-cochon-a-la-belle-arlette-le-riche-passe-du-chateau-de-vigneux-98687119.html

A very nice unposted card in next to pristine condition!. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Beautifully Colored Lorelei Image, Possibly Traut? circa 1900, by Rotophot by redpoulaine

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18.00 USD

Beautiful Lorelei image, published by Rotophot, possibly autographed by the artiste, and posted in 1904.

This card was posted in Lima, Peru, in 1904. The two decades that passed between the early 1880s, when Peru was defeated by Chilean forces in the War of the Pacific, and the early 1900s, when this card was published, was a time of renewal for that coastal South American city.

Distance does breed ignorance. Few Americans today (including ourselves), if asked to create an image in their minds of Lima, Peru in the early 1900s, would manage much more than a blurry picture of a rural Andean riding on a llama, but Lima was a burgeoning city. The powerful, wealthy class of Peruvians that had arisen, in part, as a result of an exploitation of Peru's natural resources in the mid 1800s, wanted European culture, and paid well for it. They wore Parisian fashions, Haute cuisine, and famous artistes of Belle Epoque Paris, like Lina Cavalieri, toured the Americas, appearing in theaters and opera houses there.

Lorelei, though a ghostly, romantic, figure associated with a rocky promontory overlooking the Rhine river in Germany, and popularized by the great German poet Heinrich Heine, excited the imagination of people the world over. It's not unlikely then, that the opera, Loreley, by Alfredo Catalani (first performed in 1880), was appreciated in Lima, a city, built on a plain where rivers ran into the sea.

Was the person who signed the front of this card, Maria Luistina Lopez, a theatrical performer? Her signature is certainly placed like an autograph, and she might well have been, but unfortunately, if she was, we haven't been able to dig up any history on her. Still, this wonderful Lorelei, looking very much like an unattributed image by German photographer Heinrich Traut, is certainly an evocative beauty!

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Young German Model Shows a Little Leg, Paul Fink of Berlin, circa 1910 by redpoulaine

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16.00 USD

Great Jugendstil Epoche image, very reminiscent of Heinrich Traut's work, of a young lady giving us a glimpse of her knee (yes folks, remember you saw one here first, a young lady's finely turned kneecap!!! :) Very nice unposted condition on this one, and very effective hand tinting. The card was published and printed by Paul Fink of Berlin (hence the PFB initials, not to be confused with Paul Finkenrath, who used the same initials on his cards. He was another fine Berlin publisher who was well known for his embossed chromolithographic cards.

Many thanks to The Postcard Album ( http://www.tpa-project.info) for that information!

This sexy young gal could practically be Mary Irber's (risque pre-Weimar music hall star) younger sister. Nice, unposted condition.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Lovely Lady in Merry Widow hat, Hand-Tinted German Postcard, circa 1909 by redpoulaine

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17.00 USD

The "big hat," of which the one our model wears is certainly an elegant example, hit the Edwardian fashion scene in 1907, with the opening of "The Merry Widow," a very popular light opera from the original German version, "Die Lustige Witwe."

Lady Duff-Gordon, broadly known by her "brand" name as the internationally successful couterier, "Lucile," (her first name was, in fact, Lucy), designed a fancy, Gainsborough-esque broad-brimmed hat, dramatically plumed, for the operetta's star, Miss Lily Elsie.

Though The Merry Widow was hugely popular on the stage, and the waltz of the same name it originated would be greatly loved for decades (and even still today), Mdme. Lucile's Merry Widow hat made an even bigger splash. It caught on almost immediately, and soon stylish women throughout Europe and the Americas were wearing them.

Lucile was also responsible for streamlining clothing designs to better fit a woman's natural shape, and gentling out the exaggerated "S" curve of the very early 1900s. But, it was Paul Poiret of Paris, another famous fashion designer, who streamlined designs to what was at that time, a "figurative" minimum.

Monsieur Poiret, who did NOT like big hats, and was heavily influenced by the "costumes orientales" of la Belle Epoque, opened the door to the narrow-bodied "flapper" style, and the bobbed hair to fit the turban, and the cloche hat, that so complimented his designs.

So, it was "Fare thee well, Raphunzel," "Goodbye Miss Gibson," and "Hello, Boop Boop Ba-doop" :) Well okay, it didn't happen overnight, but it was in large part due to Monsieur Paul Poiret of Paris, that the British born trend of the often elegant, sometimes ridiculously top heavy, Merry Widow hat, though huge (forgive the pun :), from 1907, inevitably bowed to French fashion, and by the beginning of WWI (1914), was mostly being worn only by dear old Aunt Clarice.

Thank goodness that viewing this all from a distance, we are not bound by any of those then-current trends, and can simply embrace all of it!

A lovely card in excellent condition. We've not been able to locate any information on the publisher, K.& C.M. with its distinctive zeppelin design logo, but we recognize the beautiful young woman from a number of other "big hat" images, and believe this is a German card. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

Sidewalk Cafe, circa early 1900s, RPPC by redpoulaine

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19.00 USD

We do specialize in fantasy, here at Red Poulaine. It's true! Theatrical fantasy, even, and sometimes, perhaps, a little phantasy too, though seldom. Every now and then, though, we need to ground ourselves a bit with a few RPPCs (Real Photo Post Cards), in order to get a glimpse of what life offstage was like.

After all, if you ever find the absolutely right pair of silver slippers, and tapping them together three times, saying, "There's no place like Belle Epoque Paris, there's no place like Belle Epoque Paris, there's no..." and Poof! you arrive there, you had better have an idea of what it was like, non? Today we are going to feature four RPPCs from France, picturing real people, who worked, or patronized businesses in those bygone times.

This is a wonderful one of a family taking refreshment at a sidewalk cafe. We confess to being pretty puzzled by the menu. Grog? Punch? Interesting stuff :) The upper left corner of this card is damaged. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.

And please come visit our blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!

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