26.00 USD

A superbly naive image of an unidentified model "en collant" (in a body stocking) with a really great snake! One has to wonder, when viewing an image of this kind, whether the goal was humor, titillation, gender politics, a biblical reference of any kind, or a mix of oh, so many things, but the quality of the image is undeniable. Her facial expression seems to us to say, "Et alors! You think I can't handle this?" :)

Talk about a time machine.... The feel of the period derived from a card like this one is sensational. We sold one of these last year that was hand-tinted, to a very pleased customer, and we loved that one too, but there is something about a fine photograph in natural sepia tones that is just so...wonderful.

This card was published by SIP (the Societe Industrielle de Photographie), one of the most prolific French postcard publishers at that time. The image was photographed by Henri Manuel, and given the age of the card (its production date, by its undivided back, is likely to have been before 1904), the photo would have been taken not long after Monsieur Manuel and his brother, Gaston (about whom we can find no information whatsoever), opened their first portrait studio in Paris, in 1900.

Henri Manuel's name appears on many of the cards we bring into our shop, and though most of the subjects we deal in are very light-hearted, Manuel himself was a serious photographer, and an astute business man. He became well known not only for his portraits of theatrical personalities, risque nudes, and romantic fantaisies, but more, for his portraits of famous politicians, art, architecture, and in 1910, "Manuel's studio began providing a commercial service to news agencies for photographs known as "l’Agence universelle de reportage Henri Manuel."" (see Wikipedia) His studio grew to be the largest in Paris, a recognized center for the development (forgive the pun :) of the photographic arts, and for the three decades between 1914 and 1944, Henri Manuel held the post of official photographer for the French government. Because we know his studio operations were shut down during WWII, we wonder if during the last years he held that government post (when France was under German occupation), he worked for "Free France," but we haven't yet found a lot of history on that period. Henri Manuel passed away in 1947.

Just to give you an idea of the broad scope of the man's work, below is a link to a site showing a few of some 2500 photographs Manuel's studio produced of French prisons and juvenile facilities between the years 1929 and 1931, for the French Department of Justice. Pretty grim stuff, but though Red Poulaine is very much about the frolicsome fun, we feel it's important to give you background on our photographers and artistes when possible, and well...we just love the stories :).

http://prisonphotography.org/2010/01/02/henri-manuel-and-the-national-museum-of-prisons-archive-france/

Our "Lady Eve and the Snake" is a truly wonderful card in nearly perfect, unposted condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Thanks as always to Wikipedia!

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!

17.00 USD

Stunning image of, we are guessing, a stage performer out of the silent film era, or even conceivably a film actress. Zagreb was not Budapest, but it was still a cultural and economic hub of Eastern Europe, and in those early days of movie making, everyone was getting in on the act. Even today, it is not for a lack of film makers elsewhere that Hollywood tends to dominate the industry, but rather it is Hollywood's almost limitless advertizing budget. Just ask Australian film makers who depend largely upon public endowments. Wonderful films are produced, but never exported due to a lack of funding for publicity. But we digress a lot! :)
This was a professional photographic studio portrait, as we can tell from the studio name impressed into the lower right hand corner of the card. Our guess at the era is mostly based upon expression, pose and make-up, though if posing in stage costume, it could even be from the 1940s. Still, we have a hunch that the 1920s is the era.
One of those wonderful, one of a kind finds, 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!

24.00 USD

From the wonderful series of postcards Nos Artistes Dans Leur Loges, published, presumably, as a supplement of the journal Comoedia Illustrated, we have here a great image of Russian dancer Edia Tikanowa, clowning around in her dressing room. The "Nos Artistes" series always pictures the performer in his/her dressing room, often in the process of applying make-up, sometimes, as in this case, half dressed, and always bearing a photo-signature of the artiste. Great stuff.

La Comoedia halted publication during WWI, but resumed it following the war, and it was at this time that this series of cards were printed, so probably almost entirely in the 1920s. At least we haven't run across any yet that appeared to have been published before 1920, or after 1930.

A very nice, unposted 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!

39.00 USD

Jean Théophile Geiser 1848-1923 moved with his family, while a very young child, from his native Switzerland to Algeria in the early 1850s. In the late 1860s he opened his own photography studio and over the next half century enjoyed great success, both in the winning of international awards for his work, and financially, through the sale of countless of his photographic images on picture postcards.

Though probably best known today for his "ethnic" nudes, the popularity of which in France, no doubt played a great role in the prevalence of the "costume orientale" in Belle Epoque art and theater, he also traveled extensively throughout the east, photographing and writing on a broad array of subjects.

Here, we see a particularly wonderful example of his studio portrait work, in this little jewel of a carte de visite, an infant is posed (we can hardly say "poses" in this case :) in a soldier's cuirass (joined chest and back plate armor).

The temptation to imagine the story behind this image is fierce! But, we're going to limit our imaginings to merely guessing that the cuirass belonged to a proud military father who hoped his little son would one day follow in his footsteps. The father may well have been one of the Chasseurs d'Afrique, a unit of "cuirassiers" that was mainly composed of North African colonials of France.

Sabre wielding, mounted cavalry, the Chasseurs d'Afrique had ridden into the "valley of death" immortalized by Tennyson in the fateful "Charge of the Light Brigade," and even as late as WWI, horse mounted cavalry charges of armored French cuirassiers still occurred (with often disastrous results) on modern 20th century battlefields.

This rare and wonderful carte de visite, by a highly respected 19th and early 20th century photographer, reflects the history of the period in so many ways. We were lucky to find it, and are very pleased to share it with you.

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!

17.00 USD

This one stretches the imagination a bit. This charming little girl's outfit is almost Second Empire in style. Was this a home RPPC of her playing dress-up in a gown her grandmother cut down for her? But the dress fits so well, and the flokati rug she stands on was a common studio prop used for infant and child portraits. Though it is a French RPPC, being American in our orientation, we can't help but think of Twain's Becky Thatcher all dressed up for the church picnic :)

Let us point out some items of interest from the top down:

Dark velvet bows in her hair, which is arranged in ringlets.
Pale, pale, eyes made to appear more-so by the light for the photograph making her pupils tiny.
A fancy pearl choker of the kind worn by so many stage artistes of the period.
Lace at the shoulders.
A long knotted strand of dark beads that passes beneath the choker!
A watch dangling from a bejeweled, star-shaped pin.
Fancy lace cuffs.
A very frilly edged fan on a metal hoop, attached to her dress by a long ribbon.

Such fun, no? We don't bring many images of children into the shop, but every now and then we run across very special ones, like this!

Very nice unposted condition. Printed after 1904, but we are guessing early in the 1900s.
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!

22.00 USD

Mlle. Jeanne Provost (born Jeanne Edmonde Guéneau, 1887-1980) was a very well respected actress both on stage and screen. She was a sociétaire of the famed Comedie Francaise, a silent film actress, and also made a number of talkies, the last in 1961.
In 1953, she gave a reading of poetry and drama at Columbia University for the French Department there, presumably while visiting in New York on other business, or pleasure.

Given her long life, stage and film roles, it is surprising that so little information on her is available. It is just that way with time, we suppose. Most articles merely reference what she wore in such and such a production, singing the praises of her figure, charm and grace, but then we can easily see here why these were so often mentioned. What an absolutely gorgeous portrait by one of our favorite portraitists, Henri Manuel, and what a turban! Since most references to her are from the 1910s, and the turban she wears was popularized in French fashion by Monsieur Paul Poiret in 1910, or so, we date this card to the 1910s, though she could easily be, by her appearance, still in her 20s, dating the image to the earlier 1900s.
The fourth image in this listing, is *not for sale* (not even in our possession), but we thought it would be fun, just for the heck of it, to give you a peek at Mlle. Provost's cottage by the sea, Barnville sur Mer.
Extraordinarily 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!

12.00 USD

Beautifully tinted image of Belle Epoque artiste Marthe Derminy.

Image circa 1905. We have not been able to find any biographical info on Mlle. Derminy yet, still looking, but it does appear that later in her life, she made appearances in a number of French musical romance films in the 30s and 40s, though it is possible that this was another Marthe Derminy.

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!

22.00 USD

This is one of those precious ones it is difficult for us to let go of :) the RPPC that breaks the "third wall." Do you see how along the right edge of the photograph, through careless cropping, the actual environment is visible beyond the painted, trompe l'oeil background? Does this hurt the magic of the image for you? If it does, we understand, but frankly, it makes it all the more special for us :) And what about the wonderful mule? Painted wood, or early cast plastic?

Grand-mama, mother and daughter (or son, because in those days, as very young children, even tough guys like Humphrey Bogart were often dressed in what we see today as little girl clothes). They stopped to get a portrait taken at a fair or fete, or while on holiday. In any case, the picture was made outdoors and not in a studio.

Wonderful image in very nice, unposted condition.

"Buy land. They ain’t making any more of it." Whether this phrase originally came from Mark Twain or Will Rogers (it is often attributed to both of these famous American humorists), the basic idea can certainly be applied to vintage postcards. Whether through the ravages of time, or by being bought up by collectors, these wonderful old pieces of history are vanishing away.

"Rare" postcards? Like any collectible, there are certainly some hard to find postcards, but it is difficult to apply the term "rare" to many cards printed in large runs by the major European or American printers of the early 1900s. At best, the term is a subjective one, that will mean something different from person to person. In our experience, as soon as we call a postcard rare, we're liable to find it in some other dealer's collection the next week.

But, there is one category of vintage postcards for which the term "rare" is almost always an accurate one, by any standard, the "Real Photo Postcard," or RPPC.

Even though most of the postcards in our shop are arguably "real photographs" (developed from a negative through a sliver bromide, or gelatine silver, process onto postcard stock photo print paper), actual RPPCs (in the generally accepted sense), are photographic prints produced on postcard stock by home photographers, or independent studios, in extremely limited runs of usually no more than a few to mail off to friends and family. This means that, given the age of the RPPC (in this case, about 90 years), it is likely that this is a one of a kind, absolutely irreplaceable, card. Rare, indeed!

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!

22.00 USD

We do love Downton Abbey, and so many of those wonderful BBC, Edwardian setting dramas. I mean we REALLY love 'em! (Seen Anzac Girls yet? Great Australian WWI 6 parter!) But I have to say, that after fervently watching decades of the stuff, if there is one little thing that gets kind of old, it is when (at a point in the story nearing the year 1914) one of the "upstairs" or "downstairs" characters slips into the " Woe is me, my way of life is changing, and soon there will be no place for me at the manor, and I'll have to move to London and become a pastry chef," or "Woe is me, soon there will be no one left to answer the ringing of this little silver bell, and I shall have to boil the water for my own tea," monologue. Certainly it was a dramatic cultural shift for that percentage of society whose lives were changed by it, and for each new generation of viewers, it is possibly a fresh idea that offers historical insight, but I guess I'm getting old and crabby :)

Anyway, we have a fantastic image here, of a well to do family and their servants, and wow, what a lot of servants! Of course, already, the skies over Europe darken prophetically. Political and social upheaval are on the horizon! Soon the lives of these good people will be changed unalterably...thrown into chaos! The social barriers will crumble...commoner will wed aristo...and their mingling will produce a new class of people!!! They will dance strangely...the jazz age approaches!!! Nice girls will trim their locks and don cloche hats!!! Anarchy threatens the status quo!!! And did we mention boudoir dolls? How "uncanny valley" can you get???

We had you going, huh :)

In the foreground, on the right, is the little princess (how cute is she!) with her governess, and the "pretty maids, all in a row," possibly the cook is the woman in the less frilly uniform towards the back, or she may be head of the household staff. Perhaps that is the chauffeur, further back on the left, and in shadow, stand Mother and Father, king and queen of all they survey. It isn't often we come across an image offering such a fine example of this sort of "old world" household. Wonderful stuff.

Note that the card had a stamp fixed to it, but there is no writing on the back, and no apparent cancellation. It was never posted. Why was it never posted? Of course we know why this is....the chauffeur at the back left, is actually no chauffeur at all, but a crazed lunatic who in 1974, accepted the job of caretaker at the old house....he was trying to finish a novel, you see...the deepening shadow of a bitter winter crept across the land, a darkening chill, like an endless night, and...

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!

12.00 USD

Gorgeous Art Nouveau composite piece by Leopold Reutlinger of Paris. Exquisitely hand-colored. Posted in 1907. Some creasing to corners, otherwise a remarkable card that affords its holder a magical window into that gilded time and place,,,but we rhapsodize :)

Also from 1907, please enjoy a snippet of Robert W. Chambers work, a prolific American author, who was known to use Belle Epoque Paris as a setting for many of his fictional pieces:

"Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume ; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of rose-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees"

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!

17.00 USD

Elise De Vere (born Constance), was one of the premiere stars of her time. Born in Belgium, she was the daughter of Herbert Shakespeare Gardiner Williams (aka Charles De Vere) and Julia Ferrett, his wife. Both of them were ex-pat British stage magicians, who wandered the world, when not running magic shops! Though they spent years away, she and her family maintained their "British-ness," and never gave up their citizenship. In the Paris of the time (of today, for that matter), there were numerous communities of residents from "away" who maintained close ties to their cultural origins. The Deveres, for example, regularly attended services at a local Anglican church, or so we have been told. The fact is, that a number of big French music halls were owned by English theatrical promoters during this period, some of whom exported English performers to France (early "British invasion" :), just as France exported theirs to England. After all, the channel is not so wide.

A wonderful card for our Marvelous Maenad section. How like a pagan priestess she is :)
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!

11.00 USD

Lovely image. We are guessing at the date as somewhere around 1910. We have no experience with old Japanese postcards, but sometimes put one in the shop when we are particularly charmed by it. On the reverse side, in violet ink, the card is addressed to Mlle. Marguerite, in the home of her parents. How cute! and also the little flowered stamp of ten centimes drawn into the stamp box :) The card, rather than posted, was probably enclosed by a relative, or friend of the family, with a letter to a young girl's parents.
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!

19.00 USD

Awesome image of Lucy Doraine, popular star of the silent screen, and just in time for the holidays, she comes wearing a tremendous metallic cloth bow! :)

She was born Ilona Kovacs in Budapest, Hungary in 1898. It has been suggested that she later chose the name Lucy Doraine (very French) because during the early days of her career, there was still a fair amount of prejudice felt by film goers in countries that had been allied against Germany and Austro-Hungary during WWI.

Well, after all, pseudonyms, whether of actors or writers, etc., are all about the marketing, and public appeal, no? The name "Red Poulaine," for example...it was obviously a practical business decision. I mean, who doesn't love a baggy red shoe?

Between 1918 and 1931, she appeared in 24 films. First in Hungary, then in Vienna, then Germany, and finally in Hollywood. She was married to Hungarian director Michael Curtiz for a short time, between 1918, and 1923. They married while living in Hungary, but following political upheaval there, moved to Vienna, Austria, where most of the films she starred in were made.

With their marriage on the rocks, Curtiz left the continent for the USA some years before Lucy Doraine, and incidentally directed some really HUGE films over here, like "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn and Claudette Colbert, and "Casablanca," with ...I don't even have to tell ya that! :)

Unfortunately, like so many other great silent stars, Miss Doraine's career fizzled out with the arrival of the talkies, and she retired from the business only shortly after arriving in Hollywood.

She sizzles on some of the most dramatic postcard images we've come across. The camera definitely loved her! She seems to have favored the turban too, though it was Polish star, Pola Negri, who is credited with really popularizing that accessory in Hollywood.

Below, follow the link to Youtube to see a short clip (about 9 minutes) from the 1922 film "Sodom and Gomorrah" directed by Curtiz, and starring Lucy Doraine. Pretty nifty! Cast of thousands, rain of fire, pillar of salt, etc. Don't miss it :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikg3d3Rirv4

A wonderful card in very nice, unposted condition. 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!

17.00 USD

Here at Red Poulaine, we have a special place in our hearts for the Italian actress images of the early 1900s and into the 1920s. The quality of the portrait photography and subsequent postcard publication was particularly rich, with a flair for the dramatic and mysterious. Many of our favorites, like Anna Fougez and Nella Regini, began their careers as sciantose, a variation on the French term chanteuse, meaning female singer, but bringing to it other meanings, and implying a dark, mysterious, exotic quality that appealed to the theater going public at the time, and certainly appeals to us :) Naturally we love all of our images or we probably wouldn't purchase them for our shop, and feel an almost filial affection for the performers onto whom we project imagined personalities and traits (is that weird? :), but there is something about what seems to have been at the time a very Italian penchant for carrying the illusion of the stage and screen out into the public venue, a tendency to make even larger, the already "larger than life" persona of the theatrical personality, that we really love. So we have decided to open a new section devoted exclusively to these Italian artistes. We call it "La Bella Donna," and yes it is a bit of a play on words, given the tendency in many of these cards to focus on qualities of a "femme Fatale" type. We hope you will enjoy these images as much as we do.

We can find nothing on this actress, Maria Gioanna, but we certainly love this flamboyant image! A very nice, A. Traldi of Milan 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!

14.00 USD

Probably intended as an Easter Greetings card, the clarity of this print is marvelous, and it's awfully cute, no? Very nice unposted condition with 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, 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!

14.00 USD

Wonderful image of a young dancer performing the Skirt, or, Serpentine dance. This was a form of dancing popularized and, to a great degree, developed by Loie Fuller, famous Belle Epoque (American) dancer and actress. As we can see in this image, the skirt is voluminous and of very light cloth. Miss Fuller was said to use sometimes as much as four, or five hundred yards of silk for some of her routines. We can also see the aluminum, or bamboo, extensions this dancer is holding which allow her greater reach, and control over the cloth.
Ida Fuller, another Serpentine dancer, and Loie Fuller's sister in law, once discussed, in interview, the stress this performance places on the arms. To read a portion of that interview, learn much more about skirt dancing, Loie Fuller, Ida Fuller, and even to follow a link to a short film compilation of women actually performing this style of dance at the turn of the century, please follow the link below to our blog.

http://redpoulaine.blogspot.com/2013/07/ida-pinckney-fuller-belle-epoque.html

Note the careful trails of glitter that were applied to the image.A truly lovely card, posted in 1907. Nice condition with minor wear. 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!

6.00 USD

We love this!
Sublimely weird. There is a tiny hole in this card, upper center, where it was probably pinned to a wall. It is actually tiny, and so unnoticeable, that we didn't see it until we examined our own scans of the card. Still, it's there, and although we would almost never intentionally purchase a card for the shop with this particular flaw, they slip by us sometimes, and we'll price this one accordingly.
The edges of this card are of the "saw-tooth" variety we have often run across on Italian cards from the 1920s, but rarely from other times and places, so we're taking a guess, dating this card to that era, and calling its subject an Italian dancer. If you know better, please don't feel shy, but correct us! We learn from our customers and visitors almost every day, and if we alter a listing following your suggestion, we'll hand you a 20% scholar's discount on your next purchase!
Except for the tiny pin hole, 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!

22.00 USD

Because Iokanaan would not allow Salomé to kiss his red lips, and scorned her as unclean, she persuaded her stepfather Herodias to kill him. Here, in the last scene of Antoine Mariotte's one act opera Salomé, the princess of Judea, driven mad with frustration, self hatred, and desire, fulfills her wish.

As Iokanaan prophesied, upon his death the moon has turned blood red, and in this scene, the darkened stage is flooded with red "moonlight" as Salomé sings to the head of Iokanaan of her love for him, while biting and kissing his lips. She describes the taste as bitter, and wonders if it is just the taste of blood, or if bitter is the taste of love. King Herodias comes upon the scene, and horrified (but also jealous, since his lust for his stepdaughter has been thwarted), demands that his guards kill Salomé, whom they immediately crush beneath their shields. The final curtain falls. Pretty darksome stuff, no? Well, it may not be Clive Barker, but certainly this gory scene horrified audiences of the day.

The opera's composer, Antoine Mariotte, was a naval officer (and a frustrated musician) serving aboard a ship in the far east when he first read Wilde's play and determined that he would put this story to music. Upon his return to France, he left the navy, and entered a conservatory of music, where he studied, and eventually became a professor, teaching piano. Then, after making arrangements with Oscar Wilde, and his publisher, Methuen, composed the opera.

Mariotte's Salomé is often considered the "French" Salomé. German composer, Richard Strauss, who was by far the better known composer, also wrote a version of the opera. Mariotte's is sometimes seen as being more psychologically intense, while Strauss's version is thought of as being more flamboyant and highly sexualized. We do love opera but our experience is limited, and we've never seen either of these, but Mariotte's is by far the more difficult to find. In fact, its premiere (with Mlle. De Wailly) in Lyon, was very nearly its "swan song," due to legal troubles with Strauss and his publisher, and complications with Oscar Wilde's estate.

Incidentally, Russian dancer Natalia Trouhanova appeared during the dance of seven veils in the Lyon performances!

This card presents an amazing image taken from what was certainly the most talked about scene in this opera. Oscar Wilde wrote the play upon which the opera was based in French, believing that the poetry of the piece best fit fin de siecle France!

Julien Francois Bioletto of Lyon, made the photographs for this series of cards. Unfortunately, we've found no history on him as of yet.

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!

22.00 USD

Mlle. Xaviere De Léka, also Deléka, or Deleka, posing in a really wonderful Art Nouveau costume for famed theatrical portraitist Professor Edward Stebbing.
We've done a good bit of digging in our attempt to provide some biographical background on this performer. She performed at the Moulin Rouge in about 1900-1904 (approximately the time at which this portrait was made).
In 1907, she was mentioned in an article which appeared in the Kansas City Star, on the subject of tight-lacing, or what was often termed the wasp-waist fad. According to this article, Mlle. Jane Dirys did not wear a tight-laced corset. Mlle. De Léka did. And famed sculptor, Auguste Rodin, did not approve :)

Thanks to a wonderful thesis by Joseph Albert North, for Durham University in which Mlle. De Léka figures briefly, we know she was performing on stage a "danse d'apaches" routine in Rome in about 1912, and was then hired to appear in a number of Italian silent films produced that same year, before returning to Paris, where she was to appear, again, at the Moulin Rouge.

Then, finally, we came across a short obituary in Variety Magazine, for April, 1914, which states that, "Xaviere De Leka, cafe concert chanteuse, and also Mlle Lambell, comedienne, died in Paris, April 6th." Unfortunately, it says nothing about how, or if together or separately.

It always feels a little sad to us when we come across marvelous images of these brightly shining stars of human beings, but can learn so little about them. In this case we are actually luckier than in many, where virtually nothing turns up.

A very nice card, posted in 1903, with writing on the reverse in a lovely hand, and in the ubiquitous violet ink of that time.
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!

18.00 USD

We have found no history on this dancer. Wonderfully hand-tinted image by Leopold Reutlinger. Unless Osman was actually this dancer's name, which is possible, it was nevertheless an interesting, and practical choice for a Belle Epoque belly dancer, as it would almost certainly have had all kinds of romantic associations in the imaginations of French theater goers of that time.

The name is a transliteration of the Arabic Uthman, and the most famous bearer of the name would have been Osman Bey, the 13th century sultan who gave his name to, and founded, the Ottoman (Uthman) Empire, which lasted from 1299 until 1922!

So it was that Osman was often the name given to the characters of sultans in novels, plays and operas, who kept harems of countless beautiful wives who danced, sang, told stories, and were sexualized in ways to appeal to western audiences. As a plot device, the Christian, European woman, sold into slavery and winding up in the harem of a Turkish sultan, was extremely popular, and appeared in early orientalist media long before the period known as la Belle Epoque. And, even as recently as 1996, we can see the romance of "Osman" in popular media, in the form of a very successful video game, "Osman/Kannon Dancer," in which the old themes arise in a mythic, sci-fi-ish setting.

A lovely card in very nice posted 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!