22.00 USD

One of a series of delightfully evocative images in which photographic images of beautiful Jugendstil Epoche artistes were overlaid on starry night skies, painted by artist E. Wahlin in 1904, and published by Rotophot of Berlin, at right around the same time.

Unfortunately, the actress is unidentified, and we've had no luck locating any bio information on E. Wahlin (from the name, and the publisher, we're guessing a German artist), but that has never stopped these cards disappearing out of the shop almost as soon as they are listed!

Having had a number of cards out of this series in our shop, we are certain this card is one of them, but the artist's name is most likely hiding underneath the postage stamp.

Rotophot was a German publishing house that would have come into being at right around the time this card was published. They grew to be very successful, and soon established offices elsewhere in Europe, and in London as well.

In about 1905, Heinrich Ross joined the company, gaining what was probably a controlling interest, evidenced by a change in logo wherein the RPH in the circle was surmounted by a tiny horse (Ross means horse in the German language). Customers of ours who collect "film star" cards of the late 1910s, 20s and 30s, may recognize the name Heinrich Ross, or at least the name of the company that Rotophot eventually became under his tutelage, "Ross Verlag," as being probably the largest publisher of film star postcards ever, but at the time this card was printed, the motion picture industry was still in its earliest infancy, and the artistes pictured were almost exclusively stage performers.

A fine card, in very nice posted condition, with very minor corner and edge 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!

24.00 USD

The Kunzli brothers, Karl and Max, of Zurich Switzerland, were in the art publishing business as early as the 1870s. Small wonder then, that when the postcard craze occurred at the turn of the century, they jumped in with both feet. Also, their experience in art publishing (they were particularly well known for their top notch chromolithographs), gives us a better understanding of the very "pictorialist" quality of many of their photographic images. This one is a fine example. Gorgeous. What a beautifully complex expression on the model's face, and how like a wonderfully wrought painting!
This card was published by their French satellite, Kunzli Freres (Kunzli Brothers, or just KF of Paris). 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!

18.00 USD

La Danse du Sabre, performed by a dancer we believe was named Germaine Rose, circa 1905. A German card, with minor corner and edge wear. Fabulous Belle Epoque (Jugendstil Epoche), imagery, making use of the ubiquitous "costume orientale," and gorgeously hand colored.

***Note*** Since listing this card some time ago, we came across another copy of this image, labeled "Judith" by the publisher. The fact is, given the style of Mlle. Rose's costume, with no apparent effort at producing a particularly "ancient" flavor, we have our doubts about the image really having had anything to do with Judith at all, and suspect that the publisher tried the title out for a time just to see how it flew, but having seen the card titled Judith, it is possible that this sword dance image was drawn from a theatrical production depicting that biblical story, so we've changed our listing title to suit.

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!

16.00 USD

J. Mandel, the somewhat mysterious French photographer and publisher, who is probably best known for his nude images in luscious sepias and shades of brown, produced a series of images in the 1930s that were, for the most part, more "family" oriented. Here is one of them. In the same way that Ketty cards often made use of an overall silver tone to bring out the reds of the rouge and lipstick in their images, see how in this image the woman's lips take center stage with a big Smmack! :) And then the soft focus is a great touch we find throughout this series of images, along with groupings of geometric designs in the backgrounds used to give the image balance. Great couples romance card with a wonderful Art Deco feel to it, produced by a very important name in French "glamor card" history.
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

We don't list many "bathing beauty" images in the shop, but they can be so much fun. This is one lovely coquette from the second series of summer fun pin-ups we've brought into the shop this month. Some in purple, and some in a tomato red. What a flirt! You probably won't see any more of this card genre coming into the shop for quite some time. Exceptionally fine condition. Really almost pristine! Published by CEKO, a French publisher, apparently, but one about which we've learned very little. Still researching. From the 1920s, or possibly the early 30s.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), 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 increases in international shipping rates 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!

19.00 USD

Leopold Reutlinger, the Belle Epoque photographer, took thousands of photographs of famous Parisian actresses. These were published in black and white, cropped to close up and republished, hand tinted, glittered, sequined, published again, and when every imaginable possibility had been explored, he superimposed these images onto wonderfully fantastic, often surreal backgrounds. The "Artiste with Bird" series is one of our favorites, quite collectible, and we've seen a fair number of them pass through our shop, though not usually in condition this fine.
One of the issues with Reutlingers "fantasies," is that although the artiste's name was usually printed on the face of the card in its early incarnations, by the time they got to these dramatic creations, the name would often be left off. This was fine at the time, since their faces were very well known, but not today.
Which, of course, let's us play the "Name That Face" game, one of our favorite pastimes :).
The beautiful actress in this image is Marguerite Bresil. Born in 1880, she made her first appearance on the stage of the Theatre Gymnase in Paris, in 1899, and within a few years was a tremendous star.
This card was published by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) of Berlin, and utilized the extremely effective Oranotype method for photo reproduction. Very nice condition on this one, dated on the back 1906.
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!

16.00 USD

Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few diva's of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!

Born Fernanda Primavera in 1898, La Signorina began her career in 1918 as a soprano singing light opera. She remained primarily a very popular theatrical performer until the 1940s when, having retired from the stage, she began appearing regularly in film, and quite successfully too! She passed away in 1995 at the age of 97. Here, she poses in a big blonde wig! We love Nanda. She reminds us both of Fellini's wife, Giuliana Messina, who starred with Anthony Quinn and Richard Basehart in La Strada.
A very nice unposted card published by A. Traldi of Milan.
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

We don't list many "bathing beauty" images in the shop, but they can be so much fun. This is one lovely coquette from the second series of summer fun pin-ups we've brought into the shop this month. Some in purple, and some in a tomato red. What a flirt! You probably won't see any more of this type of card coming into the shop for quite some time. Exceptionally fine condition. Really almost pristine! Published by CEKO, a French publisher, apparently, but one about which we've learned very little. Still researching. From the 1920s, or possibly the early 30s.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), 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 increases in international shipping rates 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!

17.00 USD

We don't list many "bathing beauty" images in the shop, but they can be so much fun. This is one lovely coquette from the second series of summer fun pin-ups we've brought into the shop this month. Some in purple, and some in a tomato red. What a flirt! You probably won't see any more of this particular card genre coming into the shop for quite some time. Exceptionally fine condition. Really almost pristine! Published by CEKO, a French publisher, apparently, but one about which we've learned very little. Still researching. From the 1920s, or possibly the early 30s.

Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), 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 increases in international shipping rates 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!

19.00 USD

Welcome to "Idols of the 1920s," where we hope to provide a special, cozy place for those of you who long to linger among the stars of the early silver screen, the hoofers and songbirds of dear old vaudeville's fading hours, a few divas of the grand opera, and of the operetta too, flappers, flappers, more flappers, and of course, and perhaps especially, those femmes fatales who with one smoldering glance can melt a heart, or break it in two. Have fun!

Dated 1922 on the reverse, though looking considerably older to us, is this magical "harem" image. Of course the blue tint does add to the magic. Simply wonderful.
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

Absolutely scintillating, and more than a little surreal, French romance fantaisie! One of the really cool things about it, in addition to the 1920s psychedelia, and the very romantic couple, is the triple play on meanings here.

In the language of flowers, the pansy often expresses passionate love. But in French, the word for pansy, pensée, also means thought, or reflection. So often on an old French postcard with an image of a pansy, you might have the inscription, " Je pense à vous," or "I'm thinking of you." And, of course, in this case there is no mystery what the sender is thinking about, a moment shared, or perhaps one they would like to share. So Very Romantic!

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!

24.00 USD

He is sooo spellbound...and is it any wonder? Maybe we should just call this one Circe and Ulysses :)

Gorgeous, gorgeous black and white, "silver screen" like, offering. We were going to guess around 1925 on this image, but this gal is so Louise Brooks, we're inclined to guess closer to 1929, or '30, given that "Pandora's Box" wasn't even released until '29! (No, we do NOT believe this is Louise Brooks, but she is certainly wonderful!) Great card in lovely 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!

16.00 USD

'I was dreaming that I followed a lonely woodland path,' thought Emily. 'Dark and deep, were those woods, the tangled branches of its ancient trees reaching out at me, sometimes snagging at a bit of lace on my garment, a strand of feather on my hat.'

'The sounds of the forest, the chitterings and slitherings, the restless settling of trees, filled my head, and I was made quite dizzy by them. The heavy earthen scent of the place filled my nostrils, my lungs, until it seemed as though rather than I, breathing the air of that place, it was that place, breathing me.'

'The narrow path I followed was bordered closely by mossy stones and rings of mushrooms. It led me eventually to a clearing, upon which shone a friendly sun, and wherein stood a solitary wooden chair, well made, though nothing very elegant. Still, in the way of dreams, I thought to rest my tired feet, and so sat myself down upon it, only to awaken suddenly...'

'There is Charles. He stands behind the bearded photographer who points his contraption in my direction. I think that Charles must be my husband, because of the way he looks at me. Such a pleasant face he has.'

'It disturbs me that I possess no clear recollection of how I came to be here. Surely my adventure in the woods was a dream...or is this the dream?

I could ask the photographer, I suppose. He wears the patient expression of a wise man. But better to keep quiet for now, I think. Better not to upset Charles...'

Now you tell one :)

Wonderful RPPC circa 1910s. What a wonderful hat!

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

Delightful, hand-tinted image of stage performer Eline Oreo. We could tell you that her name bears no relation to the cookie whatsoever, but the fact is, quite a number of confections of one sort and another were named in honor of theatrical performers, and since the Oreo was first introduced in 1912, well...it's possible! Ooh...the chocolatey goodness....the cream filling...er...but back to our card.
We are wondering if Mlle. Oreo and Elise DeVere were engaged in a contest over who could wear the longest feather on their floppy hat? It was all the poor girl could do to keep her feather in the frame:)

Sequins and diamonds and pearls, oh my! Seldom have we run across this many sparklies in one image. Over all, a wonderful card, posted in 1907. The edges are not "ruler" straight on this one. They were cut unevenly for some reason. Possibly trimmed to fit the card into a small frame?
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), 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 increases in international shipping rates 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!

11.00 USD

We had a little contest, offering a nice discount to whomever could translate the mirror written cursive on this card. Well, the answer, given to us by a very helpful patron, was (and we're a little embarrassed not to have guessed it, "I Love You a Lot!" To see the mirror writing on the card, check out the fourth image in this listing, and for the reversed image, see the fifth image :) Hey, mirror writing was one way to keep Mama and Papa's nose out of your business, to say nothing of that gossip, Mr. Postman!

There's little we like more than fairy tales, and we are especially fond of those that are less well known, as is true of the tale referenced by this card, "La Fée aux Cheveux d'Or."

The image on the face of this intriguing card depicts a woman with extremely long hair, wearing only a faux nude body stocking, pearls, flowers, and a drape of cloth that hangs from one shoulder to her opposite hip. Above her, are the lyrics to a song:

La Fée aux Cheveux d'Or

Il était une fois mignonne,
Une Fée aux cheveux si blonds
Qu'ils semblaient d'or pris aux rayons
De quelque céleste couronne.
Il était une fois mignonne...
(Musique de P. Delmet).

We translate this as:

The Fairy with Hair of Gold, or The Golden-Haired Fairy

She was lovely once,
A fairy with hair so blond
It seemed golden rays taken
From some celestial crown.
She was lovely once ...
(Music by P. Delmet).

Although the song may (or may not) have been written by the French composer and singer Paul Julien Delmet, the title of the song and the character of the golden-haired beauty are taken from a story by Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville, Baroness d'Aulnoy, better known as Madame d'Aulnoy, today. Madame d'Aulnoy was a French writer known for her "salons" in which the cream of French society took turns telling each other stories; she coined the term "contes de fées," which translates as fairy tales, to describe the stories they told.

A translation of Madame d'Aulnoy's "La Fée aux Cheveux d'Or" was published by Andrew Lang in The Blue Fairy Book, with the title "The Story of Pretty Goldilocks." Interestingly, the character of Charming, in this story, is not a prince, but a mere courtier in a king's court. Here's a quick overview, if you're not familiar with the story:

A princess, called Pretty Goldilocks due to her beauty and golden hair, has no wish to get married. A king falls in love with her, but she rejects his proposal.

Now, usually, we'd expect the king to go on a quest to win his lady love, but that's not what happens. He sends Charming, instead. On his way to meet the princess, Charming meets the traditional three animals and helps each, receiving a promise of future help from each. When Charming meets her, the princess refuses the gifts he's brought from the king, one of them a little dog named Frisk, and sets three tasks that must be completed before she will be willing to marry. Charming thinks these are impossible tasks and is ready to give up, but Frisk encourages him to try, anyway. Of course, Charming's animal helpers are each perfectly suited to accomplish one of the tasks, so problem solved.

Princess Goldilocks agrees to marry the king, but what she really wants is to marry Charming. He, however, remains loyal to his ruler, and she goes ahead with the marriage. After the wedding, the king gets jealous, and throws Charming in the tower. But, the king is still fearful that he's not sufficiently handsome to please his wife, so he washes his face with water that's supposed to be from the Fountain of Beauty, Only, oops, a clumsy maid had broken the bottle it was in and replaced it with an identical one. The potion in this bottle, however, causes the king to fall into a profound sleep, from which he will never wake. (This was Madame d'Aulnoy's way of saying that the king died from drinking poison, without actually, you know, saying it.) Frisk, acting as messenger, runs to tell Charming, who's been languishing in his tower, that the king is dead, and Charming sends Frisk to remind the princess that he's still alive. She releases Charming and makes him king, as well as her husband, and the pair finally live "happily ever after."

This card was published by Bergeret, who practically pioneered the French post card. Though posted in 1904, it is an early divided back card, indicating it was published right around the date of the legal change that introduced today's modern post cards. Unlike many of Bergeret's cards, then, this is not considered a "precurseur."

There is also an example of mirror writing along one side of the card, only three words, but clearly the sender has made an effort to disguise the private message meant only for the receiver. You can learn more about the people and story mentioned in this post by visiting the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Delmet (Then click the link to view the translation of the French page for him, as it has an extensive bio.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_d%27Aulnoy/

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/503/503-h/503-h.htm#link2H_4_0019

****

This card was published on delicate card stock with lovely hand-tinting. There are tiny creases in both upper 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!

17.00 USD

Mlle. Xaviere De Léka, also Deléka, or Deleka, posing in a really wonderful Art Nouveau costume for famed theatrical portraitist Professor Edward Stebbing of Paris.

This particular card, published, we are guessing, sometime between 1905 and 1910, was made at the Tipografico Alterocca in Terni Italy. The founder of this company, Virgilio Alterocca, was a publisher, politician, and public benefactor, who between 1898 and his death, in 1910, was a very important figure in the Italian postcard industry.

Unlike almost all the cards in our shop, this image is not a photograph, but an early lithograph. This is made apparent by what we today would call the "dot matrix" present in the image, and obvious if you zoom in on it. Some photolithographs from this period could be quite lovely, and we feel this one fits that bill. Also, we love the Art Nouveau font in the upper left, characteristic of many Alterocca cards. In fact, it may be this font, in part, lending a very "period" quality to their cards, that contributes to their collector following.

Of course, we cannot know today whether Professor Stebbing, the photographer, would have approved, or given his permission, for this Alterocca edition. We think possibly not, for two reasons.
First, the fact that Stebbing is uncredited,
and B :), the image on this card is a slightly blown up, and reversed, image of the original Stebbing card, which was published by G. Piprot of "Etoile," Paris, and we can't help but think that an image reversal might be one way of claiming whatever they may have termed "significant contribution" back then, and avoiding a court battle. We're just having some fun with the idea though, and possibly the image reversal had as much to do with the photolithographic process as anything, and this was a typical, and perfectly legitimate, transaction.

We know that Mlle De Léka performed at the Moulin Rouge during the years,1900-1904.

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. To sum up this article: Mlle. Jane Dirys (another popular performer) 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 (pretty much on the eve of the great war in Europe), 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, 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!

11.00 USD

Born in Italy, in 1865, to an Italian mother and an Austrian army officer, Theresina Gessner moved with her family to Austria in the 1870s, polished up her German (she had been raised with Italian as her first language), studied drama at the Vienna Conservatory from the age of 16, and joined the German Theater in the 1880s, where she met and married Austrian actor Otto Sommerstorf in 1888. Here is a lovely image (Look at her hair! Wow!), probably published in the 1890s. Very nice condition.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Postage is for fully insured, first class, shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), 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 increases in international shipping rates 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!

18.00 USD

Wonderful image of a gorgeous stage performer in lovely costume. Mad. we imagine, is short for Madeleine, a VERY popular name at the time. Stage artists often took the name of their home town. So the island of Jersey off the Normandy coast perhaps? Mere conjecture, but hey...it's fun! We learned a lot about the Channel Islands on this foray into that vast interwebbian sea of...well...stuff...and yes... a lot of conjecture!!!

The image style is very much like Gerlach's work, but the font is not one we remember seeing on Gerlach cards. So, we got nuttin' for ya on this one. :) That is of course, except for a very 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!

22.00 USD

Mae Murray (1885-1965), known as "the girl with the bee-stung lips," was a silent film star, producer and screen writer in the late 1910s, and into the 20s. In addition to her generous mouth, she was known for her elaborate costumes, over the top dramatics, and was all the rage for some time. Following her fourth marriage though, this one to David Mdivani, from an aristocratic Georgian family, she allowed her husband to manage her career. He made some terrible choices for her, which resulted in her making an implacable enemy of producer Louis B. Mayer, and being blacklisted in Hollywood. She never overcame this circumstance, and gradually faded into obscurity.

Dastardly David Mdivani was one of five siblings of the Mdivani family who left Georgia as refugees, fleeing the Bolsheviks, and became known as the "marrying Mdivanis" because of their habit of marrying heirs and heiresses for their money. They seem to have been thoroughly ruthless in their predations, leaving trails of broken hearts, empty bank accounts, and misery in their wakes. Boo! Hiss!

But back to Miss Murray during her salad days. What a beauty. What an image. In the 20s, her portrait was painted by Theodore N. Lukits, a big Hollywood portrait painter who has become known as an "orientalist," and whose work (including the one of Miss Murray), makes the rounds in gallery exhibitions.
A really fine postcard. 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

Superb portrait of actress, producer and screenwriter Marion Davies (1897-1961) by G.B. Falci, one of our favorite publishers of film star cards. Amazing tone and contrast on this one, and in very nice, unposted condition.

Miss Davies was a Ziegfeld Girl in the 1910s, and went on to appear in the motion pictures with great success, until her lover, William Randolph Hearst, Newspaper Tycoon, took too much interest in her career and bought her so much publicity that her career floundered.

Now, there are a great many rumors, myths and legends, surrounding Miss Davies, and much has been written about her, but we had one interesting little idea we've never run across in print (though it probably has been, in keeping with that old axiom, "nothing new under the sun").

Any visitors of ours who are movie buffs, may be familiar with the classic film "Citizen Kane," in which the Kane character is generally believed to have been modeled after Hearst. No spoilers here, but what if "Rosebud" was not what it was purported to be in the film?

What if Rosebud was not an "it," but rather a "whom?" In 1993, a woman named Patricia Lake, who since birth had been known as the niece of Marion Davies, made a deathbed request that she be finally acknowledged publicly as the love child of Hearst and Davies.

This is the idea. It has been suggested that Lake's birth and provenance was a well kept secret, Miss Davies being in seclusion at the time, and that following the birth, the infant girl was given to Miss Davies' sister to call her own. Davies' sister had lost her own little girl while in infancy, you see, whose name happened to have been "Rose," and Patricia Lake simply took her place, and her name, in order to save both Hearst and Davies from the scandal of a child born out of wedlock, and fathered by a married man.

Apparently this was a well kept secret within the family, Hearst having acknowledged Patricia Lake as his daughter, privately, when she was 17, but what if the secret was not all that well kept, what if Orson Welles learned of it? What we are wondering is if Kane's yearning whisper of the word "Rosebud," was actually a not so veiled reference to "Rose," Hearst's (Kane's) daughter by Miss Davies? Fun, huh? We love a good mystery :) Oh, Mr. Wells, you rascal, you :)

Anyhow, we'll say no more, it's just an idea, and if it piqued your curiosity, watch the movie!

A magnificent portrait. 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!