12.00 USD

Beautiful! Classic Belle Epoque look. So cute. We aren't familiar with the photographer Dainef, but the card was published by G. Piprot of Paris, one of our favorites. Published circa 1905 and posted 1908. A lovely 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!

12.00 USD

One of three Pierrot cards we're listing today from a greatly loved series printed between 1895 and 1905, these gently tinted. Lovely unposted condition, but this one with visible wear to upper left corner. Please visit our blog where we posted a short, but, we hope, fun and informative article on the history of Pierrot, with links to related ephemera.
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

One of three Pierrot cards we're listing today from a greatly loved series printed between 1895 and 1905, these gently tinted. Lovely unposted condition. Please visit our blog where we posted a short, but, we hope, fun and informative article on the history of Pierrot, with links to related ephemera. 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

Really wonderful! Not the typical Pierrot image! A beautifully and brightly-colored hand-tinted card published by Bleuet, probably in the 1920s, showing Pierrot wooing Colombinette under the moon, while holding a mandolin in one hand. We love the wonderful scarves that grace each of the lovers' heads.Very nice coloration. 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

Wonderful Belle Epoque image of Mlle. Champin in classic flowered, feathered and jeweled head decoration, photographed while she was booked at the Trianon in Paris. The Trianon still exists in Paris today. It was built, originally in 1894, at the Grand Garden of the Elysee-Montmarte, was called The Trianon Concert, then was destroyed by fire in 1900, rebuilt and then renamed a few times after that, being called, for a short time beginning in 1903, the Theatre Victor Hugo.
We can find no definite information on Mlle. Champin. Also elusive is the photographer, called Duguy by some of our French associates, Dulguy, by others, s/he does not seem to have been terribly prolific, but those images we've come across have been, for the most part, very fine. All in all, a lovely, unposted card with an undivided back and an overall appearance allowing us to date it at somewhere between 1895 and 1904. 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

Ah Paris, city of lights, romance, gayety and....dark....dank....dismal....death??? Yep :) In Montmarte, a neighborhood in Paris known for its lively entertainments, one might find themselves in a very strange early version of a modern "goth" club. There really is nothing new under the sun, as these two vintage postcards clearly show. These postcards were probably hawked to visitors of the Cabaret. The first, showing a group of people sitting at their coffins, served drinks and taking in their oooh...morbid... surroundings, probably dates to around 1905. The second, an image of the human bone chandelier that hung from the ceiling in the main room, might date later, even into the 1930s, as the Cabaret of Death was open as a favorite spot until at least as late as WWII. To read a first hand account of a visit to the Cabaret, in an excerpt from the 1899 book, "Bohemian Paris of Today," follow this link to the great blog, Voyages Extraordinaires:

http://voyagesextraordinaires.blogspot.com/2009/10/cabaret-du-neant.html

A very nice lot of two cards. A perfect gift for the "Azrael Abyss" (immortal SNL "Goth Talk" skit character) in your life. Very nice 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

Stanislav Julian Ignacy, the Count Ostorog, took the name Walery as a pseudonym for his photographic work, just as his father, the elder Count Ostorog had before him. In those days it was not seemly, don't you know, for a member of the aristocracy to besmirch the family name by openly dabbling in a trade like photography :)
The elder count had already made a name for himself as a photographer of celebrities in England (among his credits was Queen Victoria), before his son took over the business upon the elder count's death in 1890. It was in 1900 that the younger Walery moved from London to establish himself, in opulent digs, in Paris, where he seems to have specialized in portraits of Belle Epoque showgirls. Though his output doesn't appear to come even close to the prolific Leopold Reutlinger (a competitor of his, whose images we frequently display in our shop), Walery was responsible for a great many wonderful images of such well known performers as Mata Hari and later, the great Josephine Baker.
This image of Mlle. Gallet, about whom we have found no biographical information whatsoever, was published by Monsieur G. Piprot of Paris, sometime between the years 1900 and 1904.
A wonderfully evocative card (don't you just love the curled toe on her heeled slipper?), 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!

16.00 USD

Belle Epoque artiste Mlle. Myriel posing with cymbals. Lovely image. 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!

19.00 USD

Wonderful costume! Hand-tinted Belle Epoque image with "Oriental" feel. There certainly were a great many wonderful "harem" style photos taken of dancers in some of France's far flung colonies by adventurous photographers like Monsieur Neurdein of Freres Neurdein, but this is unlikely to be one of them. Primary reason being that we currently (at the time of this listing), have listed another wonderful image in the shop with the same model, but in that one she is dressed as a French farm girl, taking a nap in a pile of straw :) So, this is probably an "in studio" fantasy image, perhaps even produced on a site in Paris. This doesn't look like an actual photograph to us, but produced right around 1900, it is probably a lithographic photo-reproduction of some kind.
Very nice, unposted condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.

Oh, and please don't overlook the parrot!

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!

3.00 USD

Posted from Belgium in 1904, a very cute image of Belle Epoque dancer, Mlle. Caux. Postcard shows a bit of 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!

16.00 USD

Really a lovely image, produced by B. Bing of Austria. Unfortunately, we have no background info. Probably a publicity still of two actresses as they appeared in a popular stage production. Very nice 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!

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.
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

Classic Wagnerian image of Belgian soprano Jeanne Marcy in a gorgeous costume and displaying beautiful hair that extends well below her bottom!. Image by Leopold Reutlinger. Mlle. Marcy apparently never reached the heights that would have allowed us to find a lot of biographical information with ease. We can guess from the date this card was posted (1904), and from other images we've found of her, that she was probably born in the late 1870s, early 80s, and that by the time she was in her 20s, she was a successful operatic soprano. We know also, that although not cast in the title role, she played the part of Crobyle (a nonetheless important role), in the 1894 premiere of Jules Massenet's "Thais," a very important opera of Belle Epoque France. Incidentally, Lina Cavalieri (one of our very favorite people!) played the title role in a later production of that opera.
A very nice posted 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!

19.00 USD

Truly a wonderful image. We've sold one of these before that was hand-colored, and as much as we loved that one, the prints produced for coloring were often toned down in contrast to take colors better, so the contrast in uncolored ones is ramped up a bit. So many choices in life... :) The tambourine is really, we think, one of the most outstanding features of the image. Remarkable hand-painted detail.

Our unidentified model is none other than Oterita, a Spanish dancer of some renown who performed in the music halls and theaters of Paris and elsewhere in the early 1900s. We find her SO cute!

We haven't found a lot of history on her, and have always wondered if she was given the name Oterita (little Otero) because of a similarity in performance style to the famous dancer and courtesan Caroline Otero, Or, if her name was actually Otero, and she chose Oterita to distinguish herself from La Belle Otero, or finally, if she hoped to benefit from a name association with the more famous dancer. If she did, it may or may not have helped her career then, but it is certainly working today. Though we don't personally see any real similarity in the features of the two women, we cannot count the times we have run across images of Oterita being mistakenly listed as images of the more well known Otero.

A very nice card, published by the Neue Photographische Gesellschaft, or NPG, one of our favorite publishers of theatrical portrait cards of the period. 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!

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!

11.00 USD

Okay, so we're half a world away, and distanced by more than a century, but if that's not the look Buffy gives her mom when she's told to be home right after school, and that her grades are such that there'll be no more nights sexy-dancing at the Bronze with Willow until they show improvement, well...
Beautiful hand coloring. Lovely card posted from Luxembourg in 1909.
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 beginning today, when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free!

And please come visit our brand new blog at:

redpoulaine.blogspot.com

where we will soon 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

Jeane Hatto (also Jeanne, but she signed as Jeane), was born in Lyon France in 1879. By age 20, she was a well recognized singer, a soprano, and soon was an internationally famous performer with close friends highly placed in the arts. She made some very early recordings for Odeon, on wax cylinder, which are said to exist, but are not, as far as we can tell, currently available. In 1902, she began a relationship with Louis Renault, industrialist and automobile manufacturer. They were lovers for years, and although they parted ways after some years, remained close friends until his death following WWII.

The story of her relationship with Renault is fascinating, and leads into the story of Renault himself, a very complex figure surrounded by controversy: honored citizen, inventor, war profiteer, right wing extremist, suspected collaborationist, victim of possible torture and unsanctioned state execution, the possibly illegal confiscation of his company by the French government, this tale is one of high finance, the arts, conspiracy, and would make a fantastic screenplay, but has no place here, unfortunately :) Still, we couldn't resist sharing a taste!

Wonderful costume image by Leopold Reutlinger of Paris. 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!

12.00 USD

Beautiful profile image of popular silent screen femme fatale, Nita Naldi. Miss Naldi was born in 1894 in New York City, into a working class Irish family as Mary Dooley. Times were tough. In 1910, her dad ran off, her mom died five years later, and to support her two teen-aged siblings, Mary worked as a cloak room attendant and an artist's model. She gravitated toward dance, was a Ziegfeld girl in 1918, and in 1920, started appearing in film. She had a pretty good decade of work, but although her voice had a nice quality, she never made a talkie. Miss Naldi passed away in New York City, in 1961.
Every bit of this bio was drawn from Wikipedia's deep, deep wellspring of knowledge. Thanks as always, Wikipedia!
A nice, unposted card, published by Alfred Noyer. 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

Yolis...est de sortie. We have to guess at this beautiful image by Walery of Paris. Yolis is a French nickname for Yolanda. Est de sortie, seems to be something like "on the journey," or "on the adventure." So, perhaps, "The Travels of Yolis?" What is particularly interesting about the title, is that we've come across a number of cards with these same words, and each seemed to have a different artiste, presumably playing the role of this character Yolis. Similar to the way the character Pierrot would appear in endless sketches, different in particulars, but basically the same, for centuries, really, and played by, obviously many different actors.

So, our guess is that this was a popular bit of sketch comedy, or drama, that appeared for a period of time in different venues, kind of like today, on television, sketch comedians like Katherine Tate, or going back a bit, Steve Martin and Dan Ackroyd, would reprise the same characters over and over again in different sketches, much to the delight of their fans.
Some day, some poster seller on Etsy might be puzzling over the origin of the term, "We are to wild and crazy guys," except, of course, that those plaid bell-bottoms, pretty much solve the puzzle, don't they :)

Really a gorgeous photograph by Walery. Particularly fond of the parasol and the silky, metallic sheen to its pattern. A lovely card in very nice 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!