11.00 USD
This is a sweet card out of a series, "Les Saisons." Each of the four cards bears the image of an unidentified artiste, some of whom regular collectors may recognize immediately, some, perhaps not. Because we're pretty certain at least two of them were made from photographs by Leopold Reutlinger, we'll assume that all in this series used his work. These are not photographs, but old photo-lithographs.
The series was published by Edition Panorama Du Paris in right around 1900. Another curious thing is that each card bears a different subtitle. In this case, the subtitle is "Avant le Bal," or Before the Dance. Here we experience one of those disconnects which occur now and then, when because we live in another time and place, we find ourselves outside the stream of things, and what might have been obvious to a French person in 1905, goes completely over our heads.
We believe this is an image of the cabaret performer Mlle. Juanita de Fresia, a Spanish dancer, and a great beauty, but if this series is related in some way to the four seasons, to which particular season does "Before the Dance" pertain? Ah well, we do love these puzzles, and eventually the majority of them are solved in one way or another.
In any case, a very charming card of the pre-1904, undivided back variety, often called by French postcard collectors a "précurseur." This card, as you can see, is in almost perfect condition, though there is some apparent tanning at the corners from album storage.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.
The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. 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.
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