36.00 USD
Welcome to our artifacts section. We decided we needed a place to showcase unusual items that present, beyond what they are themselves, unique historical qualities. Over time, we'll be shifting our autographed postcards into this section, as well as listing other very special items.
We have often said that these postcards of theatrical acts were not only sold to the theater-going audience as souvenirs, but that we'd also thought such cards might have been used by the performers' agents as a means of promoting them.
Here at last we have some evidence of this! This is a card bearing an image of "Mad. Tillier's 5 Yankee Kids." Now presumably this was a song and dance quintette playing the vaudeville circuit in the pre-war 1910s. Mad. (possibly short for Madeleine?) Tillier would have been the manager, perhaps the choreographer too, we haven't found any history on this act. On the back of the card we discovered that Mad. Tillier him/her-self actually sent this very card to none other than Monsieur Raoul Pitau, who at that time was a theatrical impressario (da guy what puts da shows together) of some note in Paris.
Even though we have a little German, and like everyone else, access to Google translate, be darned if we can make out Mad. Tillier's hand writing, so we don't know exactly what the letter says, but it would appear to be an arrangement of some sort relating to the act, 5 Yankee Kids. If you can translate this one for us, please do!
Having been mailed from Germany, the postcard was then received by Monsieur Pitau in Paris, which we can see, thanks to his big capital "R" mark scribbled with a date on the back of the card, indicating that this was a standard method of business communication. The "R" might well stand for Raoul, signed, as it was, with a flourish, or simply for "Recu" (French for received). Such communications were no doubt filed away for use in putting future shows together.
If the "R" is Raoul Pitau's mark though, then this card bears not one, but two autographs of historical note! A little piece of vaudeville history we can hold in our hands, really quite a find! We can practically smell the greasepaint :)
By the way, we learned of Raoul Pitau, the "Impressario," that he was "bald as an ostrich egg, though with a magnificent forelock," and that once at a charming hotel in Nice, after plying a woman he had met on the train with wine and rum all through the night, and just at the moment of grand romantic consummation (no specific details here) an earthquake struck the city and the couple were thrown to the floor and ran, along with many others, outside to a park to be safely away from tall buildings, window glass, walls, etc. (of course we can't help but wonder if this experience didn't offer those two a rather ironical experience of the old phrase, "The earth moved." :)
Anyway, the story goes on to say that when the earth did finally stop shaking, and things seemed to have returned to normal, and the two lovers realized that their fiery passions remained yet unquenched, they returned to the hotel post haste in order to resume their play of affections.
And yet, once back inside their cozy nest, and once again at that most critical of moments, a second shock wave struck the city, driving them again out into the street! Mon Dieu! It was at this point that they bowed to fate inexorable, bid one another fair adieu, and parted company forever.*
We found this little tale of romance a la Belle Epoque in a piece out of a journal by someone named Paulus, a theatrical personage in his own right. Paulus was a cafe concert performer who apparently benefited over many years from the talent management and close personal friendship of Monsieur Pitau, who he remembered "writhed" with frustration at the recollection of this incident.
Below is a link to the site where we found this story.
http://www.www.dutempsdescerisesauxfeuillesmortes.net/fiches_bio/paulus/memoires/paulus_memoire_28.htm
A very nice card, rare, rich in history, and one of a kind, with only minor wear to edges and corners. 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.
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!