22.00 USD
Not long ago we ran across a collection of postcards picturing a number of Belle Epoque stage performers, and signed or dedicated by them to a Madame Pouillot. This is a card out of that collection.
If you know a little about the collectible market, you will understand how these collections appear; someones great grandchild is cleaning out the attic, and coming across an old postcard album decides to sell it, or give it away, or perhaps someone passes away and an entire estate is liquidated, and a little collection of personal heirlooms suddenly appears on the market. That is probably how this card, along with those others we saw, appeared.
Why would Alice de Tender, one of our favorite Belle Epoque dancers, be dedicating this card to a Madame Pouillot? Well, we started digging, and found a reference in a theatrical magazine from 1912 of a fishing contest held at a lake in Paris in the summertime, when many of the artistes were taking a break. In fact this contest was limited to theatrical people only.
The author of the article mentioned a Madame Pouillot who was the guest of honor at the contest, but not so much as an artiste, but as a loved and honored personage. Apparently Madame Pouillot was a very wealthy woman, a patron of the arts, who had done much for theater people in Paris, even opening a home for actor's children there (perhaps a place for the children to live when the performers were away on tour?), and at the same time the author hinted at a recent bereavement, how Mme. visited the tomb of her husband on that day.
So what we are thinking, is that when Mme. Pouillot's husband passed away, or perhaps on another occasion, she received these cards from her many friends and admirer's in the theater, and kept them together lovingly. We'll keep researching her, but unfortunately she doesn't appear to have been famous enough that we've found anything beyond what we've related here.
Mlle. de Tender wrote, "Mon plus gentil sourire a Madame Pouillot," which translates as "My nicest smile for Madame Pouillot" which implies to us, that this was one of Mlle. de Tender's favorite images of herself, and also is such a sweet sentiment, and now we can share in her "nicest smile" too!
A lovely card, with a lovely personal touch, in carefully preserved unposted condition.
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 not charge for 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!