16.00 USD
Gorgeously hand-colored vintage postcard published by NPG, the Neue Photographische Gesellschaft of Berlin, circa 1906. This is one of five cards in a series we recently acquired. We've read that most card series from that time ran to six cards, though we've seen some that are comprised of as many as a dozen cards. Each of the cards in the partial series, of which this is one, are numbered in the bottom left corner. One of them is numbered 9, and since we have only five of these to offer, if you're up to the challenge, you have still a little collecting to do :)
In addition to the lovely coloration, for this edition of the series, NPG utilized their patented "Oranotype" process, one of the innumerable chemical and mechanical processes made use of by printers of photos during that era. Not really knowing what the Oranotype process was, we can at least say that although it was sometimes used for black and white prints too, their glossy surfaces seem usually to have stood the test of time very well, discouraging fading of the photo-print and and in hand-colored images, really helping those colors "pop."
We think the photographer may have been Heinrich (Henry) Traut (1857-1940) of Munich, Germany. He was a very successful portrait and celebrity photographer who was fond of dressing his models in the "Robe Galbée" or contoured gown, commonly called the "mermaid gown" today. Of course, this costume was ubiquitous in the Jugend period, but additionally, Traut often posed his models on or near heavy and very solid-looking studio props like the bench in this image, seemingly constructed of stone, and contrasting sharply with the model's (and her costume's) softness.
The date on the back of the card, 1904, is not the date of the card's printing. It's often mistaken for that, but rather, it's just the recorded patent date of NPG's Oranotype, or "Oranotypie" process.
Loverly condition on this one and really, on all five of these we received in, but all of them have slightly bumped lower left corners. We'll often see, in a group of cards from the same collection, that they share in common the same little bump or crimp as a result of them having been stored, all together, in a particular way for a long period of time. But despite this tiny flaw, a really great card!
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 shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.