11.00 USD
We believe cards like this one, foreshadowing the psychedelic coloring of countless pop 1960's photo images, were adopting coloring techniques used in that newer than new entertainment medium of the time, the motion picture. Some film historians have suggested that the vast majority of silent films actually used color tinting and toning to enhance the film viewing experience though most of us today have only seen those old silent films in black and white.
Though printed in Germany, the original photo for this card was probably made in Paris by celebrity photographer Professor Edward Stebbing. Apart from the jockeying for economic and technical supremacy by individual businessmen and artisans, international borders meant little in the postcard industry of the early 1900s. The same could be said for silent film. Thus, French photographers had regular dealings with German printers and publishers, German publishers opened photographic printing houses in London, etc.
The artistes pictured in many of the cards we sell here, traveled freely throughout Europe and the Americas, performing in Paris, St. Petersburg, Rome or Rio. Even after WWI broke out in 1914, these entertainers continued to cross borders easily and many were used by the intelligence agencies of nations at war because of the access they had to powerful people and so to otherwise "secret" information. Mata Hari's situation wasn't really all that unusual. She was just very unlucky and ill used.
A beautiful card! The model looks very familiar to us but we can't place her. There are lovely highlights in gold ink that don't show up to good effect in our scan. 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 shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.