MISS GAYNOR ROWLANDS : ENGLISH STAGE ACTRESS; SINGER, AND DANCER

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 3

POSTCARD 4 (SOLD)

POSTCARD 5

POSTCARD 6 (SOLD)

These vintage real photo postcards feature English actress, singer, and dancer, Gaynor Rowlands (1883-1906). She carried the nickname of “The Nightingale of Wales”. She started her career in Empire Theatres’s Ballet. Upon graduation, she joined the company chorus line of George Edwarde’s Gaiety Theatre. She toured India in 1901/02. She quickly became a star and she became the most photographed of the “Gaiety Girls”. She was a popular subject of photo postcards and theatre magazine articles. Rowland’s life was cut short when she died of heart failure at the age of twenty-three after surgery for appendicitis. Eight portraits of Gaynor are in England’s National Portrait Gallery. The IMDb reports that she has one film in her filmography. lt was released in 1905.

Postcard 1 is a pretty portrait of Miss Rowlands that was published by Raphael Tuck & Sons as part of the Glosso Postcard Series (No. 5709) and the “Celebrities of the Stage Series”. The writer of this postcard used only one word to describe Gaynor. That word is “Lovely”. There is no doubt about the date that this postcard was written and sent. Not only does the postmark reveal that this card was mailed in 1905, but the writer wrote the same date on the front of the postcard. The card was mailed from Hounslow, a borough of London. This postcard is in good condition (see scans).

Postcard 2 is a portrait postcard that was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (No. 1615U). Note Miss Rowland’s necklace and earrings. The message on this card offers Christmas greetings. The postcard was postmarked on Christmas day in 1908. This postcard is in very good condition (see scans). (SOLD)

Postcard 3 was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (No.1887 T). Embedded in the image is the logo for “Play Pictorial”. The postcard was posted with a British stamp and a postmark from 1906. The card is in very good condition (see scans).

Postcard 4 was published by Davidson Bros. as part of the “Glossyphoto” series (No.1417). The card was postmarked in 1907. (SOLD) 

Postcard 5 was published by Ralph Dunn & Company which operated out of London, England. The card is part of a series (no.418). The postcard was manufactured in Berlin, Germany and is in very good condition (see scans).                                                                                                        

Postcard 6 was published by Rapid Photo as part of the Silverprint series (No.3923). The postcard is of British origin.   (SOLD)                   .

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3549

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$17.49

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3549

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$26.49

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3924

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$21.64

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #3924

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$30.89

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #5146

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$12.00

Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #5146

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$22.00

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

POSTCARD 3

POSTCARD 5

POSTCARD 6

BEAUTIFUL STAGE ACTRESS DENISE ORME (THREE VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARDS)

                                                                            POSTCARD 1

                                                                              POSTCARD 2

                                                                                 POSTCARD 3

                                                                            POSTCARD 4  (SOLD)

Postcard 1 features stage actress Miss Denise Orme. She is very attractive and beautifully dressed. She is wearing a fur stole and and fur muffs. She has a lovely hat and wonderful smile. Miss Orme’s given name was Jessie Smither, and was later known as Duchess of Leinster. Denise Orme (1885-1960) was an English music hall singer, actress and musician who was a regular performeer at the Alhambra and Gaiety Theatres in London during the early years of the twentieth century. Her mother was a professor of music. She trained for her theatrical career at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. Her stage debut was in 1906 in the chorus at Daly’s Theatre in London. Later that same year she appeared in the title role of “See See” at the Prince of Wales Theatre. In 1906 she participated in gramophone recordings of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado”. Her marital history reveals that she had a predilection to choosing husbands that were “rich and famous”. She was married to an English Baron, A Danish millionaire, and an Irish duke. She was the maternal grandmother of Aga Khan IV.who is the current Imam of Nizari Ismailism which is a denomination of of Ismailism within Shia Islam with 15 million adherents. He is also a British business magnate. Miss Orme’s photographic portrait was taken by the Foulsham and Banfield Studio. Foulsham & Banfield were well known celebrity photographers. Frank Foulsham and A. C. Banfield operated a studio in the 1900’s through the 1920’s. The postcard was published by Rotary Photo and is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (#4098 Q). The postcard has a postmark from London, England, and dated 1907. The postmark date reveals that this portrait of Miss Orme was taken at the beginning of her stage career. In the message section of the postcard, the sender asks the receiver, “What do you think of Denise?”. In addition, the sender asserts on the front of the postcard “Nice hat, isn’t it?”. I have to agree; not only is Miss Orme lovely, so is her hat…….  

Postcard 2 shows the beautiful and well dressed Miss Orme peeking out from behind a curtain. The photographer is Alexander Bassano (1829-1913) who was a leading royal and high society photographer located in London. This postcard, like the first was published by Rotary Photo and is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 1933 I).

Postcard 3 presents a close-up profile view of this stunningly pretty young actress. Like the first two photo postcards, this one is also published by the Rotary Photo company and is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 4098 M). The photograph was taken by “Play Pictorial” which was an English theatre magazine published in London between 1902 and 1939. The publication provided a pictorial presentation of West End theatrical productions with each issue focusing on just one play.

Postcard 4 presents a close-up profile view of this stunningly pretty young actress. It is published by the Davidson Brothers and is part of the Real Photographic Series (no.1670). The photograph was taken by Alexander Bassano. Bassano  (1829 –1913) was a leading royal and high society photographer in Victorian London.  (SOLD)

REVERSE OF FIRST POSTCARD

REVERSE OF SECOND POSTCARD

REVERSE OF THIRD POSTCARD

REVERSE OF POSTCARD 4 (SOLD)

MABEL HIRST : FILM AND STAGE ACTRESS : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features Miss Mabel Hirst. She was a stage and film actress. She was in just one film, “Then You’ll Remember Me” (1918). Interestingly, the film was directed by a woman, Edith Mellor. However, misogyny was the name of the game in 1918, and Miss Mellor was credited as Edward Waltyre. As a stage actress, Hirst’s productions included “The Cingale” (1904), The Merry Widow (1910), and “The Marriage Market” (1913). Surprisingly, my preliminary research yielded scant biographical information about Miss Hirst. I found one postcard that featured Mabel Hirst posed with her sister, Elizabeth Hirst, and her brother, Tom Hirst. Tom wore a military unifrom in the portrait and unfortunately, he was killed in World War I. Mabel died at age 49 in Ontario, Canada. This vintage postcard was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (no.1739 C). Her portrait was taken by Play Pictorial. “Play Pictorial” was an English theatre magazine published in London between 1902 and 1939.The publication provided a pictorial presentation of West End theatrical productions with each issue focusing on just one play. The card was mailed in 1906. (SOLD)

BRITISH STAGE ACTRESS: MOLLIE LOWELL

Mollie Lowell, a stage actress, is featured in this vintage real photo postcard. According to the Internet Broadway Data Base (IBDB), she appeared in one Broadway play. The play was a musical comedy and entitled “Our Miss Gibbs” (1910). Sketch (1899) reports that Lowell was born in Newcastle-on-tyne and was of Irish descent. She joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company and played small parts. Next, she was signed by George Edwardes and she appeared in “The Geisha” (1896) and “A Greek Slave” (1898). She then had great success in the production of “Her Royal Highness”. Play Pictorial (1906) cites her appearance in “The Beauty of Bath”. This photo postcard, published by Rotary Photo, was part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no.1964B) and was printed in England. The photographer of Miss Lowell’s portrait is listed as Play Pictorial magazine, indicating that the photo likely appeared in that publication.

Buy this original Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #2421

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Buy this original Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #2421

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ROMANTIC SCENE FROM THE PLAY “HAVANA” (1908): VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD

This vintage real photo postcard captures a scene from the the stage production of “Havana” which appeared in 1908 at the Gaiety Theatre in London. The play ran for 221 performances before going on the road around England. The show later played in Berlin, Philadelphia and New York City (The Casino Theatre). Interestingly, future star, Gladys Cooper appeared in the chorus. The play’s plot was that Evie Greene was the daughter of a cigar store owner who also happened to be the mayor of Havana. She was promised to her cousin in marriage but was in love with an English yachtsman (McKay). To complicate matters, the McKay was suspected of being a revolutionary. The actors in this image are Evie Greene and Leonard McKay. Edith Elizabeth (“Evie”) Greene (1875-1917) was an English actress and singer who played in Edwardian Musical Comedies in London and on Broadway. She was quite beautiful and was often photographed. She was most known for starring in the international hit musical “Florodora” (1899). She sang in the cast album of the show which was historic because it was the world’s first original cast album. This postcard was published by Rotary Photo as part of a series (no. 7431 F). It was printed in England. The photograph itself is by “Play Pictorial”. “Play Pictorial” was an English theatre magazine published in London between 1902 and 1939. The publication provided a pictorial presentation of West End theatrical productions with each issue focusing on just one play.  (SOLD)