Gabrielle Ray circa 1905-1910

Gabrielle Ray circa 1905-1910
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

This gorgeous portrait of British born Edwardian actress Gabrielle Ray was published by Aristophot Co., Ltd (1905-1910) a postcard company based at 11 Southampton Row, London, England, although the card was printed in Leipzig, Saxony.

It is an uncirculated hand-coloured postcard print taken from a photograph by The Dover Street Studios, one of the leading firms specialising in theatrical portraiture based at 38 Dover Street, London.

Born Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Cook on the 28th April 1883, Gabrielle Ray had a successful stage career in the United Kingdom appearing in numerous musical comedies until she suffered a nervous breakdown in 1936 and was then institutionalized for nearly forty years. She died at the age of ninety on 21 May 1973.

There's a wonderful collection of Miss Gabrielle Ray postcards here.

Pantheon di Agrippa - 1915-1920

Pantheon di Agrippa - 1915-1920
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

This uncirculated postcard features a sepia tint photograph of one of my favourite monuments in Rome – The Pantheon. It was issued between 1915 and 1920 by the printer Alterocca - Terni identifiable by a simple name on the reverse of the postcard; the company would not use a logo until the 1940s. The company was created in 1877 by a primary school headmaster by the name of Virgilio Alterocca (Terni 1853-1910) . It started life as a small print shop yet became one Italy's most important postcard producers with clients from all over the world and with an annual output of 50 million postcards during the 1930s! 

The advent of colour printing saw the steady decline and eventual closure of Alterocca although in 1995 the Alterocca Photographic Archive of over a million images was acquired by Alterocca Media.

An Easter Token - 1912

An Easter Token - 1912
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

Apologies for posting such an unseasonal item but I recently came across this vintage embossed Easter greetings postcard at a market and it was love at first sight!

The card was printed by Siegmund Hildesheimer & Co (as S.Hildesheimer & Co. Ltd. - London & Manchester) as part of Series No.1023

Siegmund Hildesheimer opened as publisher of books in 1830 and started printing Christmas cards in Manchester in 1876. The business extended to London in 1881 where they produced postcards on numerous subjects until 1920.

Posted on 8 April 1912 from Finsbury Park, London, England

Water Skiers - 1969

Water Skiers - 1969
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

Another postcard bought in Italy - this uncirculated postcard features a wonderful shot of 1960s women water skiers and was taken from a Kodak Ektachrome photograph. It was issued in 1969 by the company P. Marzari Srl - Schio

Many thanks to Cartoline di Trieste for helping me identify the printer through its amazing on line database.

Sebino Betty Dolls Advertisement - 1967

Vintage advertising postcard for Sebino brand Betty dolls
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

I picked this kitsch marvel up from a postcard and stamp collectors' stall on Piazza Borghese in Rome the other day - I couldn't resist it!

The postcard is entitled Betty...è una bella bambolina! (literally translated - Betty is a beautiful little doll) and was printed as an advertising postcard by famous Italian doll manufacturer Sebino who produced the Cicciobello baby dolls during the 1970s.

The postcard was posted to Rome from Florence on 5 January, 1967.

Clovelly - 1951

Clovelly - 1951
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

Vintage Postcard of Clovelly posted in 1951 from nearby Westward Ho! This charming village on the north Devon coast of England is an important tourist attraction, famous even today for its steep cobbled streets leading down to the Bristol Channel and its donkeys. The donkeys were traditionally used for carrying goods up and down the streets - today sledges do the work whilst the donkeys are free to pose for tourists' cameras!

Bruce Springsteen -1975

Born To Run
Originally uploaded by Deborah Swain

I've always loved this 1970's postcard which reproduces a Bruce Springsteen concert poster. It appears to be one of Eric Meola's classic shots from the same photo session that produced the Born to Run cover – with the addition of the “Wild and Innocent” on the back of the jacket (a reference to the Boss' previous album The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle) and a pair of baseball boots slung over the end of his guitar.

It advertises a forthcoming gig at New York venue The Bottom Line and the album Born to Run. Born to Run was Springsteen's third album and was released in 1975. It was ranked #18 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.