Showing posts with label postcard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label postcard. Show all posts

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Around the World with Louise Brooks - a Postcard Biography from Spain

Here is something you don't see everyday, a Spanish cigarette card with a brief biography of the actress -- her identified as Luisa Brooks - on the reverse. (Generally speaking cigarette cards are smaller than postcards. They were, as you might guess, tucked into a pack of cigarettes.) This card dates to around 1930, perhaps 1931. (Can does reader of this blog know the history of these particular cards?This one is series K, number 19.)


I have transcribed the text on the back. In Spanish, it reads: "Linda y gentil como ninguna, la belle Luisita se ha especializado en los papeles picarescos, en los cuales no hay que decir que convence al mas esceptico en gustos cinematograficos. Sin traspasar nunca los limites del descararo, Luisa Brookss la muchacha moderna, atrevida y valiente, que lo mismo conduce un automovil a toda marcha, que se declara al hombre qu le gusta y lo rapta, si es preciso, que sostiene un pugilato de boxeo con el atrevido que osa ofrenderla. La vimospor vez primera en la pantalla en "La Venus americana" y mas tarde se mostro gran actriz en "Amalos y dejalos" y otras producciones del mismo genero de fina comedia de salon. Ultimamente ha interpretado "mendigos de Vida", en la que hace un papel sentimal, "Quien la mato?", intrigante produccion de crimen y misterio."

My rough Google assisted translation reads: "Cute and gentile like no other, pretty Luisita has specialized in picaresque roles, in which it is not necessary to say that she convinces the most skeptical of cinematic tastes. Without ever going beyond shameful limits, Luisa Brooks the modern, daring and brave girl, who drives a car at full speed, declaring to the man what she likes and kidnaps him, if necessary, that holds a boxing match with the daring of one who dares to offer it. We saw her for the first time on the screen in "The American Venus" and later she was a great actress in "Love Em and Leave Em" and other productions of the same genre of fine salon comedy. Lately she has interpreted "Beggars of Life", in which she plays a sentimental role, "The Canary Murder Case", an intriguing production of crime and mystery."

This card and dozens of others from across Europe, as well as cards from Africa and South America, are depicted in my forthcoming book, Around the World with Louise Brooks. Please see the four earlier posts for even more from this new book.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The little story a postcard tells II

A follow up to an earlier blog, about the story a vintage German postcard told.... Another postcard currently for sale on eBay tells a similar story. The previous post drew a connection between Louise Brooks and Latvia. The vintage card pictured below, printed in France, was postmarked in what was Yugoslovia. Louise Brooks sure did get around.




Thursday, December 12, 2013

The little story a postcard tells

This particular postcard is currently for sale on eBay. I have seen examples of this Louise Brooks card come up for sale in the past. However, what makes it stand out is that it tells a little story.



The card, serial #4360/1, was printed in the late 1920's by Ross Verlag, a German company. The front features an attractive portrait of Louise Brooks issued by Paramount, her American studio. Their studio stamp is in the lower right hand corner. What is especially telling is the back of the card. The stamp on the back is from Latvia (prior to WWII a Baltic nation sandwiched between Lithuania and Estonia). The person who sent the card dated it June 28, 1931.

Interestingly, the postage suggests that these German cards were circulated around Europe. And, that  person who bought the card was in all likelihood familiar with the subject of the card; that suggests that at least some of Louise Brooks' films were show in the Baltic states, and that she was at least something of a known personality. Perhaps Brooks was featured in a movie magazine, or in a newspaper article? I would be willing to bet she was "known" because of her three European films, Pandora's Box (Germany, 1929), Diary of a Lost Girl (Germany, 1929), and Prix de Beaute (France, 1930).

Also interesting is the date. By 1931, Brooks' career was beginning to falter. In the United States, she appeared in three lesser films, one of them a short. In the European arena, she hadn't appeared in a film in a year. And yet, a fan in Latvia sent a postcard with her image. Can anyone translate the inscription on the back?


Monday, September 2, 2013

Hand colored Louise Brooks postcard

Hand colored Louise Brooks postcard


Sunday, February 17, 2013

Louise Brooks - vintage Italian postcard

This vintage Italian postcard depicts Louise Brooks, the silent film star who is undergoing something of a revival of late in that European country. See some of the posts from earlier this week about the screenings of Brooks films take place this month in Italy.


Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Another Louise Brooks postcard

I think this is one of the loveliest images of Louise Brooks....it stands apart from so many other portraits of the actress in that she is not wearing her trademark bob.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Louise Brooks postcard

Monday, June 14, 2010

A favorite image

This vintage postcard depicts Louise Brooks in the G.W. Pabst film, Pandora's Box (1929). It is a favorite of mine. I thought you might like it too.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Louise Brooks postcard

This nice old postcard of Louise Brooks is currently for sale on eBay. Check it out. It's a Ross Verlag 4608/1.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Louise Brooks

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Austrian postcard

Here is an uncommon image of Louise Brooks on an uncommon postcard. The card comes from Austria, and likely dates from the late 1920's. (The designation Iris Verlag means the card came from Austria; the other common designation seen on vintage postcards, Ross Verlag, means it comes from Germany.) The card pictured here is currently for sale on eBay. The seller is asking quite a lot for it. Nevertheless, it is nice.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Back in the USSR

This Soviet era Louise Brooks postcard is currently for sale on eBay. The seller, who lives in Poland, states the postkarte is from 1928. (The portrait, incidentally, is by M.I. Boris, a NYC-based photographer who once was the, or a, court photographer to the Austro-Hungarian Empire prior to WWI. Or at least that's what his son once told me. Boris took this image in 1925.)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Louise Brooks, indeed

Louise Brooks, as pictured on a somewhat uncommon British postcard currently for sale on eBay. The card is said to be from 1988. Nice image.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Another vintage postcard

Yesterday, I posted a bit about some vintage Louise Brooks postcards for sale on eBay. Among those for sale, here is another of my favorites. As Brooks is not wearing her customary bob, its a little bit unusual. Nevertheless, she photographs quite lovely. Don't you think?
The vintage Russian postcard I also mentioned yesterday has also shown up again. Here is a link to its eBay listing. The seller's page says this card dates from 1928.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Vintage postcards on eBay

Attention Louise Brooks collectors. There are a bunch of rather nice vintage Louise Brooks postcards for sale on eBay. They are all of French, German, or Austrian origin. (A few weeks back, there was even a scarce vintage Russian postcard for sale.)

Visit eBay and search under "Louise Brooks" and "postcards." You are sure to find them. The asking price is a bit steep, with opening bids starting in the low three figures (around $100.00). Nevertheless, its always fun to look. Here is one of my very favorites, a French postcard circa 1930 featuring an intense close-up of the actress.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Happy Holidays

Happy holidays from the Louise Brooks Society! (Here's an image of the actress circa late 1925 - and from what I can tell, Brooks is dressed & ready for a party.) KUQ48NXD43PS


Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Back in the USSR

I have seen this before - but here it is again. A scarce 1928 Soviet postcard depicting Louise Brooks. It is currently for sale on eBay.

Ironically (in the political sense), the portrait is by a former court photographer to the Austro-Hungarian empire, M.I. Boris. He fled his homeland around the time of WWI. Eventually, he ended up in New York City, where he came to work as a commercial portrait photographer. That's when this image was taken.

Some 90 years later, I had the chance to meet his son in San Francisco, and he showed me a number of original portraits of film stars taken by his father. There were some of W.C. Fields and two or three of Louise Brooks, including one inscribed to Boris from Brooks which read "To M.I. Boris, a true artist."

I am always impressed when I see something like this postcard or a vintage Japanese magazine cover or a Cuban matchbox featuring the image of Louise Brooks. Her stardom was truly international.

Here is the reverse of the postcard.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Back in the USSR

Ever wondered how to spell Louise Brooks in Russian? This postcard, dating from the late 1920s, shows how. It is for sale oneBay.

This Soviet era postcard depicts the photographic work of M.I. Boris, a photographer once associated with the Austro-Hungarian Royal Court. That's a bit ironic, historically speaking. Ah, the currents of history . . . .

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Louise Brooks

This postcard reportedly dates from the 1920's. It is by an artist named Bornand. In all likelyhood, it does not depict Louise Brooks - though it is a close match. What do you think.

Monday, January 30, 2006

By the end of the Thirties

                                               

This somewhat common German postcard of Louise Brooks - likely manufactured around 1929 or 1930 - is for sale on eBay. The interesting thing about this particular card is that the Italian seller notes writing on the back of the card is dated 1939. That's kind of a long time for this postcard to have remained in circulation - especially considering Brooks' career had long been in decline by the end of the Thirties.
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