Saturday, February 20, 2016

Posing

Real photo postcard. Miss Dora Langham.
Company: Rhotophot. Photographer: Thiele. Produced in Berlin.
Dear Violet.
Just a line to say that I was never jealous,
Yours to a cinder
Wally
Miss Violet White of Collingwood, Victoria received a postcard in about 1908 and put it in her album with a number of other cards she received in the next several years. The message on this one is intriguing. Wouldn't you love to know the story?

Miss Dora Langham wasn't an Australian - she was English. She was a stage actress in the early 1900s but I haven't been able to find any biographical details. Violet White had quite a few postcards of actresses in her collection so the subject must have been popular.

I selected this card to match the theme photo for Sepia Saturday this week. Miss Langham has flowers in her hair (like the lady in the theme photo). And the lady in the theme photo seems to be in a theatre dressing room.


You can see more drama and mystery over on the Sepia Saturday page.

And, as a postcript, just for fun. In the theme photo you can see the photographer reflected in the mirror. Here is a photo of me, reflected in a mirror at Luna Park near Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Self portrait, Luna Park, Sydney
Luna Park, Sydney

10 comments:

  1. I would like to know the rest of that jealousy story!

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  2. And flowers in her hair! Neat shot of you in the funny mirror at Luna Park.

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  3. What do you think Wally meant? The card is lovely.

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  4. Here's an article with a photograph from the British Newspaper Archive via findmypast, about Dora's engagement. Love the flattering Luna Park reflection!
    http://search.findmypast.com.au/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000226%2f19120217%2f028

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  5. That is an interesting note. Would love to know what it means.

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  6. Really like your self portrait! I haven't any photos of myself posing. Now on facebook girls and boys pose and have quite a lot of fun. Posing was the prerogative of an actress, like the pretty Dora. I remember my sisters and I posed but were never caught on camera.

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  7. One could have a lot of fun writing a story around that cryptic note. A lovely card.

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  8. It would be interesting to see the other cards depicting actresses as well.

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  9. Great post card, triggers lots of of imagination...and your fun house is great!

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  10. Wally's choice of postcard image may be connected to the message too. I'm intrigued by her two-toned name - Violet White! The distortion of your self portrait has hypnotic properties and makes my eyes spin.

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I love to read your comments. Thankyou for your interest.

Lorraine

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