Historic Opera

COLLECTING OPERA POSTCARD SETS

Collecting Lina Cavalieri Postcards

There is no doubt that there was a greater variety of early postcards published of Lina Cavalieri than any other opera singer. She wins the prize for the most diversity in design. You can find her on nouveau postcards, fantasy postcards, greeting postcards, fashion postcards, real hair postcards, playing card postcards, money postcards, midget postcards, bookmark postcards, and if you're lucky, opera costume postcards! Lina Cavalieri was posing before the Reutlinger cameras before her operatic stage career began. Billed as "the most beautiful woman in the world," it was inevitable that Cavalieri's image would be a popular postcard subject. I suppose she had a healthy opinion of her looks because she was photographed from all sides, all angles. Below is a "short" list of some of the postcards you can find. 

Be sure to see the rare Cavalieri hold-to-light postcard in the series hold-to-light section.

 

Description No.
1/2 portrait - very risqué. Head looking up, hands in lap. Seated. (Reutlinger photo unattributed)  AL 738
Portrait inside nouveau heart. With ribbons and flowers. Horizontal (Reutlinger photo unattributed) British card. APPS Series C No 9
4/5 Seated very tight white dress arms overhead. BNK 605
1/2 Long hair, dramatic leaning back against bench rest. Facsimile signature. Horizontal (Reutlinger) CR
1/2 portrait inside nouveau grapes frame. Pre-debut, 1899. (Dresden-Budapest) Edgar Schmidt 7018
3/4 Hands up to neck: flower headdress (Gershel photo) FC&C 157
1/1 Thais (A.Bert photo) Left hand fixing shoe FC&C 407
1/2 Thais (A.Bert photo) FC&C 414
1/2 portrait in fur, large leaves border frame. Published 1900. (Reutlinger) Gesellsch Series 7 No. ?
1/4 left side portrait inside nouveau flowered oval frame. Published 1900. (Reutlinger) Gesellsch Series 16 No. 10
1/2 Right side portrait. Square neck dress.  Ivy and flower background. (Reutlinger) Editeurs d'Art KE Serie 2136
3/4 Seated on edge of bench. Hands on thigh. (Reutlinger) M&Co B
3/4 Seated on edge of chair. Left arm on back. Head turned away. (Reutlinger) M&Co B
Halftone same as  SIP 188/10, different border. (Reutlinger) M. Gluckstadt 10687
Elaborate, risqué dress. Seated, Right hand on pillow on desk. Left hand braced against back of chair. NPG 73/10
1/2. Looking over right shoulder. Fur wrap around shoulders. Facsimile signature. (Reutlinger) NPG 127/1
Seated 3/4 wrapped in tight dress (sheet). Left hand holding head. Like SIP 188/10 only this is vertical, no swans. Facsimile signature. (Reutlinger) NPG 127/3
Left side profile. Facsimile signature. REAL HAIR postcard, comes with postcard BOX. NPG 127/?
Inside tulip, with petal hat (Magnificent) See Thumbnails C. NPG 163/20
3/4 , risqué dress, long pearls. (Reutlinger) NPG 321/7
3/4, left profile, right hand by face. NPG 329/5
Another bizarre one. Cavalieri in forest with a deer, and squirrel in tree. Composite. NPG 660/3
1/2, just like SIP 910/4 without the borders. Closer shot. PH 2009
Nouveau. 1/2 large nouveau tulip and netting. Writing area on bottom (Reutlinger). Russian back. PRH 115 (or RPH)
1/2 High ribboned hat. Flat rim. Fur coat. (Reutlinger) PRH 1029 (or RPH)
3/4, right profile, looking down. Single strand necklace. PRH 1071 (or RPH)
1/2 High ribboned hat. Flat rim. Fur coat. (Reutlinger) Different pose than PRH 1029. PRH 1475 (or RPH)
1/2 Right side profile. Her Sarah Bernhardt look. PRH 5024 (or RPH)
1/2 Right side profile. Elaborate, risqué dress. Looking upward. (Reutlinger) PRH 5027 (or RPH)
1/2 Ophelia? Hands to neck. Same pose as FC&C 157. PRH 5067 (or RPH)
1/2 In enormous ribbon hat with flat rim (like PRH 1029). PRH 5067 (or RPH)
1/2, Nedda, shushing audience. Large white, pompom hat. (Reutlinger) Like SIP Serie 52 No 16 only with white border. PRH 5194 (or RPH)
3/4 in feathered hat. Hands behind back. (Reutlinger) PRH 7060 (or RPH)
3/4 Long pearl. Looking down, hands on hips. PRH 7071 (or RPH)
1/2 Left side profile. Long hair (Reutlinger) PRH 7073 (or RPH)
1/2 Tosca? Veil over head. Right hand holding veil to body. (Gerschel) PRH 7472 (or RPH)
3/4. With flowered headband, Right hand behind head. Autographed. (Gerschel) PRH 7474 (or RPH)
1/2 Fur wrap head turned to left side PRH 8188 (or RPH)
(Russian RL) 3/4 in lace dress. Left elbow on chair back, head resting on hand. RL 323
Bookmark postcard 1/1 choker, jeweled necklace, and pearls. (1903 or earlier) Rotary ??13
Midget postcard. 1/2 Left hand on head. Square neck dress. No necklace. (Reutlinger) Rotary 7512
1/2 side portrait - Right arm to face. Leaf and bird border, mountain inset. (Reutlinger) SIP 3e Serie No. 20
Nouveau. 1/2 long hair. Typical nouveau poppies. (Reutlinger) SIP 10e Serie No. 16
1/2 portrait - round&diamond shaped necklace & long pearls (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 2
Seated in chair - profile - no necklace (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 3
3/4, right hand on curtain - profile - no necklace (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 4
Nedda, 3/4, whip in right hand, turned to her right. (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 6
Nedda, 3/4, Picking tooth with right pinky. (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 7
3/4, from back. There's that sheet again. (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 8
Seated. Left hand holding head. Right hand on knee. SIP 52e Serie No. 10
3/4, Hands folded in front, eyes closed. White dress. (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 11
Nedda 3/4. Looking through hula hoop. Doctored waist! (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 12
Seated on floor? Arms around knees. Left side. Horizontal (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 13
Seated on bench - 4-tier necklace SIP 52e Serie No. 14
Nedda, shushing audience. (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 16
3/4 low-cut dress with cape, jewel on forehead (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 19
3/4 Nedda - holding hula hoop in front, looked off to her right. (Reutlinger) SIP 52e Serie No. 20
Seated 1/1 on table. Very long necklace (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/2
Seated 3/4 very low-cut swirly dress (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/6
Seated 3/4 in chair. Flowers in background. Hands in lap. Left side. (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/7
Nedda, 1/2, shushing audience. (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/8
Seated 3/4 very low-cut dress (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/9
Seated 3/4 wrapped in tight dress (sheet). Left hand holding head. Swan in background. (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/10
1/2 Same as SIP 52 Serie No. 19 different border, horizontal (Reutlinger) SIP 188/12
Seated 1/2 very low-cut dress (horizontal) (Reutlinger) Right arm on pillow SIP 188/13
In prayer, Cross in background. 1/2 (horizontal) (Reutlinger)  SIP 188/14
Headshot, right side profile with long hair. (horizontal) (Reutlinger)  SIP 188/16
Headshot, right side profile. (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/17
1/2 Nedda - holding hula hoop in front, looked off to her right. (Reutlinger) Same as SIP Serie 52 No 20 but this one is horizontal. SIP 188/18
Headshot, left side profile. Bejeweled. (horizontal) (Reutlinger) SIP 188/19
St. Petersbourg. Head shot. Blond with tiara. (Reutlinger) SIP 198/15
1/1 - Magnificent. Tiara, long train on dress. Nouveau. (Reutlinger) SIP 817/1
Nouveau - Elaborate flowered frame. Back shot, with left hand to face. Blond. (Reutlinger) undivided back. SIP 824/1
Nouveau - trio portraits with unidentified & Barkis (Reutlinger) undivided back. SIP 824/5
Nouveau - trio portraits with M. Caron & Barkis (Reutlinger) (same as above, with identification of Caron: divided back) SIP 824/5
Nouveau - Oval frame, hands to neck holding hood in place. 1/2 (Reutlinger) SIP 824/10
Nouveau - 1/2 right side portrait, looking over shoulder. In caped hood. Nouveau border. (Reutlinger)  SIP 827/5
Nouveau - duo portrait with Marville (Reutlinger) SIP 880/10
Nouveau - Cavalieri headshot within circle. Nouveau leaves. (Reutlinger) SIP 891/8
Nouveau - 1/2 portrait with ship in background. Horizontal. (Reutlinger) SIP 895
Nouveau - 1/2, loaded with jewels, tiara. Blond hair, white dress. (Reutlinger) SIP 910/4
Nouveau - 1/1, green tinted nouveau lattice border. Blond hair, white dress. (Reutlinger) SIP 910/5
1/2. Closeup with black square neck dress. 4-layered jeweled necklace. Tiara. (Reutlinger) SIP 1177
1/1 White, church-like dress, hooded. Hands folded against chest holding bible (?). (Reutlinger) Funky purple background. SIP 1188
1/1 White, church-like dress, hooded. Hands folded against chest holding bible (?). (Reutlinger) As above with regular backdrop. SIP 1188
1/1 White, church-like dress, hooded. Right hand reaching to sky. Funky pink background. (Reutlinger)  SIP 1188
1/1 White, church-like dress, hooded. Hands folded against chest holding bible (?). (Reutlinger) Regular backdrop. SIP 1188
1/1 White, caped dress. Right hand reaching to sky, looking down. Funky blue background. (Reutlinger)  SIP 1188
Left side portrait (1/2) With cottage in background. Horizontal. (Reutlinger) SIP 1196
Easter card. Cavalieri (says "Haygate" but it's Cavalieri) inside egg with large rabbit in front. (Reutlinger) SIP 1186
Portrait. Easter card. Cavalieri inside eggshell, rabbit hopping by. Horizontal. (Reutlinger) SIP 1208
Halftone, hands on hops looking over right shoulder. Standard Series B
1/1 Same as SIP 52 Serie No. 19 different border full view (Reutlinger) Studi Artistici Teste 65
1/1 Dramatic, right arm over forehead. Left arm outstretched. Tinted green dress. (Reutlinger) SW 0454
Halftone portraits with Muratore (1912) Tilzer Music Pub Co
1/1 Turned to left, hands in prayer. Bustle back dress. Blond hair. UDD 230
1/2 Left side profile, long beaded necklace, wrapped 3 times. Low-cut dress, barrette in back of hair. 7
Right side profile, close headshot. (Reutlinger) Like SIP 188/17 but larger profile. 90/29
Seated. Left hand supporting face. Right hand on knee. 99/2
1/2. Looking to her right. Scoop neck dress, lovely portrait inside oval frame. Tiara. Round drop jeweled earrings. Russian. 112
1/2 halftone looking right. High neck, pearls. Russian. 481
Halftone Russian card, Reutlinger image. Risqué. Puffy sleeves. 3-strands pearls. 493
Seated, hands holding knees up, looking to left. Common pose under various numbers. 687
3/4, in white (sheet), left arm raised to head under "sheet." Name spelled "Cavallieri" 692
1/2 Like SIP 1177: Closeup with black square neck dress. 4-layered jeweled necklace. Tiara. Spelled "Cavallieri" 735
1/2 In white, arm across chest 737
1/2 In tight white "sheet", hands on knees 865
1/2, Right side profile inside oval frame. White lace dress with single strand necklace. Russian. 913
1/1, Seated on bench. left hand against cheek. Dupont photo. Russian postcard. 932
3/4, left profile, right hand draped over back of chair. Curtains in background. 935
1/1, Regal. left hand against chair back. Fur cape on chair. Dupont photo. Russian postcard. 977
1/1, Regal. Right hand against bench back. Dupont photo. Russian postcard. 957
Bookmark postcard 1/1 choker, jeweled necklace, and pearls. ??13
Cavalieri holding open curtains with both hands (Reutlinger) 1162
"Vier Nes" Beautiful left side bejeweled portrait. Ornate nouveau borders. Horizontal (Reutlinger) 1165
1/1 Costume role -Hands behind head. Turban-like headdress. Sashes around waist. Russian. 1452
1/1 Costume role - Probably Thais. Left hand holding train of dress. Russian. Probably a Dupont photo. 1453
3/4 Magnificent black dress and black feathered hat. pearls. Left side. Russian. 1455
Thais - Elaborate dress and headdress. Russian. 1458
Russian card. 3/4 Cavalieri in large black-bowed hat. Single strand of pearls. Striped fur wrap. 1472
Corner to corner split card, same image within each triangle, reversed. Long hair. Flowered hair ornament. 1538
3/4. Arms up, hands behind head. 5171
1/2 Bernhardt look with puffy white collar. Her arms folded. (Reutlinger) 7052
1/2 Looking up, hands on either side of neck. Many rings. 7055
1/2, From back, head looking left. Eyes half open. 7088
3/4. 2-strands of pearls. Pearl wrap resting on left shoulder. She's holding other side of wrap with right hand. I have seen this card as a Reutlinger cabinet. 7163
3/4 Same as SIP 52 Serie No. 19 different border (Reutlinger) 8106
3/4 Beautiful black dress with tiara. Four layer of jewels on necklace. Tinted or untinted. 8662
3/4 Both arms leaning on stool. Right side profile. Black dress, white 'turtleneck' 8683
3/4 Leaning over chairback. 8684
 
 
SET SAMPLE

Lina Cavalieri

1188 (1-5), 0454

Cavalieri postcards without numbers

3/4 seated side view. Same dress as SIP 52 Serie No. 19. Tinted. (Reutlinger)
3/4 seated profile on table. Same dress as 188/13 (Reutlinger)
Playing card - Diamonds (3/4 profile) See Thumbnails C.
Playing card - Diamonds (front profile)
Playing card - Spades (front profile)
Santuzza - Inside embossed ivy borders
Long-haired portrait inside artists easel
Short-haired portrait inside artists easel that is same as above.
1/1 possibly Manon. Inside painter's easel. Not like ones above. Two paintbrushes.
Heavily embossed. Portrait inside flower. Nouveau
3/4 like UDD 230: Red Easter egg added. Russian.
Thais. The tightest dress I've ever seen. Wrapped like a mummy. Right arm outstretched.
Fedora Seated on long box. White dress, left arm overhead. (C. Fischer St. Petersbourg)
Very rare! 1/1 Outdoor candid photo of Cavalieri on cobblestone road. Dressed to the NINES with parasol, hat. Horse-pulled carriage in back. Russian.
3/4 Hands behind back (just like PRH 7060). (Reutlinger) Tinted.
Bizarre. Embossed nouveau, "Keyhole" with two small portraits of Cavalieri looking through holes. Keyhole has "fur" surface.
3/4 seated with that white tight sheet. Hands on lap under folds of "sheet", looking slightly over right shoulder.
5-portrait nouveau postcard consisting of Reutlinger images.
3-portrait nouveau postcard consisting of Reutlinger images.
Russian card. 1/2 Cavalieri in large black-bowed hat. Single strand of pearls. Seated. Russian card. Fur wrap. Same outfit as 1470.
Russian money postcard with Cavalieri headshot in center. 100 (Smiling, looking up to her left) Blue border, pink inside. Horizontal
Russian money postcard with Cavalieri headshot in center. 100 (I think) Smiling, looking up to her left. Horizontal
Russian money postcard with Cavalieri headshot in center. 25 Horizontal
Russian money postcard with Cavalieri headshot in center. Looking down. 3 Horizontal
Russian money postcard with Cavalieri headshot in center. Looking to her right. 3 Horizontal
Russian money postcard with Cavalieri headshot in center. Vertical
"La Cavalieri" holding tambourine above head in right hand. (There are lots of variations on this pose)
Nouveau - Cavalieri portrait inside a white fan. Flowers. Bernhardt look. (Reutlinger)
Flapper age: small black hat with strap. Right side profile.
Right elbow resting on back of chair. Left fingers scratching head. High collar dress.
3/4 hands under left breast. Bodice and flowy skirt.
Possibly kneeling, turned slightly to her right toward camera. risqué. Rings on right hand.
On bench dressed in silk sheets, looking down, right hand touching bench. Unusual pose.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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