Historic Opera

Viafora's Caricatures

Viafora's caricatures, produced in 1906-07 are rare and should rightly command a high price. In my opinion, the most valuable personality in the set is the caricature of Oscar Hammerstein I, impresario of the Manhattan Opera House, valued for its Judaic association. I've seen this postcard for sale in the $300 range. The second most important postcard in this set is the caricature of Enrico Caruso. The featured personalities all had some association with either the Manhattan Opera or the Metropolitan Opera during the time of the printing of these cards.

In December of 2009 an eBay seller was selling the Mario Ancona postcard for $650 (U.S.). In his description he stated that a "set" of eight Viafora postcards sold for $5,000 (U.S.) in January of 2006. Of course, we know that there are many more than eight Viafora opera postcards.

Note: Viafora's caricatures aren't as original as they might appear. In the case of the caricature of Josephine Jacoby, Viafora's drawing is taken directly from an existing photograph of the contralto as Siebel.

Row 1:
Mario Ancona
Amedeo Bassi
Alessandro Bonci
Clotilde Bressler-Gianoli
Cleofonte Campanini
Row 2:
Enrico Caruso
Lina Cavalieri
Francesco Daddi
Eleanor de Cisneros
Johanna Gadski
Row 3:
Mary Garden
Oscar Hammerstein
Alfred Hertz
Louise Homer
Josephine Jacoby
Row 4:
Lillian Nordica
Pol Plancon
Marie Rappold
Antonio Scotti
Riccardo Stracciari
Row 5:
Emma Trentini
Arturo Vigna
Alice Zeppilli

Postcards identified in this set so far:

• Mario Ancona
• Amedeo Bassi
• Alessandro Bonci
• Clotilde Bressler-Gianoli
• Cleofonte Campanini
• Enrico Caruso
• Lina Cavalieri
• Francesco Daddi
• Eleanora de Cisneros
• Geraldine Farrar (as a butterfly)
• Johanna Gadski
• Mary Garden
• Oscar Hammerstein I
• Alfred Hertz

• Louise Homer
• Josephine Jacoby
• Lillian Nordica
• Pol Plançon
• Marie Rappold
• Antonio Scotti
• Riccardo Stracciari
• Luisa Tetrazzini (as a bird)
• Emma Trentini
• Arturo Vigna
• Alice Zeppilli

Also in this series but not operatic:

• Ermete Novelli (actor)
• Luigino Pizzeria

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