NPG Early Issue Series


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of the ROSS VERLAG MOVIE STAR POSTCARDS AND OTHER VINTAGE EUROPEAN POSTCARD PUBLISHERS website.



Advertisement in 1902
Photograpahische Correspondenz
The Neue Photographische Gesellschaft was founded in 1894 by Arthur Schwarz for the purpose of manufacturing photographic paper and consumer goods as well as mechanically producing photographs. It grew from a handful of employees in the 1890's to 1,200 by the mid-1910's. Founded in Schöneberg, the company soon relocated to Steglitz where it was one of the major producers of picture postcards. By the mid-1910's, however, the company began to experience difficulties associated with competion, the war, and general economic conditions. In 1921, NPG was taken over by Mimosa, under which it continued as a subsidary until 1948.

The company was known for its progressive employment practices as well as its signficant technological achievements in the production of light-sensitive photographic paper, the automation of processing and developing machines, and the development of color photography.

The letters N.P.G. were registered as word trademark on 4 May 1897; the typical NPG logo (with dominating 'P') on 8 May 1905.

The company produced hundreds of thousands of postcards, from landscape and city views, to prominent social figures, to thematic photos. This catalog represents a very small sample of the company's production.

Source: Neue Photographische Gesellschaft

Cataloging Notes

Multiple series of NPG cards were issued where cards were marked with the same number, causing considerable confusion. As the cards were more closely examined, however, different series became apparent.

The NPG thematic series cards from the early 1900's are numbered 1-999. After the 900 cards, they cycle through 1000, 2000, 3000, seem to skip to 6000 (only the 6172 card seen), 7000 then 9000, 12000, 14000 and maybe 19000. Then they start renumbering with 1-1300 or so.

A single, early (1906) postcard numbered 6001/9 was provided by a collector. The instructions on the back of the card reference transforming the image. Thanks to Helmfried Luers of TPAProject.info for solving the mystery of this card and providing a 1906 publication describing the 'Zauber-Postkarten.'

This limited catalog reproduces thematic cards issued during the first decade of the 1900's where the series number falls between 1 and 999. Thousands of additional thematic series were subsequently issued with numbers above 999. They have not been reproduced here, although a small sample can be seen below this catalog. At the end of the sample are two additional series samples where the cards were found in the 1-999 number range -- Performers and Art Work. Like the 1915-1920 series of 1-999 cards, they are not represented in this catalog.

The lowest number cards in this catalog were marked with the text 'Neue Photographische Gesellschaft' on the front of the card. Some time around 1905, NPG began marking cards with a logo. The logo changed appearance several times throughout the years. Within the 1-999 series, the logos generally progressed as pictured below, with the exception of the last logo. That logo was not adapted by NPG until around series 1500 and does not appear in the first 999 cards. Consequently, it is helpful in distinguishing between cards numbered 1-999 that were issued during the first decade of the 1900's and those issued circa 1915-1920.


In addition to the logos pictured above, NPG is known to have issued thematic cards with two other trademarks. The subjects of these cards correspond to those issued by NPG under their standard logo at the 1000 and above mark. It is not known why the separate logos were created. These cards are not included in this catalog; however, sample cards are provided in the end section.

The back of the cards also showed a progression through the early 1-999 series, starting with an Undivided Back, and then an Oranotypie Back, Multi-Language Back, and Blank Back.

Unlike the Rotophot series that are typically comprised of 6 cards, the number of cards in each NPG series is irregular. Some series seem to be comprised of 5 or 6 cards; others of 20.

Additionally, where the Rotophot series generally show the same subject in the same costume and at the same perspective, early NPG cards (particularly the performer cards) portray multiple subjects. Also, series may contain cards in both a horizontal and a vertical perspective.

As only one sample card is provided per series, additional cards can be substantially different from the sample, although they will be in the same genre. Where the performer name on the sample card is known, it is provided in brackets, indicating that additional cards may be of different performers. Also, where the photographer's credit is known, it is provided.

Dating the cards is difficult. A few dates have been provided under catalog entries. These dates represent the first time a postal date or sender notation was seen for a year. The first such date was 1900, noted on the 6 card; the last was 1908, noted on the 997 card. From those markers, the dating of this 1-999 thematic catalog is 1900 - 1908.

An international effort resulted in the creation of this catalog. Images were sent in by Johan Delbecke (Belgium), Harold Hoff (Canada), Paul English and David Schofield (Great Britain), and Helmfried Luers (Germany). Marina Dambrava (Portugal) provided many of the performer identifications. Jean Ritsema (United States), collaborator on the ROSS VERLAG MOVIE STAR POSTCARDS AND OTHER VINTAGE EUROPEAN POSTCARD PUBLISHERS website generated the catalog itself. Mark Goffee (United States) hosted the images on his website.

A great number of images for this catalog were retrieved from AbeBooks.com. Others were retrieved from the Delcampe, eBay, Todocoleccion, and akpool.de sales sites.

In providing this on-line digital catalog as a resource to collectors worldwide, there is no intention to infringe on any copyright. If there are any objections to any of the images that are posted, please let us know so we can correct the problem.

NPG Early 1-999 Series
1

[Nance O'Neil]
Photo B.J. Falk, New York

2

[Cléo de Mérode]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

3


4


5

[Cécile Sorel]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

6

1900 written on front

7


8

1901 written on front

9


10


11


12

Varischi Artico & C, Milano

13


14


15


16


17


18


19


20


21


22


23


24


25


26


27


28


29


30


31

[Edna May]
Series # on back

32

[Cléo de Mérode]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

33


34

[Lina Cavalieri]

35


36

[Belle Archer]
Photo B.J. Falk
1902 written on front

37

[Cléo de Mérode]

38

[Emilienne d’Alençon]
Series # on back

39


40


41


42


43


44


45


46


47


48

Schumann

49


50


51

[Élise de Vère]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Series # on back

52

[Minnie Ashley]

53


54

[Caroline Otero]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

55

# may be incorrect

56


57


58

[Liane de Vries]

59

[Lina Cavalieri]

60

Odette Valéry
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

61


62


63


64


65

[Mieris]

Reproduced in 1904 Photographische Korrespondenz

66

[Lutèce]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

Series featured in 1902 Photographische Korrespondenz

67


68


69

[Anna Held]

70


71


72

[Liane de Vries]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

73

[Lina Cavalieri]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

74

[Lina Cavalieri]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

75

[Lina Cavalieri]

76

[Caroline Otero]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

77

[Lutèce]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

78

[Cléo de Mérode]

79

[Lina Cavalieri]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

80

[Lina Cavalieri]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

81

[Cléo de Mérode]

82

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

83

[Lina Cavalieri]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

84


85

# may be incorrect

86

[Alice Dufresne]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
1903 written on front

87


88


89


90


91

[Cléo de Mérode]

92

[Cléo de Mérode]

93

[Olive Haygate]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

94

[Cléo de Mérode]

95

[Saharet]

96

[Anna Held]

97

[Cléo de Mérode]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

98

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

99

[Lina Cavalieri]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

100

[Caroline Otero]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

101

[Lina Cavalieri]

102


103

[Anna Held]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

104


Photo Reutlinger, Paris

105

[Saharet]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

106


107


108


109

[Myriel]

110

[Yvonne Garrick]

111

Stratzaert
Photo by Reutlinger
Reproduced in 1904 Photographische Korrespondenz

112


113

[Center - Cléo de Mérode]

114


115

[Emma Calvé]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

116

Cléo de Mérode
(Series limited to Mérode)

117

[Anna Held]
1904 written on front

118

Myriel
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

119

Beauregard
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

120


121


122


123

# may be incorrect

124


125


126

[Lina Cavalieri]

127

[Lina Cavalieri]

128

Photo B.J. Falk

129

[Cléo de Mérode]
Photo B.J. Falk

130

Photo B.J. Falk

131

[Madge Lessing]
Photo B.J. Falk

132


133


134


135


136

[Meaty Fleuron (upper left)
Lina Cavalieri (upper right);
Alice Dufresne (lower left)
Anna Held (lower right)]

137

[Cléo de Mérode]

138

[Beauregard]

139

[Myriel]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

140


141

[Yvonne Garrick]

142

Beauregard
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

143


144


145

Andrée Mégard
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

146


147


148


149


150


151


152


153


154

# may be incorrect

155


156


157


158

[Cléo de Mérode]

159


160


161


162


163


164


165


166


167


168


169

[Lina Cavalieri]

170


171

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

172

Madge Lessing
Photo B.J. Falk
Reproduced in 1904 Photographische Korrespondenz

173

Fantasy Centaur Series

174


175


176

[Cléo de Mérode]

177


178


179


180


181


182


183

[Eugen Sandow]
Photo Falk, New York

184


185


186


187

Herr Birron - Frau Odillon

188


189


190


191


192


193


194


195

Alphabet Series

196


197


198


199


200


201


202


203


204


205


206


207


208


209


210

[Alda]

211


212

# may be incorrect

213


214


215


216


217


218

[Cléo de Mérode]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

219

[Clifton]

220


221


222


223


224

[Blanche and Louise Mante]

225


226


227


228


229


230


231


232


233

[Cléo de Mérode]

234

Lutèce
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

235

[Bacha]

236

Renée Corciade
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

237

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

238


239

[Dargent]

240

[Caroline Otero]

241

[Élise de Vère]

242

[Élise de Vère]

243

[Élise de Vère]

244


245

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

246

[Manon Loty]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

247


248


249


250

Photo B.J. Falk

251


252

Photo B.J. Falk

253

Photo B.J. Falk

254

Fantasy Series

255


256


257

Full Series
Series of 3

258

Number Series
1905 written on front of #6 card

259

Menuett
[L - Cléo de Mérode |
R - de Forray (Poray)]
Full Series

260


261


262

[Marcelle Yrven (right)]

263


264


265


266


267


268


269


270


271


272

[Lea Templeton]
Photo B.J. Falk

273


274


275


276


277


278


279


280


281


282


283


284

Photo Ch. Scolik

285


286


287

[Rosell]

288

[Marie Studholme]

289


290


291


292


293


294


295


296


297


298

[Madge Lessing]
Full Series

299

Milton
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

300


301


302

Photo B.J. Falk

303


304

Photo Charles Scolik, Wien

305


306

# may be incorrect
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

307

Photo Charles Scolik, Wien

308

[Yvonne Garrick]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

309

Florence de Dio
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

310


311


312

Photo B.J. Falk

313


314


315


316


317


318

Photo B.J. Falk

319


320


321

[Élise de Vère]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Full Series

322

[Cléo de Mérode]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Full Series

323


324


322


325


326


327


328

Cléo de Mérode
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Full Series

329

Lina Cavalieri
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

330

Caroline Otero
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

331


332

[Alice Bonheur]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

333

[Thomassin]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

334

[Oterita]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

335

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

336

[Liane de Pougy]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

337

[Gabrielle Robinne]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

338


339

Full Series

340

Biogravure
# on back

341

# may be incorrect

342


343


344

Fantasy Series

345


346

[Élise de Vère]

347

Photo Reutlinger, Paris

348

de Margyl

349

1905 embedded in design

350


351


352


353


354


355


356


357


358

[L-R: Unidentified Performer;
Luz Chavita; Cléo de Mérode;
Viviane de Lavergne]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

359


360


361

Minnie Ashley
Photo B.J. Falk
Full Series

362

Full Series

363


364

[Roxie King]

365


366


367

Full Series

368


369


370


371


372


373


374


375


376

[Fedák Sári]
Photo Strelisky, Budapest

377


378

Full Series

379

Full Series

380

Composite Card
Full Series

381

Lentatypie

382

Lentatypie
[Gessy Yatzon]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

383

[Arlette Dorgère]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

384

Full Series

385

Photo B.J. Falk
Full Series

386

[Arlette Dorgere]
Lentatypie

387

[Anna Held]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

388


389

Lentatypie
[Saharet]

390


391

Lentatypie

392

# may be incorrect

393


394

Lentatypie

395

Lentatypie

396


397


398


399


400


401

Photo Henri Manuel

402


403


404


405

Photo Skowranek, Berlin
Composite Card
Full Series

406

Full Series

407

Reproduced in 1905 Photographische Korrespondenz

408


409

Photo B.J. Falk
Full Series

410


411

Full Series

412


413

Photo B.J. Falk
Full Series

414

Full Series

415

[Liane de Vries]

416

Full Series

417


418


419


420


421


422

[Reta Walter]
Full Series

423

1905 Photographische Korrespondenz
Full Series

424

Series of 20
Children's Series

425


426

[Meryl]
Photo Oricelly
Full Series

427

[Meryl]
Full Series

428

Doll
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Full Series

429

Series of 4?
Full Series

430

Mary
Series of 3?
Full Series

431

Full Series
Series of 3

432


433


434


435

[Lucienne Guett]
Full Series

436

Full Series

437


438

[Charlotte Wiehe]

439

[Marie Thiery]
1906 postmark
Full Series

440

[Alice Bonheur]
Full Series

441

Full Series

442

Full Series

443

Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Composite Card

Reutlinger Performer Series

444


445


446


447


448


449


450

Full Series

451


452


453


454


455


456

Full Series

457


458

Composite Card
Full Series

459


460


461


462


463

Monk's Beer Series

464

Series of 20
Bubble Series

465


466

[Caroline Otero]
Playing Card Series

467

# may be incorrect

468


469


470


471


472


473


474

Full Series

475

[La Belle Oterita]

476

Days of the Week

477


478


479

Full Series

480


481


482


483


484

Composite Card

485


486


487

Full Series

488

Photo B.J. Falk
Full Series

489


490


491

[Gabrielle Robinne]
Full Series

492


493


494


495

[Geneviève Lantelme]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris
Full Series

496

Full Series

497


498


499


500


501

Full Series

502

Kiel: Kreuzerklasse,
Therese wendend

503

Composite Card

504


505

Composite Card

506


507


508

[Rose]
Full Series

509


510

Composite Card

511

Composite Card

512


513


514


515

Composite Card

516


517


518

Composite Card

519


520


521

Composite Card

522


523

[Dirys]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

524

Composite Card

525


526


527


528

Series in 1906 Photographische Korrespondenz

529

Full Series

530


531


532

Carmela
Full Series

533

Likely Tiller Girl series
Composite Card

534


535


536


537

[Cléo de Mérode]

538

Composite Card

539


540


541


542

Bookmark Format

543


544


545


546

Full Series

547


548

Hidden Performer Series
(Cléo de Mérode hidden in trees
at upper left of card)

549


550


551

[Dauteze (Danteze)]
Photo Reutligner, Paris

552

Full Series

553

[Wilford]
Photo Reutlinger, Paris

554

Likely Tiller Girl series
Composite Card

555


556

Fantasy Series

557

Composite Card

558

Full Series

559


560

Full Series

561


562


563

Composite Card
Full Series

564


565

Full Series

566


567

Composite Card

568


569

[Juanita Valencia]

570

[Mata Hari]

571


572


573


574


575


576


577


578


579

Composite Card

580

Gertrud Lasson

581


582


583

Composite Card

584

Gertrud Lasson

585

Mia Lajeska
Composite Card

586


587


588


589

[Juanita Valencia]
Composite Card

590


591

Full Series

592


593


594

Full Series

595

Possible Tiller Girl Series

596


597


598


599


600


601

[Foreground - Yola de Nys
Silhouette - Cléo de Mérode]

602


603


604


605


606

Reproduced in 1907 Photographische Korrespondenz

607

1907 written on front

608


609


610


611


612


613


614


615


616


617


618


619


620


621


622


623


624


625


626


627

[Gertrud Lasson]

628


629


630


631


632

1907 in composite card designComposite Card

633


634


635


636


637


638


639


640

Regina Badet
Full Series

641


642

Monna Delza

643


644


645

Full Series

646


647

Juanita Valencia

648

Composite Card

649


650


651


652

Likely Tiller Girl series

653


654


655


656


657


658

Jane Dirys

659

[Gilda Darthy]

660

Full Series

661


662


663


664


665


666


667


668


669


670


671


672


673


674


675


676


677


678


679


680


681


682


683


684


685


686


687


688


689


690


691


692


693


694


695


696


697


698


699


700

[Lili James]

701


702


703


704


705


706


707


708

Monna Delza

709


710


711

Full Series

712


713


714


715


716


717


718


719


720


721

Full Series

722


723


724

Monna Delza

725


726


727


728


729


730


731

Monna Delza
Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

732

[Gabrielle Robinne]

733

[Mia Layeska]
Full Series

734


735

1908 postmark

736


737


738


739


740


741


742


743


744


745


746


747


748


749


750


751


752

Monna Delza

753


754


755


756


757


758

Full Series

759


760


761


762


763

Full Series

764


765

Full Series

766


767


768

Gertrud Lasson

769


770


771


772


773

[Ruth St. Denis]
Photo Paul Boyer

774


775

[Ruth St. Denis]

776


777

Wini Grabitz

778


779


780


781


782


783


784


785


786


787

Wini Grabitz

788


789


790


791

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

792


793


794

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

795


796


797


798


799


800


801


802


803


804


805


806


807


808


809


810

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

811

Gretchen

812

Julia

813


814


815


816


817


818

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

819


820


821


822


823


824


825


826


827

Gertrud Lasson

828


829


830


831


832


833


834


835


836


837


838


839


840


841


842

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

843


844


845


846


847


848


849


850


851


852


853


854


855


856


857


858

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

859


860


861


862


863


864


865


866


867


868


869


870


871


872

# may be incorrect

873


874

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

875


876


877


878


879


880


881


882


883


884


885


886


887


888


889


890


891


892


893


894


895


896


897


898


899

Photo Paul Boyer

900


901


902


903


904


905


906


907

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

908


909


910


911


912


913


914


915


916


917


918


919


920


921


922


923


924


925


926


927


928


929


930


931


932


933


934


935


936


937


938


939


940

Mme. Sahary

941


942


943


944


945


946

Mignon

947


948


949


950


951


952


953


954


955

Composite Card

956


957


958


959


960


961

Composite Card

962


963


964


965


966

Elfriede Pfaffenberg

967


968


969


970


971


972

Wally

973


974


975


976


977


978


979


980


981


982


983


984

Marjorie

985


986


987


988


989

Marjorie

990

Photo Moreau & Kivatizky

991


992


993


994


995


996


997

1908 written on front of card

998


999

Later Thematic Series
NPG Thematic Series
1000 and Above

Sample Cards

1059


1127

Hanni Reinwald

1202


1352


1527


1655


1716

Wally

1870


1992

Carola Toelle (2nd from left)

2065


2177

Carola Toelle

2265


2399


2428

Ada Mitchell
Tiller Girl

2500


2664


2737


2856


2900


3045


3197

Dated 1914

3276

Grete and Hanni Reinwald

3340


3439


3596


3660


3756


3807


3916


6172

1917 incorporated in design

7041


7261

Elga Brink

7377

Elga Brink

7473


7861


7915


9063


9188


9461


12592


12695


12767


12882


12923


14048


14115


19114


183


218


358


454


531


635

Wally

709


871


997


1159

Wally

1334


Fine Arts


Performers


096

Flag Logo

223

Moon-Star Logo
Edna Esmeralda