La Tarantella a Sorrento Italian Folk Dance Postcard c1910s Sepia Costume For Sale

This postcard presents a classic early 20th-century view of Italian folk culture, titled La Tarantella a Sorrento. The sepia-toned image captures a group posed in traditional attire, likely staged for the burgeoning tourist trade that flourished in the postcard golden age. The subjects are dressed in detailed regional costumes, with the women in light-colored dresses and headscarves and the men in darker, rustic outfits, collectively evoking the rustic charm and folkloric traditions of the Sorrento peninsula. The scene is meticulously composed, suggesting it was produced by a photomechanical printing process common for view-cards of the era, intended to offer travelers a tangible souvenir of the authentic local performances they witnessed. The printed catalog number 119 B on the verso, situated within the stamp box, offers a clue for publishers and printers research, while the manuscript notation 300 may indicate an inventory or lot number from a subsequent collector. The divided back format, with its distinct address and message fields separated by a vertical line, firmly dates this piece to the period after 1907, aligning with the widespread adoption of this postal design. The card\'s condition shows expected patina for its age, including overall discoloration and minor water staining, which do not detract from the legibility of its minimal markings but instead contribute to its authentic, well-traveled character. This card serves as a significant piece of ephemera for collectors focused on Italian ethnography, traditional dance, or the visual documentation of early tourism in the Campania region.