Saint Peterburg, Wesenberg, ca. 1890. Three albumen prints, each mounted on cardboard with a red ink border (10.4 x 6.3 cm). With the printed names Rubinstein, Gounod, and Zola stamped in Cyrillic on verso.

A set of Russian visiting cards. Includes the Russian pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894), the French composer Charles Gounod (1818-1893), and the French novelist and journalist Émile Zola (1840-1902). Also included: two photos of the Russian novelist Dostoyevsky, at a different age. Added: a French card, of Agustina del Carmen Otero Iglesias (1868-1965), better known as Carolina Otero or La Belle Otero, a Spanish actress, dancer and courtesan. She had a reputation for great beauty and was famous for her numerous lovers. In all a fine set of various "celebrities" from the second half of the 19th century. Some light fading, and creasing to edges, otherwise very good.