The primary cards came out in a sepia brown tone (the “dark ones”). A few years later, at the beginning of the thirties, the production of all following cards was handled in another quality which reminded more of a black/white motif (the “light ones”). In between Ross printed both kinds of cards simultaneously and they were partly available in both versions. Most collectors prefer the light cards but there is also a little fan community liking the dark ones in sepia brown, not to forget those passionate fans who try to find both variations.
Ross published more and more postcards on Garbo in the following years. Garbo portraits made by famous photostudios such as Binder in Berlin or those taken by star photographers such as Arnold Genthe or Ruth Harriet Louise in Hollywood. And above all, Garbo was pictured in her further silent movies, starting from THE JOYLESS STREET to THE KISS. The most motifs show Garbo alone but there are a lot of motifs with filmpartner(s) as well.
It has to be mentioned that the appearing of the following cards did not always run chronologically. Ross didn't pay attention of the right order and you may not get confused when you have a higher card number showing an earlier film motif or vice versa. Even after publishing the first postcards showing Garbo in ANNA CHRISTIE (5108/1 etc.), at the beginning of her talkies, Ross still published cards regarding silent movies again. But the card numbering was always rising with a higher number, from issue to issue.
By the way, cards with a common origin i.e. the same movie or the same costume of the portrayed star received the appropriate id code after a slash. So you have Garbo Ross cards with numbers 4527/1 and 4527/2 for example or 3787/1, 3787/2, 3787/3, 3787/4 up to a little series within one special order showing even /5. Because Ross didn't produce cards of one particular star consecutively, the upgrading numberation lies far apart. There are always other numbers in between belonging to different stars and their special cards except in case of the mentioned ranges (…./1, …./2, …./3 etc.).
The original size of the cards is 14 x 9 cm. Most of the cards were produced in a longish version but there are also some available in horizontal format. The official sales price per card was 15 German pennies.
Beginning with card number 5719/1 the further production of the regular Garbo Ross cards was only available in the light version.
There is one special card to mention which is a wrong issue. It should be a regular Garbo card with number 3327/1. It lists Greta's name as usual but it doesn't show Garbo. A lady in a costume film is shown, probably an extra of a film production which has nothing to do with Garbo. That is the only misprint of all Garbo cards published by Ross.
Further characteristics: Card no. 6992/1 is not a photograph but a drawing (Garbo in GRAND HOTEL as ballerina) and card no. 9961/1 contains a faksimile autograph (the motif is from CAMILLE).
The last card in that common numbering was 9961/1. Then Ross changed the following system and put the letter “A” infront of the number. The first Ross card with that new scheme was a Garbo card and indicates the number A 1000/1, a CAMILLE motif. The last number with an A for a Ross Garbo card is A 2617/1, also CAMILLE, published in 1939.
As you can see, CAMILLE is mentioned as last card of the regular series. It doesn't mean that Ross didn't publish any cards showing Greta in her subsequent film CONQUEST. It's just because of my former remarks regarding the disordered production made by Ross.
By the way, there are two more cards with faksimile autograph prints to be found, both motifs from CONQUEST (A 1423/1 and A 1756/1).
Whereas Ross published cards with motifs of all Garbo silent movies, the talkies aren't represented completely, just from ANNA CHRISTIE to CONQUEST. Unfortunately you don't have any cards on NINOTCHKA or TWO FACED WOMAN. The owner of the publishing company, Heinrich Ross, was forced to flee from the Nazis. So he had to emigrate with his family and to leave Germany. His company couldn't produce anymore in the well known style.
Regarding the regular Ross cards we have 279 different Garbo cards beginning from 950/1 and ending with 9961/1. Then 36 Garbo cards with the A classification, starting from A 1000/1 and ending with A 2617/1. That means an amount of 315 cards regarding the regular Garbo cards created by Ross. But that's just one part of the collection. It will be continued with Garbo scene cards, luxury cards and art sheets- all published by Ross.
Introduction
