Great women of the Gilded Age

[Kate Bortner]

As a former teacher, I know I would have been fine with all the rules except that icecream one and the hair dye one.

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

Here is a Magnificent Lady of Titanic's era: Frances, Countess of Warwick, society favorite, politician, former mistress of the Prince of Wales. She was close with at least two Titanic passengers - W.T. Stead, of whom she was an outspoken supporter, and Lucy Duff Gordon, by whom she was exclusively dressed. This image, from the National Portrait Gallery (London), shows the Countess in 1898 wearing a "Lucile" evening gown.

(Image Deleted: Sorry Randy, I know for a fact that the NPG charge £100 per year for the use of their images on the web. I have tried in the past. Please only post images if you can confirm that you have permission to do so. ed.)

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Hmmmmmmmmm...I'm beginning to wonder what high society lady wasn't a mistress or former mistress of the then Prince Of Wales.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

Phil,

A copy of the image I posted of Frances Warwick was purchased by me from the National Portrait Gallery. I have worked for the NPG as a researcher and it was I who identified this image and dated it for their collection. The curator of photos granted me portfolio and promotional rights. I was unable to scan my print so I used the online thumbnail image. I know I am within my rights as an author to use it but you know best about web permissions, etc., and I understand your concern.

At any rate, I post here another Magnificent Lady image that is definitely in the public domain as it appeared on numerous postcards in its day and prints are still widely available. This is Princess Ena of Battenberg in 1906, the year she wed King Alfonso of Spain. She was a client of Lucy Duff Gordon's and in fact wears here a Lucile gown, designed especially for this engagement photo. Lucy later provided lingerie and other items of apparel for Ena's marriage to the King of Spain.

 

[Beverly J. Crowder]

Oh My!
Isn't she quite stunning. Oh Sir Michael, don't you wish you were the POW???? Then you could check the number of petticoats legally well and done.

(from the THREADS thread)

Beverly

 

[Philip Hind]

Randy, as that is the case there probably wouldn't be a problem, however probably best to get specific permission for publishing on a website.

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

Phil,

You're absolutely right. I've sent an email to Terence Pepper to ask re: web usage of the Warwick image and others from the NPG. Thanks.

In the meantime here's another Lucile-gowned femme magnifique - Edwardian beauty Lilie Elsie, star of "The Merry Widow."

Randy

Portrait by Foulsham and Banfield, London, 1907.
(Author's Collection)

 

[Andrew Williams]

WOW Randy!

I am impressed dear Sir!

Who else was on her list of renown customers of the Edwardian era?

Andrew W.

 

[Kris Muhvic]

Randy~

Miss Elsie...in color! You know me...have to ask: is that a hand-tinted photo, or an actual color pic? They were both in usage around this time; but the earliest I have seen (color photography) was 1907. Of course I can rely on you for the skinny on these things!

Hope all is well~
Kris

 

[Jan C. Nielsen]

http://evelynnesbit.com/picsen1905b.html Here's a link to a photograph of Evelyn Nesbit, whom Shelley mentioned above. In my opinion, she's one of the most beautiful women from any era. At that site, you can look at other pictures, too. Nesbit, of course, got involved in a scandal with famous New York architect Stanford White, who was murdered by Nesbit's jealous lover, Harry K. Thaw. Nesbit died in 1967. She is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Given the story, and those of other women in the so-called "Guilded Age," it was obviously quite a challenge just to be a woman back then. The "Guilded Age" was a rich man's world. A bad place.