Description:

Bartholdi Frederic 1834 - 1904 A Tiffany color invitation commemorating the 1886 dedication of the Statue of Liberty!

1pp Tiffany & Co. 18-line partially printed and partially handwritten invitation to banquet hosted by New York Chamber of Commerce to commemorate inauguration of the "Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" in New York Harbor. The cream stock invitation has an embossed wreath and crossed U.S. and French flags at top. A tricolored notched ribbon with a ring of thirteen gilt stars is affixed to the upper left corner. In very fine condition, with minor soiling along edges and slightly stained ribbon. A few tiny holes do not affect text at center left. Rough surface verso suggests card was once mounted in scrapbook. Invitation measures 6.125" x 8.5".

This card personally invited Georges A. Glaenzer to attend post-unveiling festivities at Delmonico's Restaurant on Thursday, October 28, 1886 at 6:30 pm. Delmonico's, an elite eatery located at Fifth Avenue and Twenty-Sixth Street, was well-known for its sophisticated menus and posh clientele. The 29 th Annual Report of the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York in 1887 reported that 243 French and American guests attended the soiree, which culminated in numerous bilingual speeches including one given by the sculptor, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi. "The dining hall was handsomely and appropriately decorated with the flags of the two nations, and the tables beautifully and tastefully adorned with flowers", the municipal report observed. The evening celebrated Bartholdi's artistic achievements, recognized transnational fundraising efforts, and fostered good will between the two countries.

The invitation in part reads: "The Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York requests the pleasure of the company of Mr. Georges A. Glaenzer, at the Banquet to be given by the Chamber in honor of the Representatives of the French Republic and other Distinguished Guests, who participate in the ceremonies attending the Inauguration of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, on Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor ... "

Earlier that day, and after ticker-tape and nautical parades, 24th U.S. President Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) along with dozens of dignitaries attended the actual dedication ceremony on Bedloe's island in New York Harbor.

Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) studied painting, sculpture, and architecture under well-known instructors like Viollet-le-Duc in Paris. Following his service in the Franco-Prussian War, Bartholdi became increasingly interested in sculpting monumental works celebrating resistance against oppression, and Enlightenment ideals like Freedom. Bartholdi later conceived of the design of the "Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World". The fundraising phase of this process would take years, and indeed long surpass the actual 100th anniversary of the United States. Yet once it was installed in 1886, the massive 151-ft tall copper-clad sculpture of a standing woman would fundamentally change the cityscape.

Georges Auguste Glaenzer (1848-1915) was one of the people who made the project possible. In 1886, Glaenzer was living in New York as a French expatriate. This Franco-Prussian War veteran transferred his interior decorating business to the United States in 1880, where he beautified the homes of affluent New Yorkers like the Vanderbilts. Glaenzer had numerous extra-professional interests including yachting and architecture. He was a member of the French Commission to the Centennial, and secretary of the French commission charged with fund-raising for the Statue of Liberty.

Recently a similar invitation sold at auction for over $1,000.


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