Description:

Gilded Age Society
Annapolis, MD, January 10 & 16, 1904
Gilded Age Fashionable Society! Two Charming Illustrated Letters From Annapolis Socialite Describing a Masquerade Ball
ALS
A pair of two letters from an Annapolis woman to her mother regarding a recent masquerade ball she attended. 10pp each, measuring 5.25" x 6.5", Annapolis, MD, dated January 10 & 16, 1904. The first letter, written several days before the ball, describes her and her husband's costumes, while the second, written the following day of the ball, tells of the nights successes. Featuring hand drawn illustrations from the authoress throughout meant to act as a visual aid. Exhibits expected age toning, light creasing, and minor tearing throughout; isolated soiling to far left edge of first pages. Overall, very good with nice contents and visuals.

Excerpts include:

-Sunday, January 10, 1904

"We are all very much excited over the masquerade ball which comes off next Friday. I went up to town yesterday to see about a costume for Theodore. Mine is to be made up of an old yellow party dress, and I hope it would be recognised. I have chosen a lovely yellow wig. It is parted in the middle and has nice braids in the back. You would never know me in it. Theo. is to be 'Malvolio'. We saw 'Twelfth Night' this fall and ever since Teddy has had an [illegible] to be 'cross gartered'. You know his legs are good and are his pet weakness, so I picked out a long velvet robe with red satin sleeves & tights & a hat with a long plume. We hope we will look like this. I drew him too big for the page & there is no room left for his legs and feet.

As for me I am supposed to be a flower girl of no special period. I had to buy nothing but the frame for my hat, violets & ribbons. The hat is yellow chiffon shirred. Wig is plaited & brought low over the ears- white mull fichu bodice laced up in front, ruffles on skirt & gathered chiffon white shoes & stockings, yellow bows- or rosettes violets under brim of hat & on front of dress. Real boutonnière in basket. I am lucky to have so much of my costume. But I wish we did not have to mask, for of course, we will look pretty as we are all going to paint & generally make up. I have a yellow mask, which looks much better than a black one would. We will take photos of course, and will send some on to you."

-Saturday evening, January 16, 1904

"It was a great success, and I have not had so much fun for a _ age… Theodore was too funny, with Claude Miles' hat for a wig! They sent him a hideous red wig- much too ugly- and we were in despair when I happened to think of her false pompadour a thing like this of wavy brown hair. I sewed it- or rather I pinned it and Teddy sewed it, in his hat & it made a most successful wig. My dress was an absolute success. I made a cunning white apron of Swiss, edges with lace, which added greatly to the effect and hid some worn places in the dress. My yellow wig was, in itself almost a perfect disguise. If you can't imagine how funny I looked, and yet it was very becoming. By the time I had painted, darkened my eyebrows & lashes, powdered and put on some patches, I looked wicked enough to suit even the most particular.

My skirt was short, about an inch above the tops of my high shoes- I wore my own patent leather Colonial ties & put big yellow velvet bows with buckles on them. I was dreadfully worried over the masque as it was so unbecoming but finally I made it all right by cutting it almost all away & leaving a white lace flounce on it from the top so that it fell over the eyes too. This softened the whole effect & that while it disguised perfectly, it was rather becoming too. I found it a great idea to have the button hole [illegible] to give away as it gave me a raison d'être that was an occasion of much fun. I was the only flower girl there & hardly any one tried to follow out, or act out their characters… Now I want to tell you about some of the others… Mrs. Jeffers was resplendent in a pink brocade gown copied after the court dress of the Empress Josephine… Mrs. Osterhaus was there as a trained nurse- Claude Miles looked very pretty as Virginia Carvel*."

*A character from the stage play "The Critic" (1904) staring Isabel Irving (1871-1944).

We are proud to include items consigned by the Manuscript Society in this auction. These items come from the estate of well-known manuscript dealers Forest G. & Forest H. Sweet and Julia Sweet Newman. Forest G. Sweet was an early leader of the Manuscript Society as well as a rare book scholar. The proceeds from your purchase of these items will benefit the work of the Manuscript Society. You can learn more about them, and become a member of the Manuscript Society, at www.manuscript.org.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5.25" x 6.5"
  • Medium: ALS

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