Antique photo of Mrs. George Gould

MistofCassiopeia

MistofCassiopeia

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Aug 15, 2008
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Hi everyone,

Whilst reading the book "Beads" by Lois Sherr Cubin (Thames & Hudson),
I noticed that there is a small chapter on pearls.

On Page 304-305 it talks about Mrs. George Gould of New York, and has a huge photograph of her wearing her pearls as well as a pearl encrusted dress. It is a stunning picture! The pearls and dress were each valued at $1,000,000.

I tried finding the photograph on the internet but didn't have any success. If anyone can find it, please post it for me.

Cya!
 
I found this one, but not of the whole dress. I did find out that Mrs. Gould was a former actress, Edith Kingdon, who was considered one of the great beauties of her time. There is an article in the Jan. 18, 1908 New York Times describing the dress and the pearls. The occasion was her return to the stage for a special performance for her friends etc The dress was her costume. Her pearls are quite famous, and are in Kunz's book Pearls. I also read that her collection remains complete. There are pictures on this web site http://popartmachine.com/search/Gould, Jay
of her and her pearls. Mrs. Gould dropped dead on the golf course on their property of a heart attack and was found to be wearing a head to toe rubber suit to help maintain her girlish figure. She had had 7 children. There is a paper doll collection book on Amazon.com called Fashions of the Gilded Age, which says it has Mrs. Gould's pearl encrusted dress. Hope this helps, I had fun doing the research. I'm a little OCD. :rolleyes:
 
Ya! Those pearls are way bigger then she is!

... at least in this picture:

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Yes, she looks tiny, and the pearls are humongous. A corset helps, as does a rubber suit on the golf course. Her husband also looks small. I think it's amazing that her pearl collection remains intact still. She obviously had quite a few, as well as a very famous emerald collection. Trains, who knew? Here are other shots of her, the dresses are amazing and look at that super-long strand. :eek:
 

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Great job on finding and posting those photographs- they are just gorgeous! I love the long station necklace in the first image
 
Yay !
The lady has STYLE :)

I love all her necklaces.....
Yes, and that station necklace has reminded me of yet another project waiting to be strung.....:eek:

I must learn to be organised......:rolleyes:
 
Lol- No it certainly doesn't! :) I would love love love to do a bunch of station necklaces with different pearl types, link sizes, etc - you know, really funk it up! But, the gold and the labor gets expensive for my fun little experiments... Anybody want to order one and see what happens? Lol- just kidding (slightly)
 
Yes, those are SOME PEARLS!! The station necklace is sooooo great! Of course, alternating the smaller and larger really shows off the larger pearls, and helps to keep the weight down of an ever lasting rope---------like Wendy's----BTW, Wendy, have you ever----------ahem, weighed it????

I think the pattern in Edith's rope is 5 large and 1 gigantic------repeated------somehow don't think she worried much over whether the pearls were too large for a petite person to wear ;)

Caitlin has some lovely station necklaces in her collection that she made over the years.
 
I am definitely going to make at least one. I just got a bunch of strands (see other post) and included are little pretty pink keshis that will work great as the intermediate pearls. The question is, do I really one to knot and knot and knot. I may try it both ways - beads in between first of course!
Ashley, I made a long station necklace with Tahitian NRs and keshis and chain - and yes it is time consuming. I keep saying I'm going to do more, mix pearls & gems, metal types etc., but this darn forum!!!!
 
Lol- I know what you mean! And I'm not the most prolific poster here, but oh boy! it can sap time like none other... personally, it's all the catch up reading I have to do on threads in order to participate. And then I reply to an old post or get stuck on old pictures... Sigh... Anyways. I try. :)

Please do show off the pretty pink keshis! They sound so cute! :)
 
Wow - you guys rock! way to go!

Unfortunately, we still haven't found the picture I saw in the book - its a full length shot of her sitting on a sofa with her dress (covered in pearls) spread out in front of her on the ground. She is also wearing 3 large strands, one rope a mutli strand collar and a huge baroque drop hanging from her bodice front. I can't imagine walking with this dress - must have weighed a ton!

cheers!
 
That's crazy jewelry... but it sounds even crazier that similar (i.e. cultured, whole) pearls are actually quite attainable these days.... :rolleyes:
 
When I get home, I'll post my Mrs. Gould strand. I stayed up later than I would ever confess knotting, and knotting, and I'm not sure I even like it. Maybe in today's light it will make me happier than .... a.m.
 
-------like Wendy's----BTW, Wendy, have you ever----------ahem, weighed it????

It is off at a photo shoot at the moment - I'll put it on the kitchen scales when it comes home:)
 
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