Devonshire House fancy dress ball, July 2nd 1897 : A collection of portraits in costume of some of the guests. [Photogravure reproductions by Walker and Boutall]
Walker & Boutall
Category
Books
Date
1899
Materials
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Polesden Lacey, Surrey
NT 3212745
Summary
Sepia photogravure reproductions by Walker and Boutall of photographs of guests who attended the ball. The reproductions were of photographs taken by Lafayette, Bassano, Alice Hughes, Henry Van der Weyde and others. Subjects include the Royal Family, The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Grand Duke Michael of Russia, Sophie de Torby, Margaret Greville and many others. Many of the sitters have signed their photographs. The Ball was held to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The Queen didn’t attend herself, but due to the many prominent royals and society figures who did, as well as its overall lavishness, it was considered the event of the London Season. ‘Of all the private entertainments for which the Jubilee has provided the occasion, none is comparable with the magnificent fancy dress ball given last night at Devonshire House by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.’ (The Times, Saturday July 3, 1897.) Arriving guests were greeted by the Duchess as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, dressed by the Parisian couturier House of Worth: ‘The skirt of gold tissue was embroidered all over in a star-like design in emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, and other jewels outlined with gold…’ (The Times). Margaret Greville’s invitation from the Ball’s host, Louise, Duchess of Devonshire, gave her plenty of scope for imagination, requesting that dress should be ‘allegorical or historical costume before 1815’. Five ‘courts’ were organised for the Ball, including that of Elizabeth I of England, led by Lady Tweedmouth. Margaret Greville attended as Mary Seton (1542–1615), a Scottish courtier and later a nun. She was one of the four attendants of Mary, Queen of Scots, known as the Four Marys. The Hon. Mrs Reginald Talbot attended as a Valkyrie and developed a headache due to the metal winged helmet she wore, but refused to take it off as it might ruin her hairstyle. The Duke of Devonshire arranged Lafayette photography company to set up a tent in the garden to photograph guests. Mrs Greville’s portrait was taken by one of the most successful prestigious Edwardian photographers of women, Alice Hughes.
Full description
Many of the sitters have signed their photograph in Margaret Greville’s album of the Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball (1897). The Ball was held to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The Queen didn’t attend herself, but due to the many prominent royals and society figures who did, as well as its overall lavishness, it was considered the event of the London Season. ‘Of all the private entertainments for which the Jubilee has provided the occasion, none is comparable with the magnificent fancy dress ball given last night at Devonshire House by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.’ (The Times, Saturday July 3, 1897.) Arriving guests were greeted by the Duchess as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, dressed by the Parisian couturier House of Worth: ‘The skirt of gold tissue was embroidered all over in a star-like design in emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, and other jewels outlined with gold…’ (The Times). Margaret Greville’s invitation from the Ball’s host, Louise, Duchess of Devonshire, gave her plenty of scope for imagination, requesting that dress should be ‘allegorical or historical costume before 1815’. Five ‘courts’ were organised for the Ball, including that of Elizabeth I of England, led by Lady Tweedmouth. Margaret Greville attended as Mary Seton (1542–1615), a Scottish courtier and later a nun. She was one of the four attendants of Mary, Queen of Scots, known as the Four Marys. The Hon. Mrs Reginald Talbot attended as a Valkyrie and developed a headache due to the metal winged helmet she wore, but refused to take it off as it might ruin her hairstyle. The Duke of Devonshire arranged Lafayette photography company to set up a tent in the garden to photograph guests. Mrs Greville’s portrait was taken by one of the most Edwardian photographers of women, Alice Hughes.
Bibliographic description
16 p., [286] leaves of plates :. ports. ;. 34 cm. With a printed list of some of the guests laid in. Some portraits signed by their subjects. Provenance: inscribed on flyleaf in ink "Margaret Greville” [i.e. Margaret Helen Greville, DBE (1863–1942), who appears 'as Mary Seaton in the Elizabethan procession']. Binding: quarter brown morocco; vellum over boards, gold edges. Gold-stamped on lower pastedown: The Doves Bindery C.S. [i.e. Cobden Sanderson] 1900.
Makers and roles
Walker & Boutall, photographic publisher Lafayette Ltd, photographer Bassano, Alexander, photographer John Thomson (1837-1921), photographer Devonshire House, London , organisation