Description

[Photo Albums]: "Winter of 1904 - 05 and 1905 - 1906 Pictures Taken at Briarcliff New York" Author: WASHINGTON, Elizabeth A. Title: [Photo Albums]: "Winter of 1904 - 05 and 1905 - 1906 Pictures Taken at Briarcliff New York" Publication: Briarcliff, New York: 1904-1907 Description: Softcover. Two albums. Oblong quartos measuring 12" x 10" and 14" x 10". Black leather over flexible paper boards with "photographs" stamped in gilt on the front board. Screw bound black leather over paper boards. Contains 152 sepia toned or black and white gelatin silver photographs measuring between 1.5" x 6" and 6.5" x 9.5" with captions. Both albums very good with waviness and spotting on the boards with near fine photographs. Two photo albums kept by Elizabeth "Bessie" A. Washington, a Tennessee native, between 1904 and 1907 while attending Briarcliff College in New York. Briarcliff College was originally founded as Mrs. Dow's School for Girls in 1903 at Briarcliff Lodge and by 1933 had become a junior college. The album includes large photos of girls performing a variety of plays. These photos depict the girls in all manner of costumes from Middle Eastern "Arabian Nights" style dress to French Revolution powdered wigs. The students, all of whom are female, take turns playing both male and female roles throughout the dozen or more theatrical productions that are represented in the album. One interesting scene shows the women on stage posing as nurses in a battle. Aside from performances there were also a great number of dances and events including a prom with a group photo of all the women attending and an Asian-themed birthday party for one of the girls where everyone wore kimonos. The girls are photographed having tea, playing instruments, and dressed as clowns. A focal point of Elizabeth's education at Briarcliff seemed to be theatrical productions which are documented throughout the album. Two large photos show the class as a whole with their instructors. There are also numerous photos of the campus and buildings of the school. A section of pages towards the end of the album is a collection of ephemera collected by Elizabeth during her time at Briarcliff. These include invitations, valentines, and programs for a variety of activities she was involved in. The invitations and programs specifically show her interest and involvement with the theater productions boasting "Briarcliff Manor Matinee" and "Soiree" given by the "young ladies of the school." One valentine reads, "There is a girl from Tennessee who certainly appeals to me. Her hair is black and long and her face is very strong." Another note reads, "to my room-mate dear, I write this dearest in all the world you are...my hope, my guiding star." Elizabeth appears to have been beloved among her classmates, one refers to her as "a queen of hearts." Her time at Briarcliff was full of creative bonding through performance with the other girls at the school. A wonderful collection of photography detailing a girl's school at the turn of the century and female camaraderie, with nicely composed and accomplished images, in a larger format than generally encountered. Seller ID: 403214 Subject: Ephemera, Photography Between the Covers Between the Covers has been selling books for more than 30 years. Today we offer a wide ranging inventory, from Modern First Editions to General Used Books to Rare Archival Collections. We are active members of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) . Terms All orders ship within two business days. Standard mail is USPS Media Mail. Expedited and international shipping are also available. We offer combined shipping on multiple orders. All books are guaranteed to be as described or they may be returned within 30 days of receipt for a full refund. This listing was created by Bibliopolis.