Trailblazing Trends
Fashion & Accessories from the Gilded Age
Marcella Sembrich’s fan collection is the centerpiece for the exhibition.
On View: May 26 - October 16, 2023
The Sembrich’s 2023 Exhibition brings together many of the accessories from Marcella Sembrich’s own Gilded Age wardrobe. Complimenting our “Trailblazers” summer festival, “Trailblazing Trends” explores several dominant trends (ca. 1878 - 1934), including fans, lorgnettes, handbags, tortoise shell, and more. Also included in the exhibition are items created by noted designers such as Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, and Calvaire.
The accessories featured in the exhibition can be seen in historic photographs of Sembrich in her popular operatic roles, or in press photographs of the Polish soprano out on the social scene. These photographs have been digitized and reproduced in larger formats to show details of the objects as they were in Sembrich’s time. Below are several highlights you can find in the exhibition:
Marcella Sembrich’s Fan Collection
Continental Silver Lamé & Black Gauze Fan. Designer Unknown. Click to enalrge.
Hand fans were a fixture in Gilded Age fashion, so popular, that there was even an unspoken language derived entirely from gestures made with the fan. This language was no secret to Marcella Sembrich and she employed it in many of her operatic roles including Violetta (La traviata — Verdi), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro — Mozart), Zerlina (Don Giovanni — Mozart), Marguerite de Valois (Les Huguenots — Meyerbeer), and many others.
Monogrammed Hand-Painted Silk Fan. Designer Unknown. Click to enlarge.
Continental Gold Sequin and Mother-of-Pearl Fan. Designer Unknown. Click to enlarge.
Bakelite & Tortoise Shell Accessories
Hand-carved tortoise shell brisé fan. Designer Unknown. Click to enlarge
The Sembrich contains a large number of authentic and faux tortoise shell accessories. Once a symbol of wealth and luxury, today tortoise shell is illegal to buy and sell due to the industry’s devastating impact on the now critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle. The use of tortoise shell for jewelry and accessories dates back to ancient Greece. It was later adopted by the Romans and remained popular throughout the Renaissance. By the 19th century material was imported to the United States and Europe from China and the West Indies. Tortoise shell items on display include an intricately hand-carved brisé fan, hair clips & pins, and more.
Because of tortoise shell’s popularity as a luxury item, when Bakelite, the world’s first synthetic polymer, came onto the market in 1907 it was quickly used to create faux tortoise shell at a fraction of the cost. Bakelite items featured include several of Sembrich’s fans, and lorgnettes.
Lorgnettes & Spectacles
Hand-embroidered spectacles case, E.B. Meyerowitz.
Faux-tortoise shell Bakelite lorgnette, Designer Unknown.
The invention of the lorgnette is generally credited to British optician George Adams (1750-1795) in 1785. Prior to the invention of the lorgnette, corrective eyewear was mostly created for men as it was considered unattractive for a woman to wear spectacles in public.
Quite simply a pair of spectacles mounted on a handle, the lorgnette was a staple in fashion throughout the Gilded Age. Lorgnettes were made in all shapes and sizes and were a must-have for any smartly dressed woman. They were made of a variety of natural materials including gold, mother-of-pearl, and tortoise shell, as well as synthetic materials including celluloid and Bakelite. For Marcella Sembrich, lorgnettes were as much a fashion statement as they were a cure for her poor eyesight which she stated was caused by hand-copying musical scores by candlelight as a child.
Purses & Handbags
Diamante Handbag, Calvaire (France), ca 1921. Click to enlarge
Marcella Sembrich seemed to have a handbag for every occasion. Her collection includes a variety of designs including hand-embroidered fabrics, dazzling diamante chain work, and imported exotic materials, no doubt acquired on Sembrich’s frequent travels throughout the major cities and trade centers of Europe and the United Sates.
Embroidered Velvet Handbag, Designer Unknown, ca 1920. Click to enlarge
Embroidered Silk Petit Point Purse, Designer Unknown, ca 1926. Click to enlarge
And More…
The exhibition features many more items from the collection of Marcella Sembrich. Guided tours and self-guided interpretation for this exhibition are available for visitors. Plan your visit today to view this exhibition and experience more of The Sembrich’s programming.
Steamer Trunks, Louis Vuitton (Paris), ca 1898. Click to enlarge
Ostrich brisé fans, Designer Unkonwn, ca 1909. Click to enlarge
Embroidered monogrammed handkerchief. Click to enlarge