Comments on: Beetles, darling

By: aalid

aalid — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:31:33 +0000

I was directed here from your recent Pinterest post, glad I got the chance to see this amazing dress – really interesting post on Ellen Terry too.

By: Janet

Janet — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:52:59 +0000

I read about this last week, but am delighted to see the dress in more detail here. Just more proof that it is hard to improve on what nature does best.

By: Emile de Bruijn

Emile de Bruijn — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:32:07 +0000

As you say, it makes sense for such specialised collections to be looked after by the specialists, but to be brought out for occasional exhibitions. Many of the family archives relating to National Trust places were similarly deposited with local record offices, where they have been expertly catalogued and looked after.

I will forward your suggestion for some kind of exchange to the property manager for Smallhythe Place, Paul Meredith, to see what might be possible.

By: KDM

KDM — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:23:07 +0000

Emile: No costumes – and no jewelry. Lynn left her couture to a local womans college (my predecessor organized a wonderful exhibit of these here in 2006) and the heirs had an auction of her jewelry. The Lunt-Fontanne papers were also given to the state archives. I am very glad the Lunts had the foresight to do this – as the archives and clothing are being expertly cared of by professional textile and archival people at their respective homes. I think a Ten Chimneys/Smallhythe cultural exchange would be mah-velous (darling)! KDM

By: CherryPie

CherryPie — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:54:16 +0000

What an an amazing dress. I must take a look next time I am in Kent.

By: Theresa Cheek

Theresa Cheek — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:48:21 +0000

I linked this post to mine.

By: Emile de Bruijn

Emile de Bruijn — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:58:38 +0000

Keith, great to see the comment about this on your blog (http://bit.ly/es5hvH), and how interesting that the young Lynn Fontanne knew Ellen Terry. Does Ten Chimneys have some of Fontanne’s and Lunt’s costumes?

Theresa, that post of yours about the use of beetles by artists (http://bit.ly/dZ9kWP) is fascinating: Jan Fabre, Christopher Marley, Connie and Randy Cotita, Michael Cook. I wonder whether some of them were aware of Terry’s dress?

By: Theresa Cheek

Theresa Cheek — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:35:23 +0000

Wow…yet one more reference to beetle shells used in adornment. I did a post on them last year. This is an amazing dress..the labor is insane!

By: KDM

KDM — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:05:49 +0000

This is wonderful – I must share this on my museum blog – KDM