When I saw this week's photo of the woman warrior, I immediately thought of this photo in my collection. There is a similarity, isn't there? Although the woman on the right doesn't hold a spear and shield. Instead she holds a banner for K. Lundberg Clothing. Let me introduce you to the model - her name is Alice Staten. I could find nothing about her. I thought she might have been the Christi Brinkley of her day, but if so, there are no traces of her.
I also could find no trace of K. Lundberg Clothing. But there was a K. Lundberg listed on a 1900 census for Marinette, Wisconsin and he had a boarder named Edward Staten. Mmmmm. Could Alice have been Edward's sister? Mr. Lundberg in urgent need of a model for his new clothing line offered Alice $2.00 to pose for this photograph. Do you think her gown was a Lundberg creation? And why the funny crown? There's writing on the crown but I can't make it out. Maybe some of you photo sleuths can figure it out.
In the meantime you might enjoy this You Tube video that goes along with this week's theme. It's from Wagner's Ring Cycle. I thought the opening scene was spectacular. Is Busby Berkeley still alive? Only he could have rigged up those popsicle stick-looking slides for the Valkyries to make their entrance. Genius. But don't watch the whole video if you don't enjoy opera, just the opening number. (And when you're finished watching, click here for other stories about women with sticks Sepia Saturday.)
Those are some wild valkeryies who do resemble the prompt gone wild. The stance of the young woman with the sign does resemble the prompt. All I can see it "Dry" on her crown. The 2 other letters look like "Co...." Maybe a second "o".
ReplyDeleteWell at first I thought it said Dry Clean on the crown but it doesn't look like an "l" after the "c" - more like an "o". Hmmm.....
ReplyDeleteGreat photo and analysis of same. :)
ReplyDeleteI had to smile at your title and that is a lovely photograph,
ReplyDeleteYes, a striking resemblance to the Mother England figure! My goodness those Valkyries sliding onto the stage in that dramatic way!
ReplyDeleteI have seen these Valkyries before, how interesting and lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteDry C Co = Dry Cleaning Company ... perhaps?
ReplyDeleteShe looks more like the Queen of Hearts to me.
I can't solve the mystery for you but it is a stunning photograph and matches the theme photo perfectly.
ReplyDeleteFabulous. I thought at first they were piano keys, so BB. Then tongue depressors. If a genie ever gave me a couple of wishes one of them would be to have an operatic voice. Maybe Alice was his wife? Whoever she is, it's a great photo match.
ReplyDeletePrfect photo match. Thanks for the Valkyries on what I thought were piano keys also although the way they used the 'strings' reminded me of horses' reins.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Wagnerian since my teens,
ReplyDeleteDie Walkure was a delight for me to watch.
Great production!!
:)~
HUGZ
I love a dramatic production - I sit and puzzle over how they did that on a small stage.
ReplyDelete