Mastery of Design: A French Speaking Trumpet, 1738

The Victoria & Albert Museum

A Speaking Trumpet is, really, just a megaphone. But, somehow the word, “megaphone” doesn’t do this object of engraved brass justice. It bears the monogram” SMA,” ensigned with a coronet and a crest suggesting ducal ownership.

The trumpet is signed by French metalworker Jacques Vincent Fecit, 1738. Adorned towards the larger end with three broad bands of foliage, the middle band includes the monogram and crest (depicting a windmill). These are enclosed in frames supported respectively by two lions and two dogs.

Fashion Sense: The Lady Alexandra Gown, 1948

The Victoria & Albert Museum

As you decide what to wear on Thursday for Thanksgiving with friends and family, well, this won’t be among your choices. But, ladies, don’t you wish it could be? Here, we see an evening dress in cream slipper satin with a close fitting bodice, and a high round neck adorned with amber and silver sequins and glass bead embroidery around the neck and down the center of the bodice. Smaller matching designs flank the center panel. A train at the rear is looped up to form a triple fan-shaped bustle at the back waistline. The long, tight-fitting sleeves are held close to the arm with three darts at the elbow and close with a zipper at the wrist.


This gown was made in 1948 for Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (1907-97) who was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris at the end of the 1940s. Due to her husband’s position, Lady Alexandra was required to attend a vast number of formal events and, therefore, needed an extensive wardrobe. Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at the house of Jacques Fath (1912-54).

Fath was known to lend evening and day dresses each season to Lady Alexandra, knowing that he would receive a lot of publicity from Alexandra’s appearances. Lady Alexandra recalled “If there was a dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to – Fath was perfection.”

This particular gown was designed by Fath for Lady Alexandra to wear for the official visit of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Paris in May 1948. Lady Alexandra later recalled that when she and her husband made their enterance at the Théâtre de l’Opéra, the Garde Nationale suddenly sprang to attention. She said, “I realised they had mistaken us for the Princess and Duke. That was the effect made by my splendid Fath.”

Not bad.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Balloon Snuffbox, 1785-1795

Click image to enlarge.

Snuffbox of varicolored gold.
Switzerland, 1785-1795The Victoria & Albert Museum

This nifty snuffbox features a lid which is decorated with a central trophy composed of depictions of a balloon and scientific instruments. These images are meant to represent Science, while, on the base, a a trophy of musical instruments and a score, signifies Music.

A hot-air balloon like the one pictured here was a relatively new phenomenon when this box was made, between 1785 and 1795. Notably, in 1783 France, a manned flight was achieved with both gas and hot-air balloons, and, on October 19, 1783, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier flew with two people on the first free flight. 

The snuffbox was made in Switzerland for export to other part of Europe. It is composed of varicolored gold which has been chased, engraved and matted. 

Figure of the Day: A Victorian Fairing, 19th C.

Porcelain Fairing
Germany, 19th C.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Fairings were small porcelain objects (boxes, little cups, vases, etc) of a figural design which were given out as prizes and trinkets at village fairs in Victorian England.  They’re relatively difficult to come by these days since they weren’t really as appreciated at the time as they are today.

The body of this Nineteenth Century fairing is of white porcelain with two figures on the base. One shows a seated man in a dressing gown and night-cap while the other is depicts a woman in casual day attire and a hat, carrying a folded umbrella.  A wee chest of drawers stands behind the figures. The front of the base is outlined in gilding, inscribed with “Missus is Master.”  Ha!

This, like most of the fairings used at British fairs was made in Germany.  Of the factories making them by far the most prolific was Conta and Boehme of Pössneck in Saxony. The subjects of these pieces vary from the innocent (playing children or animals or puns) to the saucy (bedroom frolics or the purely suggestive).

Painting of the Day: A Watercolor by LeMoyne, 1575

Botanical Watercolor
Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues, 1575
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Huguenot artist, Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues (1533-1588) created this drawing as part of his album of 59 botanical watercolors in 1575. This leaf from the folio shows an iris stem terminating in two blossoms.

For centuries, LeMoyne was thought of only as a basic artist who provided images for simple woodcuts, the rediscovery of this album in the early Twentieth Century altered this perception. Now, he’s been given his due as one of the most important and prolific botanical painters in history. 

History's Runway: The Jacques Fath Swag Dress, 1949

Day Dress
Jacques Fath
Made for Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston, 1949
The Cecil Beaton Collection at
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This dress was part of the monumental wardrobe of Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (later Lady Dacre). Lady Alexandra was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris from 1948-50. In this capacity (or perhaps she used it as an excuse to shop), Lady Alexandra required an extensive wardrobe since she was constantly attending state dinners and important events which required formal gowns.

A woman of Lady Alexandra’s rank would have been a fixture at the debuts of a couturier’s fashion collections where she would have been seated in the front. After the show, the lady’s vendeuse (personal saleswoman) would have taken her orders and started the fittings for the “calico toile” which was essentially a muslin version of the finished gown.

Lady Alexandra’s preferred couturier was the house of Jacques Fath (1912-54). Fath was no fool and knew that the Lady’s patronage was good publicity, and, so, the designer lent her a huge assortment of evening and day dresses each season.

She later wrote: “If there was a Fath dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to – Fath was perfection.”

This fitted, v-neck day dress in a green and violet foliage printed viscose rayon boasts a matching swag. This was one of the creations which Fath lent to Lady Alexandra and which she subsequently purchased. The swag, stiffened with net, features a posy of paper violets.

The dress’ form-fitting style is a hallmark of Fath’s work as was the swag. Fath was known for his expert draping and was said to be the best at draping fabric around his models in order to create his designs.

Lady Alexandra gave this dress to celebrated photographer Cecil Beaton to include in the fashion collection which he assembled for the V&A.

Object of the Day: Dr. Jacques German Worm Cakes

What have we here? A mother and child—they’re being visited by a fashionable lady who seems to be offering something to them. Soap, perhaps? Or is it a German Worm Cake? After all, they never fail.

Why would this healthy-looking young lady need worm cakes? She seems to be okay, maybe a little tired. Her ENORMOUS baby seems hearty enough. But, then…who can tell when worms might attack? They come from candy, you know? What? You didn’t know? Well, I didn’t either, but that’s what the reverse of the card tells us. Candy and good health bring worms. Poor health and over-eating brings worms. Water and air bring worms. Everything brings worms! Worms, worms, worms! You need vermifuge! You need it now! 

Read on and be afraid…

DR. JACQUES' 
German Worm Cakes, 
The Most Efficient Remedy Discovered

     These Worm Cakes have had the most wonderful suc-
cess, and have proved to be the very best, safest and
most efficient Worm Remedy ever placed within reach of
the people. They are a safe medicine and easily admin-
istered, as children will readily take them, and their
efficiency is remarkable. Nearly all children are at some
time affected with worms, and worms in the system are
more dangerous than is generally supposed , as they de-
prive the children of the benefit of the food they eat,
thus reducing them to a constant state of emaciation and
debility, and also lay the foundation of many serious dis-
eases. The origin of worms in the human body is very
obscure. However, it is certain that children of scrof-
ulous tendency and generally depraved health are most
apt to be affected with them, although they are also
quite generally found in children who are in robust
health. Certain causes are well known to be exceedingly
favorable to their growth, such as excessive indulgence
in food, excessive indulgence in candy and confectionery,
impure water, etc. Worms are most abundant in moist
countries or during a long prevalence of warm, damp
weather. Children after weaning, are more frequently
affected than very young infants, and Convulsions or
Spasms are often caused by worms in the system. Be
sure to ask for Dr. Jacques’ German Worm Cakes.

                           Prepared by theEMMERT PROPRIETARY CO.,    --    Chicago, Ill. 
                          PRESENTED BY… 

NO ONE.

Let's translate the above, shall we?

So, whether you’re strong or weak, whether you eat well or poorly, whether you’re a grown up or a baby…WORMS ARE GONNA GET YA. So, you might as well eat these German Worm Cakes. We don’t tell you what they are or what’s in them. Are they also made of worms? We’ll never tell. Just know that worms are going to get you and make your baby have spasms and be depraved. And, you’ll never know where they came from!