Dreams of Orient and Occident: The Devonshire House Ball. Guests in Costume Photographed by the Lafayette Studio of Bond Street, London. An exhibition for the Levanger Museum, Norway

Negative number: V&A GP (D)(0008), 1887

Mrs William (Willie) Dodge James
later Mrs John Chaytor Brinton
(1868-1929)
née Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes

"in costume of period of Henry II"
(1519-1559)

Mrs James led a life typical of the super-rich in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. The colossal house parties, complete with private orchestra, which she gave at her enormous property in Sussex were often attended by Edward VII, both as Prince of Wales and later as King.

She appeared to have no fear of convention, and, in 1896, was reported to have bicycled through the night with twenty-three of her house guests to watch the sun rise over the Downs. One of the male guests had to offer his jacket to stop her from freezing, as, it was noted, she was wearing "next to no clothes."

Appreciated by King Edward until his last days, Mrs James was on good terms with other important women friends of his life - Daisy, Countess of Warwick and Daisy, Princess of Pless - with whom Mrs. James had acted as the Ugly Sisters in a performance of Cinderella for the King and Queen during a house party in 1904 at the Duke of Devonshire's residence, Chatsworth House.

In this image, made in the photographer's tent during the Ball, Mrs James's costume appears to be modelled on Vigée le Brun's 1785 portrait of Marie Antoinette à la rose. This might be an indication that she had to rename herself and join a different quadrille upon discovering that Daisy, Countess of Warwick, had baptised herself Marie Antoinette.

The costume, by Maison Lucile of Hanover Square, is made of stiff silver tissue, over an underdress of antique cerise taffeta. The long pointed corsage is trimmed with point lace entwined with roses in pale pink which also appear over the entire gown. Her bodice is studded with diamond broaches of various motifs including a large sun-burst broach. She wears a six-row pearl choker as well as long strands of gradated pearls and nestling in a bed of silk roses in her hair is a diamond spray in the form of ostrich feathers of the Prince of Wales's crest.

There will be bridge and booze 'till after three
And, after that, a lot of them will grope
Along the corridors in robes de nuit,
pyjamas, or some other kind of dope.
A sturdy matron will be sent to cope
With Lord ---, who isn't quite the thing,
And give his wife the leisure to elope,
And Mrs. James will entertain the King!

Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)






Mrs William (Willie) Dodge James later Mrs John Chaytor Brinton (1868-1929) née Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes "in costume of period of Henry II" (1519-1559) Mrs James led a life typical of the super-rich in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. The colossal house parties, complete with private orchestra, which she gave at her enormous property in Sussex were often attended by Edward VII, both as Prince of Wales and later as King. She appeared to have no fear of convention, and, in 1896, was reported to have bicycled through the night with twenty-three of her house guests to watch the sun rise over the Downs. One of the male guests had to offer his jacket to stop her from freezing, as, it was noted, she was wearing "next to no clothes." Appreciated by King Edward until his last days, Mrs James was on good terms with other important women friends of his life - Daisy, Countess of Warwick and Daisy, Princess of Pless - with whom Mrs. James had acted as the Ugly Sisters in a performance of Cinderella for the King and Queen during a house party in 1904 at the Duke of Devonshire's residence, Chatsworth House. In this image, made in the photographer's tent during the Ball, Mrs James's costume appears to be modelled on Vigée le Brun's 1785 portrait of Marie Antoinette à la rose. This might be an indication that she had to rename herself and join a different quadrille upon discovering that Daisy, Countess of Warwick, had baptised herself Marie Antoinette. The costume, by Maison Lucile of Hanover Square, is made of stiff silver tissue, over an underdress of antique cerise taffeta. The long pointed corsage is trimmed with point lace entwined with roses in pale pink which also appear over the entire gown. Her bodice is studded with diamond broaches of various motifs including a large sun-burst broach. She wears a six-row pearl choker as well as long strands of gradated pearls and nestling in a bed of silk roses in her hair is a diamond spray in the form of ostrich feathers of the Prince of Wales's crest. There will be bridge and booze 'till after three And, after that, a lot of them will grope Along the corridors in robes de nuit, pyjamas, or some other kind of dope. A sturdy matron will be sent to cope With Lord ---, who isn't quite the thing, And give his wife the leisure to elope, And Mrs. James will entertain the King! Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)

	Negative number: V&A L1426, 03-07-1897