Lavishly produced record of a high society late Victorian Fancy Dress Ball photographed by the Richmond (west London) photographic company George Tuohy & Co. Fancy dress balls were one of the grandest and most fashionable ways for a wealthy family to make their mark, a display of wealth and status - and a lot of fun. At this event on January 11th 1882 the guests have sat for 135 professional photographs before attending the event, appearing as Cardinals of the Roman Catholic church, soldier boys, Cavaliers, occasionally a witch, Watteau shepherdesses, characters from Shakespeare plays, in Hungarian and Turkish costumes, as an Arab prince or princess (tricky to tell behind the veil) and as a fireman. Possible venues for the ball near Richmond include the Grosvenor family’s house on Richmond Hill, Ham house and Syon Park but we haven’t identified any of the sitters for these photographs. Eight colour photographs precede the remaining 125 images which seem certain to picture the family that hosted this remarkable event.
DESCRIPTION: Large oblong folio (30x40cm) bound in black morocco over thick bevel edged boards with high relief decoration and lettering in gilt. Spine sympathetically relaid. All edges gilt. Blue shot silk pastedown and endpapers, a little frayed; inner hinges reinforced. The leaves are made up of thick card with gilt borders and the cabinet photographs (11x16cm) inserted into precut windows. The first eight colour-tinted photographs feature the host family: husband and wife and six children in descending age order. Father and mother are in 18th century dress followed by their children dressed as matadors, William Tell, a harlequin, clown and a jockey. The remaining 125 images are in sepia, using several different backgrounds, presumably set up within the great house where the ball took place.
