Can anyone identify the two objects to the left of the small book? One seems to have an extension on it, as though it was meant to be grasped as a handle. What is that dip pen she's using, or maybe an early eyedropper meant to resemble a dip pen?
Mrs. Rose Pastor Stokes was an enormously enegetic woman of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (Thanks to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Cleveland, Ohio, for leading me to this. Library of Congress photo.)[From DianeB: Rose Pastor's marriage to J.G. Phelps Stokes was one of the great scandals of early 20th century New York, a magnificent misalliance involving a Jewish immigrant radical and the scion of a prominent (and extremely wealthy) New York City family. Rose Pastor Stokes would have been able to buy the very best writing instruments, paper, books, and accessories, and the one bottle to the far left looks like a cut crystal ink bottle of some type.]
I'll take a wild guess the larger container may have been for blotting sand, whether she used it or not. This is where I step aside, though. Anyone else care to take a guess at what's in the picture?
ReplyDeleteBTW--The misspelling of "energetic" as "enegetic" is mine!
Mrs. Stokes would have relied on twice-daily postal service, or, in a pinch, hand delivery by a younger servant. Jack/Youngstown
ROFLOL! Jack, Rose Pastor Stokes would NEVER have had a servant deliver anything. That was the problem with the marriage from the get go, she didn't fit into the upper class of NYC life. I've read a bit on the couple, but can't remember where and will have to go looking for it.
ReplyDeleteDiane--You mean they had no servants? Jack/Youngstown
ReplyDeleteNo, I mean she was of the servant class and also a socialist, not shy in proclaiming her views and so would have delivered the letter herself rather than demean the working man.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Diane, gotta watch those radon levels down there while you're ROFLOL :) :) Jack/Youngstown
ReplyDelete