Accession Number

2008.007.002

Description

A black and white photograph of Edna Wallace Hopper, circa 1920's, a string of pearls around her head, flapper style, a long bejeweled necklace and locket containing a portrait of a woman around her neck, her body draped in a dark velvet shawl, revealing one shoulder, her body at a slight angle, her head tilted upwards.

Narrative

Mrs. Hopper was the stepdaughter of Alexander Dunsmuir. Following a successful theatre career, she branched out into her own line of beauty products and eventually became a Wall Street stock trader. She effectively combined her glamour with her business acumen, and rose to the highest levels in business, a story that this photograph partially communicates. 

The portrait of the middle-aged woman contained in her locket depicts her mother, Josephine Wallace (Mrs. Alexander Dunsmuir), the only known photpgraph of her.

History of Use

The inscription on the verso of this photograph suggests that it might have been provided to the San Francisco Examiner newspaper for promotional purposes, possibly related to a performance at Oakland's Franklin Theatre on Thursday, September 28, 1922. 

Date

1922

Dimensions

24 x 18.5 cm

Material

Paper

Photograph Type

Gelatin silver process

Subject/Image

Edna Wallace Hopper

Medium

Photographic

Support

Paper, Photographic paper

Inscription

Verso:

Edna Wallace Hopper at the Franklin   Now
Examiner Thursday September 28

Country of Origin

United States of America