Accession Number

2023.003.012

Description

One sepia-toned studio photograph of Georgiana Holme-Sumner. Her wavey hair is parted at her left, and her gaze is upward and to her left. Her lightly-coloured blouse and darker patterned jacket or coat is open to about mid-chest level. She is not wearing a necklace and her ears are covered with her hair. At the lower left corner in white lettering is the name: “DE BARRON Studio N.Y.” Handwritten in black ink across the chest of the sitter is: “To My Darling Marjorie with love from your “little” sister Georgie”. On the back of the print in pencil is written: “3/8 og. Black on all 8 pictures”

Narrative

Georgiana Holme Sumner (1912-2003) was a great granddaughter of Robert and Joan Dunsmuir of Craigdarroch. She posed for this photograph in New York City in 1927, when she was 15 years old. The picture was taken at De Barron Studio, a noted glamour and theatrical photography studio patronized by impresario, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., producer of the famed “Ziegfeld Follies”. Georgiana gave this picture to her sister Marjorie Jean Biddy Holme-Sumner. 

The photograph supports the following family story related by Georgiana’s son. Marjorie Holme-Sumner was a friend of Florenz Ziegfield Jr. On one occasion, Marjorie and her younger sister Georgiana were on an elevator in New York City and Mr. Ziegfield stepped into the car. Marjorie introduced her younger sister. He asked her age, and when told she was 13, he asked Joan to bring Georgiana to him “in a couple of years”. Marjorie had a pet dachshund named “Ziggy”.

History of Use

This photograph was created in New York City in about 1927 and given by Georgiana Holme-Sumner to her sister, Marjorie Jean "Biddy" Holme-Sumner. Sometime later it again became the property of Georgiana Holme-Sumner and her husband Robert Dunlop Stewart. It was next owned by their son, who donated the photograph to Craigdarroch Castle in 2023. He had been using it at his home in Scotland. 

Date

circa 1927

Dimensions

32.2 x 25 cm

Subject/Image

Georgiana Holme-Sumner

Support

Paper, Photographic paper

Inscription

Recto:  To My Darling Marjorie with love from your “little” sister Georgie

Verso:  3/8 og. Black on all 8 pictures

Country of Origin

United States of America