Any idea how old this French bolero is?

LeAnne Lerner

Registered Guest
It’s beautiful, but is starting to disintegrate, it leaves blue dust on the table when I pick it up. I think Francis was the shop name or designer, and Rue Auber is still a street in Paris. It could be reversible if you remove the label, the label side is probably silk. The soutache/embroidery side is more like a natural colored lightweight canvas type fabric. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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Thank you so much for your expertise!
 
I only did a fast search, but I found a couple of references to M. Francis of Rue Auber.

The first reference I found was in a 1902 article which stated: "M(adame?). Francis, in the Rue Auber, said: 'Whatever are the ideas and motives of the American dressmakers, their object seems difficult to realize...American women are too much bent upon being well dressed to sacrifice coquetry to patriotism. American women over there when they order a dress insist on Paris models, and they would order them in Paris of they could not get the same models at home.'"

A second reference was from a 1914 article titled American Versus Parisian Fashions. The article stated: "At Francis', in the Rue Auber, which does as large a business with Americans as any dressmaker in the capital, I was told it was absurd to try to alter the state of things..." I neglected to copy the entire article, but I believe they meant the Americans want to buy French fashions, rather than American fashions when in Paris.

A third article from 1912 discusses jackets designed by Francis. PLEASE NOTE this article is posted here for educational purposes only. For copyright reasons, it cannot be reproduced anywhere else.
FrancisRueAuberJackets1912.jpg
 
Oops...it seems "Madame Francis" was "Monsieur Francis"...
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and a 1916 article about Mme. Georgette states: "Through sheer merit Madame Georgette won her spurs as a designer premiere vendeuse for Francis. Her originality and sense of colour and line, plus that indescribable quality called 'chic' assured her a large following when Francis retired about three years ago and she took over his business."
 
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Oops...it seems "Madame Francis" was "Monsieur Francis"...
View attachment 188461

and a 1916 article about Mme. Georgette states: "Through sheer merit Madame Georgette won her spurs as a designer premiere vendeuse for Francis. Her originality and sense of colour and line, plus that indescribable quality called 'chic' assured her a large following when Francis retired about three years ago and she took over his business."
Wow, you’re amazing, thank you so much!
 
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