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Assistance appreciated... Germaine LeComte Scarf

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Vintage Fashion - Ask Questions Get Answers' started by bycinbyhand, Apr 3, 2017.

  1. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    Hi there and happy Monday! I've got a new project trying to learn more about this scarf. Here's what I know...

    Germaine LeComte
    Scarf
    Silk
    Late 40s
    She was a fashion designer... gorgeous stuff along the lines of Dior... movie costumer
    M. de Cartier is not a signature by the way but a French phrase, correct? For Must have or something like that?

    And I am a little stuck finding comps for any of her stuff on the market. Any help is appreciated!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Midge

    Midge Super Moderator Staff Member

    How pretty! I would interpret the M. as either a short for a first name - or it can also be short for "Monsieur"... maybe the illustrator?
     
  3. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    I believe it's M for Must as in "must have" not the illustrator. The illustrator is definitely Germaine LeComte. If you find her illustrations from the 40s and 50s, you see this is her style.

    Does anyone know about her? Please and thanks!
     
  4. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    It feels super soft and "older" but I wonder if it's a incentive gift for a perfume because there IS a perfume by the name of Must de Cartier.

    Lost. ha ha
     
  5. poppysvintageclothing

    poppysvintageclothing VFG Board Member Staff Member VFG Past President

    I just read your last post as I finished typing my reply which was

    Could the M de Cartier possibly stand for the Cartier perfume called Must de Cartier?

    I wonder if that isn't it, a special gift that was given with the perfume.
     
  6. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    Yes. I wonder that too. Except the scarf has all the feel and construction of a 50s silk scarf and the perfume was first launched in 1981. I thought, hoped, someone here would have experience with this designer. It really is baffling.
     
  7. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    Interesting. I had a bit of trouble finding any fashion illustrations which she drew. Can you post one or two here so we can see to compare? I have seen her clothing often in French magazines of the late 1940s but they are always illustrated by any one of number of artists, not her. I am not sure she did the illustration. But then, why would her name be on the scarf if she did not do the design, right?
     
  8. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    Is it possible that the scarf was a design of an artist named Cartier, and each of the 3 gowns is based on one of the costumes which she designed for a film? Each gown is a different time period, looks like mid 1500s to 1600s, then 18th century, then a Southern Belle of the 1860s. Just a guess. So the scarf is a tribute to her film costumes, drawn by this Cartier person.

    If you have examples of sketches which she drew, that would be helpful.

    Also, are you sure it says "M de Cartier"? Can you show a close up of the signature?
     
  9. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    Here are illustrations.

    http://fr.hprints.com/mode/couturiers/Germaine-Lecomte/
     
  10. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    I am not sure. If THAT is the case, the scarf would be 1981 but the scarf is, I feel, clearly 1950s in its materials and construction.
     
  11. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    Here are the signatures which I believe are hand painted. It *could* be _____ de Costier... but I researched that early on and found a car engineer from the 30s.

    Thanks for your help! scarf1.jpg scarf2.jpg
     
  12. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

  13. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    Cin stated: "The illustrator is definitely Germaine LeComte. If you find her illustrations from the 40s and 50s, you see this is her style."

    Cin,

    Yes, I have seen many of those illustrations in that link in some of the old magazines, on that site and many other sites. However, many are drawn by well known fashion illustrators and artists, and I am not seeing anything she drew herself or that is being attributed to her as the artist. To ask again, what would be helpful is if you can show us her drawing style, since you do mention it is evident in the scarf. How did you determine that? If we had an example of her artwork to compare that would help to solve the mystery. Plus I am really curious now to see them!

    The other signature looks different than M de Cartier.
     
  14. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    I thought those were her drawings.
     
  15. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    OK. No, those are drawn by various famous and not so famous French and European fashion illustrators. Most notable is Rene Gruau, whose style is very distinctive.
     
  16. Midge

    Midge Super Moderator Staff Member

    That's what I meant... Germaine LeComte was the designer, she had the scarf made for her boutique or whatever, but this illustration was done by an artist for her - whose signature we're trying to decipher. To me, the name looks more like Costier than Cartier.
     
  17. The first letter in the signature looks like an "H". H de Cost.... could be Costu... or Costi... there seems to a dot for an "i", perhaps followed by a "e".
     
  18. lkranieri

    lkranieri VFG Member

    I wonder if the artist is Henriette de Costier; she is of the late-1930's-1940's era:
    IMG_6418.PNG
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2017
  19. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    Lynee,

    I do see a strong resemblance in the style. And that does look more like an H (as Nicole pointed out) than an M.

    Lecomte opened her boutiques in 1947, and she represented Haute Coutre at the 1947 Cannes film Festival. Perhaps this scarf somehow ties in to that. It seems either a tribute to 300 years of fashion or perhaps her film costumes.
     
  20. bycinbyhand

    bycinbyhand VFG Member

    And what do you know about Henriette de Costier? Interesting!!
     

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