Joan Robert's beaded beauty!-designer/clothing line?

LousyLoversVintage

LousyLoversVintage

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Hi I picked up an amazing gown today. I definitely paid way more than I wanted but I knew she was special! I'm looking for help finding definitive proof that this dress is associated with the famous 40s 50s actress Joan Roberts.. I've done alot of research so far with one label match and particular seller says it's affiliated with the actress

If anyone could shine a light on the clarification that would be helpful! Thank you I also can't find any other beaded dresses by her! I thinking she's from the 60s??
 

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Thank you! It's been hard digging..only 2 other items are floating around on the internet for sale. I know these beaded gowns were popular. But I wanted to know if Joan's was more high end
 
I found this article about the opening of the Joan Roberts shop and, in answer to your original question, I am closing in on the Joan Roberts name. I am pretty sure it is not connected to the actress, but I hope to be able to answer that more definitively soon.

For copyright reasons, please do not reproduce thus article anywhere else. It is posted here for educational purposes only.
JoanRobertsSalonOpensTomorrowPublishedMay4-1948.jpg
 
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I went searching from the other direction for info on Joan Roberts actress, and I agree with Lynne that I don't think there is a direct connection.

I found two Joan Roberts - the older was born in 1918 and was the original Laurie in Oklahoma on Broadway. The younger was born in 1952, grew up in the DC area, and became a TV actress. She married Dwayne Hickman aka Dobie Gillis.

The timing doesn't seem right for either of these actresses to have started a dress business in the 1950s to 1960s..
 
lkranieri said:
I found this article about the opening of the Joan Roberts shop and, in answer to your original question, I am closing in on the Joan Roberts name. I am pretty sure it is not connected to the actress, but I hope to be able to answer that more definitively soon.

For copyright reasons, please do not reproduce thus article anywhere else. It is posted here for educational reasons only.
View attachment 190843
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the work you've done! See I'm glad I asked bc some people just assume the line is affiliated with the Oklahoma actress!
 
MagsRags said:
I went searching from the other direction for info on Joan Roberts actress, and I agree with Lynne that I don't think there is a direct connection.

I found two Joan Roberts - the older was born in 1918 and was the original Laurie in Oklahoma on Broadway. The younger was born in 1952, grew up in the DC area, and became a TV actress. She married Dwayne Hickman aka Dobie Gillis.

The timing doesn't seem right for either of these actresses to have started a dress business in the 1950s to 1960s..
Click to expand...


Thank you! I really appreciate it, I only have so many sources to use. I hope I can find more now that I can surely say the actress has nothing to do with the designer!
 
1954 newspaper ad touting the new Charga-card- The Joan Robert's shop is featured, noting ladies ready-to wear, so still in the same location. I cannot find any link between it and the actress.
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I think I have just about run out of resources, so I will post here some of what I found up to now.

-- Joan Roberts Inc. seems to have been a business belonging to Benjamin Zweben, a DC attorney

-- The 1940 US census for Washington DC records Ruth Zweben's (Benjamin's wife's) occupation as "Owner, Dress Shoppe"

-- Benjamin Zweben's WWII draft card states he was self-employed by Embassy Gowns Inc (on Connecticut Avenue in Washington DC)

-- 1948 ads for the Joan Roberts "shop to remember" advertised their gowns for junior proms and for bridesmaids

-- A 1948 Joan Roberts ad advertised a new personal shopping service for gentlemen, so I told my husband all about the shop and asked him to guess what the personal shopping service touted as one of the things they would help men buy. He immediately replied, "Lingerie...kill two birds with one stone." Right on, dear...

-- The 2003 obituary of Zweben's sister, Dorothy Silverstein, notes she was, in addition to an earlier job, "a manager for Joan Roberts, a ladies' clothing boutique"

-- A 1969 article announced that the building in which Joan Roberts was housed (among others) would be demolished (they didn't say when)

-- From 1948ish to 1972 there were just-about-weekly classified ads recruiting help at Joan Roberts
 
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