Six (6) Original 1920s Costume Designs by the Lester Costume Co

Chicago, Illinois: Lester Costume Co, 1920. Very good. Toned, light dust soiling.. Six (6) original costume designs rendered in pen and ink, pencil, water color, and glitter, all done by an artist (artists?) employed by the Lester Costume Company in Chicago. The company began in the late 1910s making vaudeville and stage costumes for chorus girls, and ran well into the 1940s. Helen Rose (1904-1985), the famed MGM costume designer and winner of two Academy Wards for her work on films in 1952 and 1955, was discovered by the owner, a "Mr. Lester", in the 1920s. She was employed by the firm at the time these designs were created. All designs here are unsigned. The six (6) designs include:

"PARADE (Menu-- Red pepper). 14.5" by 10" pencil and watercolor design for parade costume depicting a spicy pepper.

"GOWN (Organdy)". Original pen and ink and watercolor design for yellow and green dress made form organdy fabric. Measures 18" by 14" matted.

"Saskatchewan Indian Parade". Original watercolor and glitter design for a Canadian Native American-themed parade costume. Cut from original sheet, approx. 12" in height and mounted in 18" by 14" mat.

"[?] CANADA}. Original pencil, watercolor and glitter design for a Canadian-inspired parade costume. Measures 18" by 14" matted.

"Florida Sunshine". Original pencil, watercolor and glitter design for a Florida-themed parade costume. Measures 18" by 14" matted.

"Spangle". Original pen and ink costume design for a burlesque-style stage costume. Measures 18" by 14" matted.