Slideshow

The Pageant and Masque of St. Louis, May 1914: Programme, Price Ten Cents. This vintage program is from The Pageant and Masque of St. Louis. This event was held in May 1914 in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. The event commemorated the 150th anniversary of the founding of the city in one of the largest theatrical events ever presented. Five hours in length, the city-wide event included a pageant surveying 300 years of local history.A book mark was found inside this program and it is displayed in the last few photographs of this slideshow. The bookmark is a work of art in its own right. The bookmark was created by artist H.B. GRIGGS (aka H.B.G). He was the designer of more than 500 postcards and he worked for the firm of Leubrie & Elkus, NYC. The subjects are often for holidays, the style is influenced by Art Nouveau, and the artist signed his work as HBG. I found no information regarding this specific bookmark, it appears to be depictions of two pilgrims, one woman and one man. The woman is dropping red apples from her apron down to the man who is at the bottom of the bookmark. He is catching the apples in his hat.