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1926 Junior League Follies Tacoma Theatre Program Ephemera Rare Art Deco
A Thorough Record of Tacoma’s 1926 Social Aspirations
This remarkably rare program documents the \"Junior League Follies,\" a cornerstone event held at the Tacoma Theatre on June 21st and 22nd, 1926. Directed by the industrious Donald MacDonald III, this publication served as the official debut for the newly established Junior League of Tacoma. While ostensibly a theatrical program, the volume functions as an exhaustive social registry, meticulously documenting the families who felt it most necessary to shape the city’s early 20th-century landscape. It is an essential primary source for those studying the Pacific Northwest’s heritage of highly visible philanthropy and local leadership.
The publication is notable for its \"Camera Studies,\" which pair the city’s prominent figures with the local enterprises that supported their lifestyle. The portraits, such as Miss Gertrude Huth in an unabashedly ornate Lou Johnson gown, reflect a community that was deeply comfortable with the spotlight. Every page, from the staged interiors of the Nettleton Furniture Company to the portraits of members \"alighting\" from their motorcars, showcases a society that understood the utility of a well-maintained image. Given its status as a likely sole-surviving copy, this artifact represents a unique opportunity for a motivated benefactor to return this piece of foundational history to the organization it so earnestly commemorates.
Specifications
Production: The Junior League Follies
Director: Donald MacDonald III
Date: June 21st and 22nd, 1926
Location: Tacoma Theatre, Tacoma, Washington
Notable Names: Mrs. Richard Derby, Miss Dorothy Dolge, Mrs. Frederick Geiger
Material: Period Paper Stock
Country of Origin: USA
Condition
Factual condition is commensurate with its 100-year history. The exterior shows significant character, including splitting along the spine and peripheral chipping. The interior pages remain intact and remarkably clear, though they exhibit the expected toning and light handling marks associated with an item that has been extensively admired over the decades. While the binding is delicate, the vibrant Art Deco cover art remains a striking testament to the aesthetic standards of 1920s Tacoma.
