Claire Tole-Moir
Head of Department
Lot 2AR
Ronald Cobb (British, 1907-1977): An original costume design for a Murray's Cabaret Club showgirl in two black and white ensembles,
c.1946,
11 – 25 June 2020, 12:00 BST
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £892.50 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Popular Culture specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Ronald Cobb (British, 1907-1977): An original costume design for a Murray's Cabaret Club showgirl in two black and white ensembles,
c.1946,
the hand-painted pencil, watercolour and gouache costume design featuring showgirl 'Laurel' in two black and white silky ensembles accompanied by a parrot in the background, annotated in pencil Laurel's China Town, 4th & 5th girl by the artist, unsigned, mounted, framed and glazed, sight 10in x 17in (25.5cm x 43cm)
the hand-painted pencil, watercolour and gouache costume design featuring showgirl 'Laurel' in two black and white silky ensembles accompanied by a parrot in the background, annotated in pencil Laurel's China Town, 4th & 5th girl by the artist, unsigned, mounted, framed and glazed, sight 10in x 17in (25.5cm x 43cm)
Footnotes
This design is taken from the 'Limehouse Blues' number originally starring Laurel Grey as a waif, dancing out-side a brothel in Chinatown's underworld. This Cobb design exemplifies the bold contours and sleek lines that he aimed to create. The costumes strongly resemble those worn by Hollywood superstars at the time.
Laurel Grey was the 'Head Girl', usually the principal dancer and choreographer. She started at Murray's in 1940, and by the 1950's she was producing her own floorshows and writing original lyrics to the numbers.
Exhibitions:
The Museum of Soho, London, 22nd March - 7th April 2018.
Green & Stone of Chelsea, London, 4th-16th July 2019.
Literature:
Levy, Benjamin, 'Murray's Cabaret Club: Discovering Soho's Secret', (The History Press), 2019.
For more information: www.murraysclubarchive.com