The Dubarry Girls
Dubarry’s first sheet of adverts had five designs, all advertising Talcum Powder, and these are known as Group 1. Each of these adverts came in four varieties. Major varieties are known as Types, and minor ones as Settings. Adverts 1 to 5 each have two Types, and each Type has two Settings, there are therefore 5 x 2 x 2 = 20 adverts. Adverts are referred to by three-digit codes, for example 5.1.2 refers to Advert 5, Type 1, Setting 2.
These were included in KGV Photogravure booklets:
Series 3: BB29 308, 311
Series 4: BB17 328, 335
Since the adverts were inserted as sheets, all 20 varieties may be found in each of these four editions, giving 80 collectable editions for Group 1 alone.
No. 1 – Rose girl
Type I: DUBARRY half on black and half on white
This example is Setting 1.1.1
Setting 1.1.1: DUBARRY loop of 1st R broken at top;
Background between girl and roses points down
Setting 1.1.2: DUBARRY top right arm of A uneven;
Background between girl and roses curves smoothly
Note that in both settings, the 2nd R of Dubarry has a line across the top of the leg, separating it from the loop. No other adverts show this.
Type II: DUBARRY on white
This example is Setting 1.2.2
Setting 1.2.1: Bottom of white panel slopes up at left
Setting 1.2.2: Bottom of white panel is level
No. 2 – Girl by pool
Type I: DUBARRY half on black and half on white
This example is Setting 2.1.2
Setting 2.1.1: DELIGHT mark on top of E;
Step in lower black border by SEE is vertical
Setting 2.1.2: DUBARRY mark on right edge of Y;
Step in lower black border by SEE slopes to right
Type II: DUBARRY on white
This example is Setting 2.2.1
Setting 2.2.1: DUBARRY break in top of D,
right arm of Y open
Setting 2.2.2: DUBARRY no break in top of D,
right arm of Y closed with thick mark
No. 3 – Lavender girl
Type I: DUBARRY half on black and half on white
This example is Setting 3.1.1
and is miscut showing a strip of the adjacent advert along the left edge.
Setting 3.1.1: DUBARRY white centre in lower loop of B runs into letter; OVERLEAF mark after A
Setting 3.1.2: DUBARRY lower loop of B well formed;
OVERLEAF nick in top of 2nd E
Type II: DUBARRY on white
This example is Setting 3.2.2
Setting 3.2.1: FRAGRANT line high, marks below G;
DUBARRY mark on left foot of A;
POWDER dot to left of E; BATH dots by A
Setting 3.2.2: FRAGRANT line low, hardly showing white in G; DUBARRY well defined A, nick in 2nd R
No. 4 – Lotus girl
Type I: SEE OVERLEAF in two lines
This example is Setting 4.1.1
Setting 4.1.1: Black border at bottom is uneven where it joins the figure, and has a sharp point
Setting 4.1.2: Black border at bottom is level where it joins the figure, and has a rounded point
Type II: SEE OVERLEAF in one line
This example is Setting 4.2.1
Setting 4.2.1: OVERLEAF nick in the centre of V;
Black border at top joins figure with an angle
Setting 4.2.2: OVERLEAF no nick in V;
Black border at top joins figure with a curve
No. 5 – Violet girl
Type I: OVERLEAF in white on black
This example is Setting 5.1.1
Setting 5.1.1: OVERLEAF nick in upper portion of L
Setting 5.1.2: OVERLEAF dot towards the base of L
Type II: OVERLEAF in black on white
This example is Setting 5.2.2
Setting 5.2.1: DUBARRY no mark in 2nd R;
Black borders are level where they join the figure
Setting 5.2.2: DUBARRY mark at base of 2nd R;
Black borders are uneven where they join the figure
Next: Dubarry Group 2