19th Cent Highest Paid Male Impersonator, Vesta Tilley Photographs, 1890s

[Crossdressing] [Early Photography] Vesta Tilley, nicknamed "The London Idol" was the highest paid female performers by 1890, and the most famous male impersonators of the 19th century. Two original sepia albumen cabinet card photographs. The two photographs show Tilley in two different pose, in one she depicts an upper class man suited with top hat and cane, and a young middle calss gentleman's outfit and buckled shoes. Born Matilda Alice Powles in Worcester, England, young Vesta Tilley's father was a musician, emcee, and stage manager. She was best known for her music hall performances depicting men, mostly dandies and fops. Unlike other acts of the (truncated) period, her performances were family friendly and working class men were entertained by her satire of high society. Making her stage debut at the age of three, Tilley began singing professionally in men's roles at six. As an adult, Tilley graduated to exclusively male roles. "I felt that I could express myself better if I were dressed as a boy." Near the end of her career during WWI, she would perform at military recruitment drives and charity events where she would sing soldier songs written by her husband. She would then be nicknamed "England's greatest recruiting sergeant", she enlisted so many over the course of a week that she became known as "The Vesta Tilley Platoon." Her husband became knighted for his services to the war effort, with Tilley becoming a Lady. In her final year before retirement, she donated all proceeds to a local children's hospital. Her life story was commemorated in the 1957 film After the Ball. Minor edge wear and a small chip to one corner, photographs are clear and clean. Tilley's public spectacle of her performances undoubtedly helped push toward a larger acceptance of queer identity. (Inventory #: 20535)