When Ricardo’s and the Mertzes board their Pan Am flight to return from their European tour Ethel is seen carrying her new PAA flight bag. “Isn’t that cute!” she says to Fred. “That’ll come in handy won’t it.”
Ethel’s PAA Airline Bag
Category Archives: Travel
The Ricardo’s Cinzano Ashtray
Below is a collectible vintage Cinzano ashtray like one seen in the Ricardo’s hotel room in the screen capture above. At that time Cinzano was still a family run business based in Turin Italy that had been in business since the 1700’s. The I Love Lucy set dresser added well chosen European pieces to evoke a sense of place for the Ricardo’s trip to Europe, in this instance to decorate the set of Lucy and Ricky’s Monte Carlo hotel room.
Lucy in the Swiss Alps: Walther von Klingen Print
On the wall in the Ricardo’s room in Lucerne there is a framed Medieval print from the Codex_Manesse of Walther von Klingen
Walther von Klingen AKA: “Count Walter III of Altenklingen”
Birthdate: circa 1220
Birthplace: Altenklingen, Thurgau, Switzerland
Death: Died March 1, 1286 in Altenklingen, Thurgau, Switzerland
He was a Minstrel and author of songs in the Codex. The Codex Manesse, is a medieval songbook, the single most comprehensive source of Middle High German Minnesang poetry, written and illustrated between ca. 1304 when the main part was completed, and ca. 1340 with the addenda.The codex was produced in Zürich, for the Manesse family.
The manuscript is “the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries;” its 137 miniatures are a series of “portraits” depicting each poet. ( Source Wikipedia)
Reference:
The Mertzes in Monte Carlo: Cameo Miniatures
Seen in the Mertzes Monte Carlo room are framed cameo miniatures on the wall. Similar miniatures are seen in the Mertz living room and in the Ricardo’s apartment in the window alcove on either side of the piano following their return from the trip.
See more like this on eBay
This gilt framed cameo miniature portrait by A Cameo Creation is similar to the one seen in the screenshot above. ‘A Cameo Creation’ miniatures were inspired by the more expensive Victorian originals and were sold in the home decor sections of department stores at affordable prices.
Cameo miniatures are also seen in the Mertz apartment, seen here in a scene from the episode Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums after they return from the trip.
Lucy goes to Monte Carlo: Watteau Painting Print
An ornate framed print of The Feast (or Festival) of Love by Jean-Antoine Watteau is seen in the set of the Monte Carlo hotel on I Love Lucy.
Reference:
The Mertzes in Monte Carlo: Nicholas Lancret Framed Print
On the wall of the Mertzes Monte Carlo hotel room is a well known Nicholas Lancret framed print called La Camargo Dancing. Also seen on the chest of drawers beside the door is a figurine we saw in the Mertzes Connecticut home in another I Love Lucy episode. A figurine of a colonial lady, Florence Ceramics “Charmaine”.
The woman dancing in the painting is Marie Anne de Cupis de Camargo a famous French/Belgian ballet dancer known as La Camargo. She was first woman to execute the entrechat quatre, the first dancer to wear slippers instead of heeled shoes, and also first to wear the shorter calf-length ballet skirt and the now standard ballet tights.
Reference:
- http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.96.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Lancret
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Anne_de_Cupis_de_Camargo
Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo: George Bickham Framed Print
On the wall of the Ricardo’s Monte Carlo hotel room is a framed print of an antique song sheet.
The sheet music is reproduced from an original copper plate print by engraver George Bickham. The sheet of music entitled “Reason for Loving” is from an antique song book The Musical Entertainer circa 1737 and 1739 Vol II. The book in two volumes can be viewed or downloaded at: http://imslp.org/wiki/The_Musical_Entertainer_(Bickham_Jr.,_George)
Similar framed vintage prints can be found on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=George+Bickham+Musical+Entertainer+&_sacat=0
Even more on the Brown Derby
Above L to R. Bob and Sally Cobb of the Brown Derby, Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance at the screening party for the Brown Derby episode.
Bob Cobb of the Brown Derby restaurant gave a party for the screening of The Brown Derby episode of I Love Lucy. The screening party took place in a new private dining room at the Los Feliz Brown Derby.
This week at my other blog:
Wilshire Brown Derby original location
1932 movie clips show the interior and exterior of the original Brown Derby Restaurant on Wilshire.
http://www.lookbackandhanker.com/the-brown-derby-scene-in-george-cukors-what-price-hollywood-1932.html During it’s history the Brown Derby on Wilshire was located at three different sites on the same street.
More on the Brown Derby
The Brown Derby location used in the “L.A. at Last” episode was located at 1628 Vine Street in Hollywood, just below Hollywood Blvd. Sadly, in 1987 this historic restaurant was lost in a fire. The Taft Building and a facade of the nearby Dinner Bell cafe remains, which has been part of the Hollywood revitalization since the 1990’s.
Here is the screen grab of the ‘watering hole’ where Lucy, Fred and Ethel meet William Holden and below a fun, vintage postcard of the actual location with arrow indicating the approximate colors of the same sign with the yellow neon of “The Brown Derby” and the white neon of “Restaurant”.
1950’s color footage of The Hollywood Brown Derby near the start of this video.
And the same location as it is today…
A comparison of a 1940 photo with a current picture shows the Taft building with its fire escape on the left and a facade that corresponds to the Dinner Bell Cafe ( the old street no. of the Dinner Bell Cafe was 1604-1/2 North Vine Street). The Brown Derby location seen on the right of the old photo has been taken over by newer buildings.
The Hollywood Brown Derby features in the the video Game L.A. Noire see walkthrough on Youtube here
Reference:
- Dinner Bell Cafe “On October 7, 1939, Deputy Swift stumbled his way into The Dinner Bell Cafe at 1604-1/2 North Vine Street, adjacent to the Brown Derby in Hollywood.” http://derangedlacrimes.com/?p=4297
- http://www.ign.com/blogs/vampirehorde2/2011/07/07/l-a-noire-hollywoodland-tour-guide-now-and-then
Lucy Eats Spaghetti at the Brown Derby
At the Brown Derby Restaurant the meat sauce was a specialty of the house according the the 1949 Brown Derby cookbook, Lucy Ricardo ordered her spaghetti and meatballs with extra meat sauce, The set decoration scene looks very like the real Brown Derby. ( see archival photo here ).
In real life Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz along with many Hollywood stars regularly dined at the Brown Derby. Google image search brings up numerous 1950’s photos that match the decor of the scene. The dinner ware in use in the restaurant was classic Willow Pattern – in the original color photos of the day pink/red willow pattern dishes can be seen.
Original Vintage Brown Derby Ashtray Seen on Etsy – Click to View Details