The New York Sun once wrote, “There is not a woman player in America or in England that is – attractively considered – fit to unlace her shoe.”

Julia Marlowe was an English-born American actor known for her interpretations of William Shakespeare. She often played Juliet with real life partner, E. H. Sothern as her Romeo.

Caring for Textiles is conserving a Julia Marlowe costume belonging to The Folger Shakespeare Library (http://www.folger.edu) going on exhibition in September 2013.

The dress is covered in gelatin sequins and around the studio we are fondly calling it “The Scale Dress.” We think she might be wearing our dress in this picture with Sothern.