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Biography - Maria Ferrari de Miramar
echo801 - Aug 11, 2008 - 07:38 PM
Post subject: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
Hello.
I have recently acquired what I presume is a wedding present from Aleister Crowley to his second wife: Maria Ferrari de Miramar. It is a silver magnifying glass with a silver skull to the top. Really very interesting thing.
However, apart from a very few mentions on wikipaedia and, amongst others, this site I can find virtually no information about the lady. She sort of disappears off the map, so to speak, in 1930; the year after their wedding. I would be keen to know where she lived (and died) etc. and wondered if anybody on the forum may know or offer advice re. links etc.
The mag. glass bears the engraved inscription "For Maria Ferrari de Miramar - Aleister, Leipzig 1929.
Many thanks.
echo801
BlueKephra - Aug 11, 2008 - 08:45 PM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
She died in the 1950's in Colney Hatch Asylum, where she had been resident for over 20 years, according to "Perdurabo". There's a fair bit of information in that book about her.
OKontrair - Aug 12, 2008 - 12:13 AM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
From Perdurabo pp.350-351: MFdeM left Brussels on July 19th 1929 for Berlin then to Leipzig. Joined by AC on 24th or 25th. Married there on 16th Aug. Left next day for London. The marriage was to facilitate immigration. AC did take her 'shopping for birthday presents' in Leipzig late April/early May 1930 (op.cit p357). Name given in Perdurabo sometimes as Maria and sometimes as Marie.
Could you send a picture of this to the galleries?
Meanwhile, get another magnifying glass and examine the inscription for signs of freshness. It sounds fishily formal and uncharacteristic. Full maiden name on a wedding present? Skull? Place and date - why?
These are only a few thoughts; I am often wrong.
OK
lashtal - Aug 25, 2008 - 10:27 AM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
Given the appearance of the item on eBay for an extravagant starting price - listed by someone with the same eBay name as the LAShTAL username, I fear that this may have been an attempt to create some sort of provenance for the magnifying glass, which shows no evidence of being a genuine piece of Crowleyan ephemera.
the_real_simon_iff - Aug 25, 2008 - 11:46 AM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
93!
Yes, I also think the font looks pretty modern and moreover machine-made, not something an engraver would have had in 1929. But I am trying to check about that. Also I am on the look for the origin of the Q&S.Co logo (probably from the engraver or the jewellery maker), but so far to no avail. Maybe any Leipzig members of the site can try their luck also? Considering the rushed marriage of the couple in Leipzig it would be logical that he had made it on the spot right there (IF it is a genuine piece of course).
And for God's sake: Why a magnifying glass?
Love=Law
Lutz
lashtal - Aug 25, 2008 - 12:09 PM
Post subject: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
the_real_simon_iff wrote: › And for God's sake: Why a magnifying glass?
The mind boggles...
Here are some edited observations from a good friend, a prominent collector of Crowleyan ephemera:
[color=darkred]A chintzy skull on a magnifying glass for his bride to be? Such a beautiful and practical item...
What a typically loving inscription - of course you'd have your intended's name written out in full (just in case anyone was too thick to get the reference if you just had "Maria") ... while using just your own first name .... even though you generally just used "666" in more intimate letters, notes, etc.
"Leipzig 1929" (what, no "ev"?).
Why not have it stamped rather than engraved? That Beast was truly ahead of his times. And seeing that he was being ahead of his times, why not use a nice modern typeface rather than the boring cursive script in which any intimate engraving was traditionally done?[/color]
I couldn't put it better myself...
echo801 - Aug 25, 2008 - 02:17 PM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
Oh you are a bunch of suspicious old things: though I suppose I'd feel fairly wary too.
I'm not looking for provenance, just any additional information about the lady in question; and I'm grateful for the help offered on this site.
At the risk of offending, the font of the inscription isn't modern: I've dealt in silver for years and the font is simply not contemporary; Art Deco oblique I would say; also, there is clear tarnishing within the engraving which is commensurate with the tarnishing on the rest of the piece - hence no attempt to clean.
I happily concede that the wording seems oddly formal, and I have no idea how Mr Crowley addressed himself or others.
Anyway, bought at auction not far from where I believe Mr Crowley popped his clogs.
http://www.johnnicholsons.com/da/74275
And why anybody would want to fake such a thing (and it would have to be an old fake re: tarnishing and font etc.) is pretty debatable.
Cheers me dears.
lashtal - Aug 25, 2008 - 02:47 PM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
Good grief! A guide price of £200 to £300 just 5 months ago finds itself a place on eBay as an item with a starting bid price - "starting", mind - of £7,500! What did you pay?
"Art Deco oblique I would say..."
You think? Looks very modern to me.
Oh, what would I know? Maybe you're right. A pretty good jump for you from a series of 99p sales, if the piece sells...
ianrons - Aug 25, 2008 - 03:51 PM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
It does look eerily reminiscent of a seaside tattoo parlour item. Do you think he also gave her ceremonial dog-tags, carefully stamped with the name of a previous husband?
OKontrair - Aug 25, 2008 - 04:18 PM
Post subject: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
I do not have any faith in the genuineness of the object but my doubts do not extend to the seller. His eBay record looks reasonable, includes antique silver and with 665 happy customers that just leaves this thing to shift and he's hit the lucky 666.
I see it came from MOTORING MEMORABILIA. Maybe because her name's Ferrari or maybe because Aleister drove her nuts.
OK
the_real_simon_iff - Aug 25, 2008 - 04:39 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
93!
As you can see from my previous post I always begin by assuming best intentions and honesty in everyone (sometimes this is a big mistake, I know). Though I do not want to question your honesty, I must say that as a title designer I am quite aware of fonts. So I have to comment that as far as I know a) there is no "classic" font of that name b) nobody would call that font art-deco-ish at all and c) this font is definetely not oblique, is it? The other comments here also look quite convincing, but I am looking for definite proof of course, just like you, I assume.
echo801 wrote: › And why anybody would want to fake such a thing (and it would have to be an old fake re: tarnishing and font etc.) is pretty debatable.
Maybe to make money of it?
Love=Law
Lutz
the_real_simon_iff - Aug 25, 2008 - 05:01 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
OKontrair wrote: › I see it came from MOTORING MEMORABILIA. Maybe because her name's Ferrari or maybe because Aleister drove her nuts.
I hate these abbreviations, but here I go: LOL!
Love=Law
Lutz
echo801 - Aug 25, 2008 - 05:35 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
Oh this is silly.
I didn't buy it at the motoring sale: it didn't sell and I bought it 1st Aug. at the next sale where the results are not online: only gave the link to show that I purchased in good faith - or at least was willing to take a punt.
Still nobody has picked up on the fact that the tarnish is in the engraving as well as on the stem.
As for font the date is 1929 not 1829, a quick google on google.de and it can seen that similar fonts were used by anybody in that period from the Bauhaus to Bertie Brecht.
Anyway it seems that you're a cynical old bunch and I'm just an old treasure hunter.
Keeps me young.
... and what's more.. I like it...
Toodle Pip 
OKontrair - Aug 25, 2008 - 06:11 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
I have looked at the history of small shop based engraving machines and found that a company called New Hermes was founded in the USA in 1938 by two German immigrants who found that such machines were not available there but were already in use in Europe. The machines were not capable of doing serifs because they cut with a rotating tool. There is an example in the article which you can see here:
http://www.engraversjournal.com/article ... index.html
you have to click the copyright notice then you are in. So it looks to me as if the matter does not hinge on technical possibility or not.
The hall marks - obviously much older than the Maria inscription - seem to say "GS&Co." which I could not trace but not the same as "GS&Co Ltd" which I could - are a red herring because that would only indicate that the glass was second hand before inscription which I think is not disputed. The "&Co" makes me think it's English
I see that the previous auction did not mention the skull which seems odd but their catalogue is so typo rich maybe that's what they meant by scroll. Silver scroll magnifying glasses generally can be had for $50 if any one wants one to assist their sewing.
OK
lashtal - Aug 25, 2008 - 06:34 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
echo801 wrote: › Oh this is silly.
My apologies for any offence this discussion has caused. Yes, there's a degree of suspicion about the product, but this is related to the piece itself and not directed towards you.
Personally, I'm surprised that a piece with, shall we say, "doubtful provenance" should have increased in perceived value so dramatically so soon after your post here.
Since the tone of your posts indicates that you're clearly offended by the response your invitation to comment has generated, I'd be more than happy to lock the thread and to provide you with no more publicity.
the_real_simon_iff - Aug 26, 2008 - 07:36 AM
Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
echo801 wrote: › Oh this is silly.
Checking out if the piece is authentic is not silly. The motoring sale joke: perfectly silly!
echo801 wrote: › similar fonts were used by anybody in that period from the Bauhaus to Bertie Brecht.
This is not doubted at all. It is just not "Art Deco Oblique", of which you sounded so sure. Or would you call Bauhaus Art Deco? Of course such a font was used at the time, but there is no need to try to impress others by identifying it incorrectly.
echo801 wrote: › Anyway it seems that you're a cynical old bunch and I'm just an old treasure hunter.
If you check out what has been sold as "property of Aleister Crowley", you would be much more cynical too. And by the way, there was nothing cynical in at least my response.
echo801 wrote: › Still nobody has picked up on the fact that the tarnish is in the engraving as well as on the stem.
I hereby pick it up, but don't know anything about this process or if it could be faked, so I won't comment on it.
OKontrair wrote: › The hall marks - obviously much older than the Maria inscription - seem to say "GS&Co."
I don't want to sound finnicking, but since this might be a good trace to follow, it says "G&S.Co" or "C&S.Co".
Love=Law
Lutz
OKontrair - Aug 26, 2008 - 01:40 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
Going, going, GONE!
Congratulations!
Soon member echo801(665) will be elevated to echo801(666)
OK
lashtal - Aug 26, 2008 - 01:52 PM
Post subject:
My sincere thanks to a longstanding member of this site whose day job is connected with the antiques business: he has made the following observations which might well be of some interest. Please bear in mind, though, that there's no suggestion that the originator of this thread is in any way involved in anything underhand or unlawful.
The marks, which are really rather worn for the age of the piece and seem to indicate a lot of handling, show that the section of silver onto which they're stamped was assayed in London in either 1910 or 1930 (the rubbing has removed most of the salient markers normally used to distinguish between the upper and lower case date letters but either way it's a "P"). The maker's mark that OKrontrair mentions is that of Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd, who registered it in 1899- it's actually a tripartite cartouche that's not evident in the picture, but you can see it on the far right here: http://www.silvercollection.it/40BINGLESEBIS.jpg It looks a bit dodgy but the date's probably about right.
The engraving's more than a bit iffy, however, irrespective of tarnishing (which, if I were being cynical, I'd say could be faked with a zip lock bag and a boiled egg). The wear on the marks in no way marries with that on the text. Were I a gambling man I'd say that an older piece had been engraved and then aged...
lashtal - Aug 26, 2008 - 02:16 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Maria Ferrari de Miramar
OKontrair wrote: › Soon member echo801(665) will be elevated to echo801(666)
Hmmm... Sold to someone with zero feedback who appears to have signed up to eBay today, presumably just to purchase this item. It's going to be very interesting to see how much was paid...