The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle

This paper charts the relationship between Nellie Stewart, one of Australia’s first stage celebrities of light opera and the origin of a style of gold bangle that became ubiquitous in Australian feminine jewellery adornment, as an outward sign of romantic attachment, reaching a level of mass product...

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Main Author: Annita Boyd
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Association for the Study of Popular Romance (IASPR) 2014-10-01
Series:Journal of Popular Romance Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jprstudies.org/2014/10/the-private-and-public-life-of-nellie-stewarts-bangleby-annita-boyd/
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author Annita Boyd
author_facet Annita Boyd
author_sort Annita Boyd
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description This paper charts the relationship between Nellie Stewart, one of Australia’s first stage celebrities of light opera and the origin of a style of gold bangle that became ubiquitous in Australian feminine jewellery adornment, as an outward sign of romantic attachment, reaching a level of mass production and consumption by the early twentieth century. The aim of this paper is to bring to light, through archival research, the forgotten origin and connection of this bangle with the once iconic popular culture figure of Stewart. In retracing a reconnection with this forgotten origin in popular Australian memory, this paper explores celebrity status in late nineteenth century. It is arguable that once this style of bangle became more commonplace in its production and consumption, the connection with Nellie Stewart became more diluted and tenuous within living, popular memory. Another, more important layer of discussion concerns the history of the bangle, notably as ceremonial wedding gift, and a sad irony revealed about the public and private nature of this bangle as a gift of binding love.
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spelling doaj.art-fc49b592f57240498d61374753c53e822023-08-19T21:21:55ZengInternational Association for the Study of Popular Romance (IASPR)Journal of Popular Romance Studies2159-44732014-10-0142128The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s BangleAnnita BoydThis paper charts the relationship between Nellie Stewart, one of Australia’s first stage celebrities of light opera and the origin of a style of gold bangle that became ubiquitous in Australian feminine jewellery adornment, as an outward sign of romantic attachment, reaching a level of mass production and consumption by the early twentieth century. The aim of this paper is to bring to light, through archival research, the forgotten origin and connection of this bangle with the once iconic popular culture figure of Stewart. In retracing a reconnection with this forgotten origin in popular Australian memory, this paper explores celebrity status in late nineteenth century. It is arguable that once this style of bangle became more commonplace in its production and consumption, the connection with Nellie Stewart became more diluted and tenuous within living, popular memory. Another, more important layer of discussion concerns the history of the bangle, notably as ceremonial wedding gift, and a sad irony revealed about the public and private nature of this bangle as a gift of binding love.https://www.jprstudies.org/2014/10/the-private-and-public-life-of-nellie-stewarts-bangleby-annita-boyd/banglecelebritymarriagememorysentimental jewellery
spellingShingle Annita Boyd
The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle
Journal of Popular Romance Studies
bangle
celebrity
marriage
memory
sentimental jewellery
title The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle
title_full The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle
title_fullStr The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle
title_full_unstemmed The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle
title_short The Private and Public Life of Nellie Stewart’s Bangle
title_sort private and public life of nellie stewart s bangle
topic bangle
celebrity
marriage
memory
sentimental jewellery
url https://www.jprstudies.org/2014/10/the-private-and-public-life-of-nellie-stewarts-bangleby-annita-boyd/
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