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Dancers of the Casino de Paris

Casino de Paris, Paris
c. 1915 CP2000

Costume
   Lavish stage outfits, many topless and including t-front topless.

   TMB. TMLB. N-2.

Actions
   These beauties, from the lavish topless revue shows at the Casino de Paris at 16 rue de Clichy in Paris, grace hand-colored postcards which depict the accurate costumes and color of the famous theater. Patrons from around the world visit this establishment, and the influence of is extravagant costumes and topless dancers extends even to America.
   The dancers and the numbers on the cards are as follows; all also bear an "AN" mark (for A. Noyers Studio). The first are shot by Paris Plaisirs studio: Colette Jove #1(1), Melle. Whiard #2 (2), Melle. Paslowski #3 (3), Melle. Poty #4 (4), Melle. Pyrol #5 (5), Melle. Florisse #6 (6), Les Rowe Sisters #7 (7), Melle. Zazani #9 (8), Melle. Raconni #10 (9), Melle. Pyrol #12 (10), Melle. Marcelle #15 (11), Melle. Whiard #16 (12), Melle Florisse #17 (13), Melle. Dahama #18 (14), Melle. Dijin [Lillian] #19 (15), Melle. Marcelle #21 (16), Melle. Whiard #22 (17), Colette Jove #23 (18), Melle. Dahama #24 (19), Melle. Whiard #27 (20), Melle. Martha #28 (21), Melle. Marcelle #29 (22), Melle. Bouard #33 (23), Melle. Lestrade #36 (24), Melle. Zazan #37 (25), Melle. Jo #38 (26), and Melle. Noel [Noll?] #39 (27). As the numbers continues most of the dancers acquire two names or a single name are are no longer "Melle;" many of these later pictures are shot by Walery: Olsa Valery #42 (28), Lauret #43 (29), Monique #45 (30), Josane #46 (31), Sarah Carity #47 (32), Lestrade #49 (33) and #50 (34), Yetta #51 (35), Gaby Bouard #54 (36), Josane #56 (37), Damery #59 (38), Lydia Sevrach #61 (39) and Gabby Fressy #65 (40). Other postcards lack the AN mark and number and feature Marcelle #AA (41), Melle. Whiard #EE (42), Melle. Casonova #FF (43) and Melle. Eddy #GG (44); these are probably from the same set but the numbers have been removed or were covered with a postage stamp (painted out).

Commentary
   In Bikini Science terms these costumes involve bikini lines generations before the bikini was ever invented. They are useful to study because they anticipate some of the same exposures and fashion lines that appear on the beach 60 years later.
   Fans of Josephine Baker will appreciate that she dances at this famous theater (JB3010); the Casino de Paris also plays a role in Bikini Science history when Louis Réard hires Michele Bernadini, a nude dancer from the nightclub who is not afraid to display herself in public, to model his first bikini (LR4601).

Source
   Photographed by some of the major glamour photographers of the era, including Paris Plaisirs (Paris Pleasures) and Stanislaus Walery. Collected from vintage CD-ROMs, including Tallulahs Downloads, "Casino;" Vintage 1 CD-ROM; Tallulahs Images; and Tallulahs Costume Images. 44 pictures.
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CP200065.JPG CP2000AA.JPG CP2000EE_casino048.JPG
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