P.W. Ellis & Co., Ltd. Sterling Clothes / Hat Brush

This sterling clothes / hat brush, featuring a gold-toned single-letter P monogram, was manufactured by P.W. Ellis & Co., Ltd in Mary's hometown of Toronto. I am unsure of exactly when this is from, but I can at least say that it must date prior to 1928 as that is when P.W. Ellis & Co., Ltd. ceased operations. In recent history, this piece was sold as part of a vanity set in the 1981 Mary Pickford Estate auction which, unfortunately, has since been pieced out. Gifted from the Pamela Short Collection.

The Little American (1917) Parasol

As part of the 1981 Mary Pickford Estate auction, this exquisitely made, extremely delicate aqua, peach, and cream parasol was erroneously noted as having been used in her film Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917.) A simple comparison of this piece with that seen in Rebecca... shows they are very different. After a bit of research however, I have determined this parasol can be seen in the opening shots of Cecil B. DeMille's The Little American (1917,) as well as publicity stills associated with the film, and even at least one portrait by Melbourne Spurr. While it has certainly seen better days—being somewhat tattered as well as having lost the ribbon and most of the decorative tip that once adorned the handle—it is nice to know that this parasol still exists and here it is today. Gifted from the Pamela Short collection.

Mary posing with the parasol in a The Little American publicity still.

Mary with the parasol in The Little American (1917) (Courtesy of the Mary Pickford Foundation)