This beautiful antique cabinet card portrait features Miss Lily Brayton (1876–1953), the celebrated English Shakespearean actress and one of the great beauties of the Edwardian stage. Brayton is shown in an elegant, softly lit portrait, seated beside an elaborately upholstered chair, resting her head gently against one hand while gazing directly at the camera. She wears a lovely pale gown with delicate lace sleeves, a large flowing bow at the bodice, a pearl necklace, and a fashionable softly curled hairstyle. The photograph was published by the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, one of Britain’s most prestigious photographic firms, with studios at 106 Regent Street and 54 Cheapside, London. Born in Lancashire, Brayton began her theatrical career in 1896 with F. R. Benson’s Shakespearean Company and married Australian actor Oscar Asche in 1898. The couple became one of the most successful theatrical partnerships of their era, appearing in numerous Shakespearean productions and eventually managing His Majesty’s Theatre in London. Brayton was particularly admired for her Shakespearean performances, including Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew, but achieved her greatest commercial success playing Zahrat-al-Kulub in the enormously popular musical spectacle Chu Chin Chow (1916–1921), appearing in nearly 2,000 performances. This cabinet card dates to approximately 1900, with a small printed notation on the reverse that appears to include that date. The reverse features the London Stereoscopic Company’s elaborate photographic backmark. This is a particularly attractive and historically interesting portrait of a major British stage actress at the beginning of her celebrated career. SOLD
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