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The Transatlantic Marriage Bureau
The Transatlantic Marriage Bureau: Husband hunting in the Gilded Age: How American heiresses conquered the aristocracy | Julie Ferry
5 posts | 1 read | 5 to read
In 1895 nine American heiresses travelled across the Atlantic and bagged themselves husbands and titles. Though this phenomena had been happening for many years, 1895 was undoubtedly the most successful one for the unofficial marriage brokers Lady Minnie Paget and Consuelo Yzanga, Duchess of Windsor. For the English gentlemen the girls married it was a way to sustain their land, houses and all of the trappings of aristocracy. For the girls, who came from new money and were therefore not part of the American social elite, marriage was a means to obtaining the social prestige they craved. The Transatlantic Marriage Bureau will romp through the year to tell the story of these nine women the seasons, the parties, the money and the titles - always with one eye on the remarkable women who made it happen behind the scenes.
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blurb
Librarybelle
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Today feels like my #ManicMonday , since it‘s re-entry day at work, after a long weekend!

Not necessarily a #CentralReservation , but this book details marriages between the British aristocracy and American heiresses. This era really fascinates me. The ostentation and the desires of these American mothers to have a title in the family. I recently bought this book...haven‘t had a chance to read it yet. #LilithJuly

KarenUK I find this fascinating too.... And that cover is very ‘Downton Abbey‘ 😍 5y
Crazeedi Looks good! 5y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen I think @Mdargusch would like this book!!! Hi Marilyn 😃 5y
Jillylovesbooks PBS had a series about this subject that was hosted by Elizabeth McGovern. It was called Million Dollar American Princesses 5y
Librarybelle @Jillylovesbooks I‘ve seen that series and enjoyed it! 5y
Mdargusch I would love this! You‘re right! @Cinfhen (edited) 5y
86 likes3 stack adds7 comments
review
watermelontaco13
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Mehso-so

The book chronicles a whirlwind year of the American heiresses,Consuelo Vanderbilt, Consuelo Yzanga and Minnie Stevens. After failing to impress the infamous Four Hundred and New York Society, the heiresses took their chances across the pond in London to secure marriages with a titled but indebted aristocrat.
It started off interesting but towards the end I got tired of reading about so and so‘s daughter marrying lord so and so.

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watermelontaco13

We have no right to exclude those whom the growth of this great country has brought forward, provided they are not vulgar in speech or appearance. The time has come for the Vanderbilts
-Mrs. Astor”

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watermelontaco13

Those were the days of magnificence, when money was poured out like water...The new kings of trade might work at their offices twelve, fourteen hours a day but their wives would have something to show for it. Festoons of priceless jewelry draped amble bosoms...the greatest dress designers of Europe vied with one whither to create costumes that would grace some splendid ball one night and then be thrown away
-Elizabeth Drexel-

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watermelontaco13

There were “only about four hundred people in fashionable New York society”
-Ward McAllister-