astor

Madeleine Force Astor, perhaps, widow of John Jacob Astor IV and a Titanic survivor.

See also

Art Siegel Re: Notes (on photo) Art, This was one of those photos where the more I stared at it, the less it looked like anything I could recognize! The highlights and shadows played tricks with me, as well as what you identified as Mrs. Astor's lapel ! Thanks for making the obvious -- obvious to me!  

It is strange looking. I had to download the hi-res version to be sure.

This photo is depicted in The sun., July 02, 1916, Page 7 with the caprtion: "Mrs. Vincent Astor christening the high power hydroaeroplane presented by a group of citizens of New York to the Second Battalion, New York Naval Militia. The ceremony took place at the headquarters, Fifty-second street and the bay, Brooklyn. Vincent Astor is standing to the left." (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1916-07-02/ed-...)

Another article about the event is in the NYT, July 2, 1916 (query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F4091FF73A5B17...)

An additional article about the event in Aerial Age Weekly, Volume 3, July 10, 1916, page 503, Second Battalion N.M.N.Y. Seaplane Christened : books.google.com/books?id=FNRLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA503&l... Note, that the Aerial Age story states that Charles L. Lawrance of the "citizens' committee which bought the seaplane," was also present. Lawrance is the very same person who would design the Lawrance J-1 radial engine, the direct predecessor to the Wright Whirlwind engine which would power countless historically significant flights, including that of Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris. See photo of Lawrance below standing to the right side of the frame, next to Lindbergh at Curtiss Field prior to Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight:

The photo in The Sun is of the same moment, but taken by a different photographer who stood to the right of Bain's photographer. More from The Sun article cited above: "Then they swung a big derrick over and just as it had made fast Mrs. Astor stepped forward and cracked a bottle of champagne over the hull with the words: "I christen thee No. 1." As It was swung over into the water everybody cheered, and then Ensign Astor, commanding a fleet of motor boats, towed it out to clear water, where Ensign Samuel Pierce climbed in. started the engines to roaring and after gliding over the water shot the plane up into the air for a twelve minute trip around Fort Hamilton and back. Ensign Pierce brought the flying boat back without trouble and the crowd cheered again, aided in the noise making by all the whistles of craft that knew anything about it at all."

52d street pier in Brookyn, recent street view: maps.google.com/maps?q=52d+street,+brooklyn&ll=40.650...

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Picture Theatres of Australia, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

wow certainly doesn't look like that anymore

Laura Where is this exactly? I have looked but seem to not pin point...here is a better photo, same scene taken at a different angle....From State Library

Luc Hi there, I think the Burwood Astor was on the site which is now occupied by the big Westfield complex. Opposite Burwood Park.

Well suppose it could be, however this was found, a photo which can be pin pointed correctly. It is at the corner of Burwood Road and Wilga Streets, the same location the photo in question should be. any ideas?
From The National Library of Australia