Mae West: Wild about Harry

MAE WEST was wild about Harry — — jeweler Harry Winston, that is. "Diamonds is my career," purred Mae in her role as "Diamond Lil." And Harry Winston took that line as the law — — not unlike Moses and the tablets.
• • It may be that one of the highlights of reviving her hit play on Broadway [which debuted on 5 February 1949] at the Coronet Theatre (230 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10036) was having a heart to heart with Harry in breathing distance of those storied gem vaults.
• • The "Diamond Lil" program credits jeweler Harry Winston for supplying an Ali Baba's cave worth of glitter for this show. How expensive was that eyeful of razzle-dazzle?• • Mae West's adornments in 1949 included: “Seven part waist decoration, $500,000; necklace, $100,000; three bracelets, $200,000; 46-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, $300,000; 30-carat oval-cut diamond ring, $75,000…”• • These industrial-strength carats were ferried by couriers each night to the vault — — and brought back to the Coronet Theatre, heavily guarded, in time for each performance. Splendor such as this was never seen on the Bowery during the 1890s.• • Harry Winston is at 718 Fifth Avenue between West 55th — West 56th Street [NYC 10019].
• • Polish your Mae West memories on Friday evening 17 August 2007, when a guided tour will explore Manhattan's WEST-side during the "Mae West Side Story" walking tour. The event — — open to the public — — is timed to salute Brooklyn's own sexpot on her birthdate. [See the Annual Mae West Gala posting below.]
• • Only 15 more days until Mae's birthday!

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xmlMae West• • Illustration: • • Mae West • • 1949 • •NYCMae West.