Rebecca Baldwin: A Sanditon Quadrille

A Sanditon Quadrille is the last book I have illustrated by Allan Kass for Rebecca Baldwin. It is numbered 118 in the Coventry Regency series. Rebecca writes a lovely story about 2 mismatched couples who find love on the dance floor! This book was published in June 1981.

A quadrille was a dance with either 2 or 4 couples dancing in a square formation. As it became popular, the dance itself became more intricate. It was the ancestor of the modern square dance.

Allan paints a beautiful cover with our couple standing outside on a balcony while in the background you can see the inside of the ballroom and the dancers within. Our heroine wears a purple ballgown and long while gloves. Our hero is in full dress suit with intricate cravat and black jacket. Remember that Beau Brummell made the black dress suit popular. Many ballrooms had french doors that either led to balconies where a couple could get a breath of fresh air or down to a garden. Remember, there was no central air or heating at this time and the candles and many bodies in a room could get very hot. People were sometimes afraid of the night air bringing diseases and would keep windows closed.

Rebecca Baldwin named this book "Sanditon" for Jane Austen's unfinished book by the same title as a tribute.

Rebecca Baldwin: Peerless Theodosia

Peerless Theodosia was published in March 1980 by Fawcett under their Coventry Regency Romance line. Note the #30 in the corner. This book is about Theodosia and her brother, who are American and come to visit the Southcote family and the havoc that reigns afterwards. Glancing through this book, it reads like a tribute to Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy.

The illustration that Allan Kass has drawn surely would fit the cover of The Grand Sophy with a heroine who adores green, is dressed well and delivers a parrot to the children of the family. This is a beautiful cover showing the heroine in a traveling dress with her large muff, which was very popular to carry, and a plumed hat. Outfits like this would have been sewn with fabrics like velvet that could be easily brushed down and also kept the wearer warm. Note the doorway! Theodosia arrives at a London townhouse with a Georgian/Palladian entrance which doesn't look out of place nowadays. Normally the butler would have opened the door and footman would help her with her things. Regency townhouses were narrow in front, but long in depth, sometimes rising 4 to 5 stories. In the US, you can see houses similar to this in Charleston, South Carolina. In the UK, visit Bath to see a preserved Regency townhouse at #1 Royal Crescent!

Rebecca Baldwin: A Gentleman From Philadelphia

A Gentleman from Philadelphia is the second book illustrated by Allan Kass for Rebecca Baldwin. This book was published in 1978 and is the story of Annabella and Philip, who she has loved for years. He comes back from Philadelphia at the time she intends to make a marriage to save her family from debt.

This is an interesting cover since Allan paints not only the couple, but also an elderly lady and gentleman. Perhaps they are Anna's aunt and the butler?? I think the beauty of this illustration lies in the heroine. Her green dress emphasizes her hair color and complexion. She arranges a bowl of flowers while the others look on.

Note the lady drinking tea which was a popular (and still is) past time in England. Because dinner sometimes was held at 8 or 9 pm, a tea with dessert or cake was served around 4pm. Tea was considered a luxury and often kept under lock and key by the housekeeper or mistress of the house. Tea leaves would be reused until the flavor was gone. Pouring tea was considered part of a young lady's accomplishment.

Rebecca Baldwin: The Cassandra Knot

The Cassandra Knot is the first book in our Allan Kass list of illustrations that is authored by Rebecca Baldwin. She wrote a few regencies under the Fawcett publication line. The Cassandra Knot was published in 1979 and is about a girl named Cassandra who marries Edward, Duke of Woodland, in order to protect her fortune from her greedy relatives. Of course, what happens when he lets her loose on London is entertaining.

This is an interesting cover illustration with the couple seated at a dinner table. Note the heroine's ornate dress with a special notice of her necklace. Allan is known for his beautiful portrayal of jewels. The hero is also dressed formally for the evening. This cover looks like it takes place at an intimate dinner. Maybe the most unique quality of this book cover are the candles flickering on the candlestick! It's a very beautiful cover!

The silver serving pieces on the table would have been a normal sight at any dinner. The butler of the family would have been required to see that they were highly polished and ready to use, besides keeping them under lock and key when in storage. Usually he would have either an underbutler or footman to help him with his duties.