G'day Dallas
It's amazing how one's head can be filled with all sorts of interesting
trivia.
Over the years I have heard that the car involved was a Bugatti, a
Mercedes SSK or even a Singer Le Mans. The last one is interesting as
Miss Duncan was at the time very much involved with Mr Singer of the
Singer Sewing Machine empire.
The film had Vanessa Redgrave as Miss Duncan waxing lyrically about her
Mr Bugatti. However all is not what it seems as the car was in fact an
Amilcar. A sporting French make that we don't hear all too often these
days.
Hoo Roo
Patrick Quinn
Sydney, Australia
1947 Healey Duncan Saloon
1954 Austin-Healey 100 BN3/1
-----Original Message-----
From: Dallas Congleton [mailto:dcong996@earthlink.net]
Sent: Sunday, 11 April 2004 3:05 AM
To: healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Roll Bars and Scarfs
The dancer that was killed by a scarf was an American named Isodora
Duncan - here is more than you wanted to know-
PARIS, FRANCE - Isadora Duncan, the American dancer, tonight met a
tragic death at Nice on the Riviera. According to dispatches from Nice
Miss Duncan was hurled in an extraordinary manner from an open
automobile in which she was riding and instantly killed by the force of
her fall to the stone pavement.
Affecting, as was her habit, an unusual costume, Miss Duncan was wearing
an immense iridescent silk scarf wrapped about her neck and streaming in
long folds, part of which was swathed about her body with part trailing
behind. After an evening walk along the Promenade de Anglais about 10
o'clock, she entered an open rented car, directing the driver to take
her to the hotel where she was staying.
Neither she nor the driver noticed one of her scarf's loose ends was
over the side of the car - caught in the rear wheel.
As she took her seat in the car neither she nor the driver noticed that
one of the loose ends fell outside over the side of the car and was
caught in the rear wheel of the machine.
Dragged Bodily From the Car.
The automobile was going at full speed when the scarf of strong silk
suddenly began winding around the wheel and with terrific force dragged
Miss Duncan, around whom it was securely wrapped, bodily over the side
of the car, precipitating her with violence against the cobblestone
street. She was dragged for several yards before the chauffeur halted,
attracted by her cries in the street.
Medical aid immediately was summoned, but it was stated that she had
been strangled and killed instantly.
This end to a life full of many pathetic episodes was received as a
great shock in France, where, despite her numerous eccentric traits,
Miss Duncan was regarded as a great artist. Her great popularity in
France was increased by the entire nation's sympathy when in 1913 her
two young children also perished in an automobile tragedy. The car in
which they had been left seated started, driverless, down a hill and
plunged over a bridge into the Seine River. [The article continues.]
Copyright ) New York Times, Sep 15, 1927
Dallas Congleton
1953 MGTD2
1967 Austin Healey 3000 MarkIII
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