Dressed for the Opera

Featured here are two personal objects which belonged to Frances Nathan Marks.

This sterling silver mesh purse, initialed with FN and engraved with Frances Nathan Great Falls, Montana on the inside was fit for a night out in Great Falls, perhaps to the Grand Opera House.

Frances Nathan’s purse [1998.090.1]

Mesh purses were made as early as the 1700s. The individual links of purses like this one were fastened and riveted together by hand to make a luxurious metal fabric. The invention of an automatic mesh machine in 1910 made these eye catching handbags more affordable.

Frances Nathan's purse has a clutch closure with a chain handle, and inside is a clutch enclosed coin pocket. The purse is only 7" long and 5" wide; small but stately.

This stately ladies evening or opera dress cane has richly decorated handle initialed with a well worn “F.N.” Canes like these were not walking aides but stately ornaments for evening wear attire. Ms. Nathan’s 33” black iron wood cane dates about 1890-1900. The handle is solid cast and floral chased gold, crafted by hand.

Detail of Frances Nathan’s evening cane, [1998.090.2]

Image printed in the Great Falls Tribune April 25, 1941 for Frances Nathan’s obituary

Frances Nathan’s obituary, April 25, 1941:

Mrs. A. Nathan, Pioneer of Falls, Dies

Widow of Early Day Clothier Came to Benton by Steamer

Mrs. Frances Nathan, 75-year-old widow of A.(Arge) Nathan, Great Falls Pioneer merchant and herself one of the early day residents of the state, died Thursday.

Mrs. Nathan, who died at 6:15 a. m. at her home in the Gies Apartments after a few weeks illness, came up the Missouri River by steamboat to Fort Benton in 1883, moved from there to Great Falls a few years later and had made this city her home ever since.

The body is at the W. H. George chapel. Funeral services will be held there Monday afternoon at 2. Later the body will be taken to New York City to be laid beside that of her husband, who died there May 14, 1924.

Surviving Mrs. Nathan is one son, Robert A. Nathan of 617 Fourth Avenue North, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. The grandchildren are Robert A. Nathan Jr. of this city and Mrs. Raymond A. Marks and Edward Nathan, both of San Francisco. The latter two are the children of Herbert Nathan, a second son of Mrs. Nathan, who died in Great Falls July 1, 1927. The great-grandchild is Marc A. Nathan of Great Falls.

Fred and Ira Kaufman of Great Falls and their brother, Joseph Kaufman, an attorney of Olean, N. Y., are nephews. Three sisters of Mrs. Nathan live in New York City.

Mrs. Nathan was born in New York City July 2, 1865 and was married to Arge Nathan there March 5, 1883. Previously he had come to Fort Benton and engaged in business. In 1886 he opened a clothing store in Great Falls and in 1888 closed out his Fort Benton business and consolidated it with that here, remaining as its head until his death.

Mrs. Nathan retained a keen memory to the last and enjoyed reciting to friends in minute detail interesting experiences of her life in Montana of 50 and more years ago. She was a life member of the local chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.

-Ashleigh McCann, Collections Curator