_Caresse ((born Mary Phelps Jacob) "Polly".png)
Caresse ((born Mary Phelps Jacob) "Polly" Crosby (born Jacob)
Personal Information
Born: 1892 or 1891
Died: 1970
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
none formal
"In describing how she was raised she said, "in a world where only good smells existed. What I wanted usually came to pass." (Wikipedia); "I can't say the brassiere will ever take as great a place in history as the steamboat, but I did invent it." (Wikipedia); "
— Caresse ((born Mary Phelps Jacob) "Polly" Crosby (born Jacob)
Professional Life
Field of Study: Publisher, activist, writer, inventor
Institution/Corporation: None found
Degrees & Memberships: None found
Awards & Achievements
Awards: None found
Achievements: 1st to receive a patent for the modern bra; with husband, Harry Crosby, founded Black Sun Press; published her 1st book, "Crosses of Gold" late 1924 it was a volume of conventional "misadventurous" poetry centering on themes such as love, beauty & her husband Harry; published her 2nd book "Graven Images" another book of poetry in 1926; april 1927 she & Harry founded Editione Narcisse & 1st book they published was "Painted Shores" a book she wrote about their relationship including their reconciliation after 1 of his affairs; 1928 she wrote an epic poem published as "The Stranger" & it addressed her relationships with the men in her life, specifically her father, Harry & her son; 1928 also published "Impossible Memories" a book she wrote about the various types of love she had known; 1928 the name of the publishing house was changed to Black Sun Press & they published books by James Joyce, Hart Crane, Ernest Hemingway, DH Lawrence, Ezra Pound & others; continued to run Black Sun Press until she returned to the US in 1936 but continued to be involved with it until her death in 1970 when it closed; 1926-33 ran Crosby continental Editions publishing paperback books; 1934 began an interracial affair with actor-boxer Canada Lee that lasted until mid-1940s; wrote "The Cage" a never published play about her relationship with Lee; purchased a run-down castle 43 miles north of Rome, converted it to a haven for artists & writers & held poetry seminars there, assuming the Papal title of "Princess" that came with the property;
time called her the "literary godmother to the Lost generation of expatriate writers in Paris"
childhood nickname was "Polly"
1914 was presented to the King of England at a garden party
was photographed by Charles Dana Gibson of "Gibson girls" fame as a child
grew up in an upper-class environment living on estates in Manhattan & New Rochelle New York & Connecticut
1910 fashioned her 1st bra from 2 handkerchiefs & some pink ribbon to replace an uncomfortable corset cover to attend a debutante ball
her autobiography was titled "The Passionate Years"
sold her bra patent to Warner Brothers Corset Company for $1,500
had an open marriage with her 2nd husband Harry Crosby
she & Harry lived a bohemian lifestyle in Paris as expatriates in the 1920s living in the "here & now" with no concern for their future
Harry believed there could be no greater expression of love than a willingness to die with ones beloved &, at one point, the couple had a suicide pact to jump out of an airplane on October 31, 1942 but he committed suicide with 1 of his lovers in 1929
the documentary "Always Yes, Caresse" is about her life & was produced shortly prior to her death
her great granddaughter, Tamara Colchester wrote a biography of her titled "The Heart is a Burial Ground"
she lived in Washington DC 1937-1950 & opened an art gallery, Caresse Crosby Modern Art Gallery & exhibited paintings by Henry Miller
starred in several experimental dance films & wanted to be an actress
is rumored to have ghost written pornography for Henry Miller who was a close friend