Stage Designer

One of the lesser known aspects of Caroline Siedle's work are the occasional prop and set pieces that she seems to have designed. Her husband, Edward Siedle, was renowned for the wonderful effects he created as prop master for the Metropolitan Opera. Among these was the dragon Fafner, in Wagner's Siegfried. An article in the New York Daily Tribune from July 17, 1897, discusses how the basic effect was created, along with the drawings on the right. But Caroline seems to have done some work in that line herself.

In the collection of The New York Public Library there is a drawing of a couple riding in a leafy chariot, steered by a cherub and drawn by a dragonfly. It's a delicate piece of work, for an unknown production with no additional information attached to it.

The Museum of the City of New York has a drawing for a wagon in the form of a Siamese Junk, including a large elephant. I've no idea what either of these pieces were for, but they do show her skill in designing this sort of work. 

I also have an example of a possible set piece. This is a drawing titled "Candy girl for center of table". It shows a peppermint stick gazebo, with a shepherdess holding a long candy cane and two sheep at her feet. Her skirt appears to be ribbon candy, and the whole design is colored in delicate pink and white. Two doves hold garlands above her head, while a third perches with outstretched wings at the top of the gazebo. 

It's a lovely, fanciful design, beautifully drawn, and I have no idea what it was for. I'm not even sure if it was meant to be life size, with a chorus girl taking the part of shepherdess, or a prop to be set on a table. The back of the board has the name "Ripley", while the front has the enigmatic note "with 6 in square top. 9" & bottom - 6 ft 9", and "5 ft 6". All very mysterious. If the intent was for the overall piece to be 6' 9", it would need quite a large table to support it!