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This is a list of the themes of the Veiled Prophet Parade and Ball and the organization's official memorabilia, including invitations, regalia and dance cards, but not programs. The events began in 1878 and were held each year in St. Louis, Missouri.



1878-1879
1878 Festival of Ceres, an illustrated pageant of the visit of Demeter, Grecian goddess of agriculture, to the Veiled Prophets


 * The invitations had "grotesque embellishments and a grim-looking old veiled prophet at the head." The text purportedly from the "Veiled Prophets of the Mississippi Valley" promised "unique and gorgeous costumes, brilliant and artistic designs."

1879 Progress of the mechanical arts

1880-1889
1880 The four seasons


 * On one side of the engraved invitation was a picnic scene, surrounded by representations of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. On the other side were the initials V.P. and four additional scenes — summer in Germany, spring in England, autumn in France, and winter in Russia.

1881 A day-dream in the woodland or Insect life


 * Fifteen hundred tickets were printed in Paris, France, with "friends of the order" each able to reserve ten of them, and "a lady counts for as much as a gentleman in the list of names." The tickets were inside a coarse, outside enclosure, an imitation-leather second envelope and, finally, a peagreen envelope, the edge bordered in gold and the center bearing the face of the Veiled Prophet and the initials "V.P." Within it was yet another envelope, with a highly polished gold or silver paten, containing a pink or pale blue card, the former "for ladies" and the latter "for gentlemen." With them were dance cards for the women, "a huge butterfly which is placed in harp-shaped envelopes of transparent linen covered with figures of gold."

1882 A panorama of the nations

1883 Fairy Land

1884 Shakespeare's poesy

1885 An Arabian night


 * The invitations were in "what seems to be a strong metal box," which, when opened, revealed a satin bag bound with silk, which contained "the coveted bidding." Five scenes from the Arabian Nights were "successfully disclosed by the turning aside of a leaf hinged on a pivot, or the opening of a leaf[,] book fashion. . . . Accompanying . . . were beautifully engraved admission cards to the ball, and the dancing programme."

1886 American history


 * (1) Satin-bound invitations in a triangular shape featured engravings of Christopher Columbus and allegories representing the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Battle of Valley Forge, President George Washington, the electric light, steam power, the telephone and the newspaper press.


 * (2) A gilt-edged album, bound in royal purple velvet, was presented to President and Mrs. Grover Cleveland in their visit to St. Louis.


 * "On the cover appears a solid silver plane, with a legend of presentation inclosed, and on each of the four corners of each cover is a silver boss with a flower carved upon it. . . . Facing all are the arms of the Cleveland famiily, then comes the programme of the five weeks' fall festivities, printed week by week on gros-grain satin." On the inside: "Columbus sailing from Palos, the savages of San Domingo gazing upon his ships as they approach; the discovery of the Mississippi by De Soto in 1541, and the Pilgrims at Plymouth in the winter of 1620."


 * Gilt-bordered lithographs included Exposition Hall, "then the Veiled Prophet sending his edict to St. Louis, . . . the sands of Egypt . . . the parade of the League of American Wheelmen as it will appear passing through the illuminated streets; a section of the Trades' Display procession . . . passing the Court House; the Knights Templar banners, encampment, etc.; the parade of St. Louis Flambeau Battalion, a map, showing that all roads lead to St. Louis, and, lastly, the coat of arms of St. Louis hand-painted on a single page."

1887 Old Testament stories


 * The theme of the parade caused a controversy, as did the invitations, which included "a miniature representation of the Hebrew Ark of the Covenant, . . . the Ten Commandments in Hebrew and . . . the Shekinah, the rays of divine light from the great I Am, while angel faces look approvingly upon the singular companionship within the sacred ark," reproved the St. Paul (Minnesota) Daily Globe, adding "This comes near to a profanation of sacred things. But St. Louis was always a tough town." The Tacoma (Washington) Daily Ledger noted the "twenty-one highly colored illustrations of Old Testament events, reaching from the angelic to the gory, and the circular ball tickets, bearing on the reverse the head of Pharaoh Rameses II. . . . Upon the whole it is an elaborate affair that takes rank among the works of art. The Veiled Prophets never do things by halves, but in this they have surpassed themselves."

1888 Child lore


 * The six thousand invitations, again printed in Paris, included "a spectacular view of Mother Goose, on a blue ray-lit sky . . . . The goose is very white and the old woman on its back is very red. She carries a broom in her left hand and in right holds the reins of her feathered steed. There is a friendly grin on the old lady's face . . . ."


 * Each invitation was inside a separate envelope, "even more gorgeous than its inclosure. Its . . . principal pictorial feature is a regulation fairy queen of the modern stage in a decollete bodice, transparent skirts and ravishing pink tights. A diadem adorns her flowing yellow hair[,] and two rows of pearls shine upon her splendid throat. . . . She is seated on the backs of a pair of flame-tongued, red-tailed dragons, and the sky in the immediate vicinity is blazing with glory."


 * An enclosed ticket for the dance consisted of a "rabbit's foot growing out of a rabbit's head" [see accompanying image].

1889 Comic opera

1890-1899
1890 The alphabet or the nonsensical alphabet


 * The eight hundred invitations were on two folding cards, one inside the other, with a picture of the VP on the front and on the back a clown wearing a fool's cap and the words "A little nonsense now and then." Upon the lines laid down by the Nonsense Books of Edward Lear, "the Prophet has constructed twenty-two moving tableaux on which will be seen grotesquely presented the letters of the alphabet."

1891 The ten most popular authors


 * On each page of a "reminiscent souvenir" pamphlet appeared pictures of the processions since 1878. The tickets of admission to the ball were "narrow slips of card, with gilt edges." On one side, "a gayly colored butterfly" wielded a sceptre. "On the coupon, which is to be kept at the door and presented in the ball-room for a programme," is the picture of a seal ring bearing the head of the Veiled Prophet.

1892 The history of the Upper Louisiana Territory, Missouri and St. Louis

1893 Storied holidays
 * The admission ticket was in the form of a "gilt padlock, with a key hanging by a small chain. About it is wrapped a design, in the center of which is a shield emblazoned with the likeness of the Veiled Prophet. Just below . . . is a portrait of [Christopher] Columbus, and on the right side the Prophet is receiving his guests, while to the left[,] the patriots are signing the Declaration of Independence. . . . [On the reverse]] are two Indians, three swans and three ships, representing Columbus en voyage." All this in an envelope bearing "the coat of arms and insignia of Spain."

1894 History of mystic societies in America


 * (1) Young society women in the wealthy West End were treated to the appearance of "an unusually elegant carriage, with coachmen and footmen in handsome livery, . . . driving through the prominent thoroughfares and delivering on a silver salver . . . highly illuminated and gorgeous" invitations to become Maids of Honor at the VP Ball. These were "unique and beautiful" specimens of engraving and embossing.


 * (2) For the rest of the world, the normal invitation to the dance lay in a cardboard box "on the lid of which is embossed the head of the Veiled Prophet" and within it was another embossed VP representation "in raised gold and skilled figuring." Inside of it all, "lying between fleecy folds of pale blue cotton is the exquisite souvenir of the ball, a delicate tray of china with crinkled edges" and on the reverse the words "Theo. Harrison, Limoges, France."

1895 The flight of time (the zodiac, days of the week and months of the year


 * The invitation was accompanied by a white-and-gold bisque statuette of the VP, "crossed at the base" with "two flaming torches, surrounded by a laurel wreath" in gold and "bound by a lover's knot of dainty yellow and blue ribbon."

1896 Masterpieces of art


 * The souvenir delivered with the ball invitation was "a dainty, beveled-edged mirror with silver back, the embossed head of the Prophet on the front" and bearing the VP monogram.

1897 Old-time songs

1899 Visions of childhood

1900-1909
1900 Pageant of the nations

1901 Louisiana Purchase

1902 From the Discovery of the Mississippi to the World's Fair


 * The invitation included "a map of the Louisiana Purchase, supported by the palm branch, with intertwined shields of the United States and the Republic of France, [see note] with the Veiled Prophet's seal," along with, "in colors," scenes and incidents in the Louisiana Purchase.

1903 Lyric opera

1904 Art and architecture


 * Recipients had to open three boxes, one inside another, to reach the keepsake, which was

a tray of the new kaiserzin [ pewter ] ware, so popular of late as a material in which. . . may be wrought all the artistic effects possible in silver. . . . It is useful and beautiful either upon my lady's toilet table or upon a gentleman's office desk, for the holding of trinkets or trifles. It is in the shape of a large sea shell, and it rests upon the table on four spherical knobs.

1905 Humor

1906xCheck again. Fairyland]

1907Check again. History and drama

1908 The seven ages and the five senses
 * Souvenirs this year were brass letter racks with the St. Louis coat of arms on the shield of one and "St. Louis 1908" on the other.

1909 Transportation
 * The souvenir was a pair of massive brass candlesticks resting on heavy bases, with monogram and date. The invitation included a series of St. Louis historical photographs, but when unfolded to its full width it gave "a view of the immense ballroom in the new Coliseum "with the Prophet on his throne, the Queen approaching, and the Maids of Honor massed nearby." (photo)

1910-1919

 * 1910: Sport


 * "The souvenir for the ball this year is a handsome little brass clock." (drawing)


 * 1911: Epochs in the history of the Eighteenth Century
 * Queen Ada Randolph and her court were given their crowns to keep for the year. Retiring queen Lucy Norvell received a jeweled brooch. The souvenirs for everyone else were a heavy brass casket, for a woman "a convenient receptacle for jewels, toilet articles, pens and pencils, ornamental pins, stamps, cards or the like," and for a man "a convenient repository of cigars, cigarettes, tobacco or manicure instruments or as a card receiver." It was noted that VP souvenirs were being made in St. Louis and no longer in Europe.


 * The invitation featured a "Colonial damsel and youth shown waltzing, while opposite a "dandy" of the same period stands with open snuff box, "ready to regale his nose." On the obverse is a picture of "young swains and maidens before the Prophet's throne."


 * 1912: Songs, poems, and plays


 * The souvenir was a brass ink stand with glass well. "When the top is raised, a pretty little clock is brought into view." The handle is "an ingenious stem winder."


 * 1913: The seven ages and the five senses
 * Invitations were printed on sheets of white kid fastened with purple ribbon to hang on a wall. The souvenir was a solid brass paperweight with a thermometer and paper clip attached, designed by "an artist in Vienna."


 * 1914: While we live, let us live (the European war)


 * 1915: Legends and myths of all nations


 * 1916: Shakespeare


 * 1917: Parade canceled.


 * 1918: Parade canceled.


 * 1919: Victory-peace

1920-1929

 * 1920: Flowers and plants


 * 1921: Missouri statehood centenary


 * 1922: Dollyana (dolls of the nations)


 * 1923: Romance and adventure


 * 1924: Jewels and talismans


 * 1925: Decorations of honor


 * 1926: Cartoons and comics


 * 1927: Our daily life


 * 1929: Traditions of St. Louis

1930-1939

 * 1930: The making of a great nation


 * 1931: The romance of trade and industry


 * 1932: The life of George Washington


 * 1933: A journey through Bookland


 * 1934: Great adventurers


 * 1935: Toyland


 * 1936: The Prophet visits many lands


 * 1937: Childhood memories


 * 1938: Songs we sing


 * 1939: Gay Nineties

1940-1949

 * 1940: The Arabian Nights


 * Twelve thousand crystal cigarette boxes, with "VP 1940" etched on the lid, were sent with invitations. "In past years the Prophet has sent such articles as telephone pads, bridge pencils, silver trays and inkstands."


 * 1941: The circus


 * 1942-1945: Festival not held.


 * 1946: Modes of travel


 * 1947: Days of the year


 * 1948: Mother Goose


 * 1949: Once upon a time

1950-1959

 * 1950: Old songs


 * 1951: Good neighbors


 * 1952: The story of St. Louis


 * 1953: Years of the Veiled Prophet


 * 1954: The Veiled Prophet salutes the Municipal Opera


 * 1955: What shall I be?


 * 1956: Around the calendar


 * 1957: Parade of the animals


 * 1958: Great discoveries and inventions


 * 1959: Delights of childhood

1960-1969

 * 1960: Folklore and legends


 * 1961: Joys of toys


 * 1962: Great adventures


 * 1963: Songs we sing


 * 1964: St. Louis history


 * 1965: Stories and scenes from the past


 * 1966: Sports


 * 1967: A salute to the wonderful worlds of Walt Disney


 * 1968: Music for everyone


 * 1969: The new spirit of St. Louis (and) From the Lone Eagle to the lunar eagle

1970-1979

 * 1970: St. Louis is a great place to live


 * 1972: Happiness is . ..


 * 1973: You are there


 * 1974: If Aladdin's magic lamp were mine


 * 1975: These are a few of my favorite things


 * 1976: A salute to America


 * 1977: The Veiled Prophet — 100 years in St. Louis


 * 1978 The wonderful world of children


 * 1979: That's entertainment

1980-1989

 * 1980: Holidays


 * 1981: Nostalgia in general and the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904 in particular


 * 1982: Heritage of St. Louis


 * 1983: St. Louis — great moments in fantasy


 * 1984: When you wish upon a star


 * 1985: A history of fun


 * 1986: America the beautiful


 * 1987: We the people sing


 * 1988: These are a few of my favorite things (a repetition from 1975)


 * 1989: School days

1990-1999

 * 1990: Celebrations


 * 1991: Through the eyes of a child


 * 1992: A child's library


 * 1993: Great adventures


 * 1994: A festival of fun and games


 * 1995: Beauty of nature


 * 1996: Once upon a time


 * 1997: I Want to be a . ..


 * 1998: Let the good times roll


 * 1999: Parade through time

2000 and after

 * 2000: Getting there is half the fun


 * 2001: 2001: A sports odyssey


 * 2002: 125 Years of paradise


 * 2003: The world is our playground


 * 2005: A salute to volunteers


 * 2011: A night out


 * 2016: Hats off to heroes


 * 2017: Great things are happening


 * 2019: We the people