"This volume is the first to look at the very few women who, from 1750 to 1997 (the book does not include living collectors), independently assembled significant collections of art, ceramics, jewelry, glass, furniture, textiles, silver, photography, and other objects."--BOOK JACKET. "Richly illustrated throughout, Great Women Collectors shows that the kinds of collections created by these empresses, queens, socialites, actresses, and entrepreneurs often differed tangibly from those of their male counterparts. Authors Charlotte Gere and Marina Vaizey consider how and why these women collected, and explore the obstacles they overcame to create such important collections, many of which can be seen today, sometimes in their entirety, in public museums and galleries."--BOOK JACKET.