The Queen of Gwalior made a rare appearance in New York at a cocktail reception at India House, the Indian Consulate at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street to celebrate the Corning Museum of Glass’ international loan exhibition: Glass of the Maharajahs: European Cut Glass Furnishing for Indian Royalty.

The lovely, 30-something Priya Scindia was born Princess of Baroda, married the heir apparent of Gwalior, and became a queen at a very young age upon the untimely death of her father-in-law. Several of the most important examples of glass furniture in the world are in the sumptuous palace of Gwalior, which was built in 1874 in a race against the time to welcome the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). The palace boasts two of the largest glass chandeliers in existence, each weighing three tons.

Also attending the reception: Ms. Neelam Deo, Consul General of India, New York; Maisie and Jamie Houghton, former Chairman and CEO of Corning Incorporated and a trustee of the museum. Also Marie McKee, president and trustee and President and CEO of Steuben Inc.; David Whitehouse, director of the museum, Madhur Jaffrey, BBC star chef and best selling cookbook author, Chandler Rai, president of India Today, and Narayan and Poonam Sarwal Prasad.

Tuesday night Sotheby’s opened an exhibition of Francesco Scavullo: A Photographic Retrospective with Pamela Fiori, editor-in-chief of Town & Country, and Helen Gurley Brown, Founding Editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, and now e-I-c of Cosmo International speaking about their friend and esteemed fashion photographer. Helen hired Scavullo to do the Cosmo covers and it was a marriage that lasted for many years and was the signature of the Cosmo look. The event featured a live auction of vintage Scavullo photographs which was conducted by Sotheby’s auctioneer, James G. Niven.

Scavullo photographed the most famous personalities of the 20th century. Despite his own personal struggle with bipolar disorder, he had a productive and brilliant career until he died at the age of 82. Francesco Scavullo shot every cover of Cosmopolitan for thirty years as well as working for Vogue, Rolling Stone, Interview, Town & Country, Seventeen, Harper's Bazaar, Elle and other top fashion magazines throughout the world.

He could make any woman look beautiful and glamorous. And sometimes objective that was purposely challenged, the subject running just this side of risking ridicule. But the subject didn’t have to worry because Scavullo never failed.

Until shortly before his death, he and his longtime partner Sean Byrnes were stalwart and popular denizens of the New York Art/Social/Cultural scene. Byrnes and Scavullo lived through all its transitions with a charming presence as unbiased observers.

Event Co-Chair Katie Zorn: “We hope this event will raise awareness of the devastating impact of mental illness on our society, while introducing an audience of young professionals to Fountain House – a venerable New York City mental health organization with a unique rehabilitation model – one that really works.”

Also on Tuesday night at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, The Academy of American Poets held its 4th annual “Poetry And the Creative Mind,” to benefit the Academy and to celebrate National Poetry Month. The evening featured readings by Meryl Streep, Ed Harris, Minnie Driver, Wynton Maresalis, Wendy Whelan, Oliver Sacks, Gloria Vanderbilt, Mike Wallace and William Wegman. Is that brilliant enough for you lovers of New York who are lovers of poetry.

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