Episode Overview
Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Ripley's Believe It Or Not – 1 Minute Episodes (331) "600 Eyebrows"
Date: October 18, 2025
This episode spotlights a curious historical anecdote from Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, focusing on the eccentric beauty customs of a 17th-century woman and her collection of false eyebrows. The episode’s tone is playful and matter-of-fact, drawing listeners into a quirky tidbit from the annals of history.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Origin of Wearing Diamonds (00:30)
- The narrator briefly sets the stage with another surprising fact before delving into the main story.
- "Agnes Sorel, favorite of King Charles VIII of France, was the first woman to wear diamonds. It was in her day that the art of cutting diamonds was first mastered, believe it or not."
(Narrator, 00:30)
The Case of the 600 Eyebrows (00:40)
- Spotlight turns to Venetia Anastasia Hanley and her impressive eyebrow collection:
- Married Sir Kenem Digby in 1625.
- Brought with her “300 pairs of false eyebrows” into the marriage.
- Each pair was unique in size, shape, and color.
- "Public gossip was that she never wore the same pair of eyebrows on two successive days."
(Narrator, 00:55) - After her death, these eyebrows were officially inventoried as part of her estate:
- "When she died, the inventory, set up for the benefit of the Surrogate's Court, listed among the movable assets, 300 pairs of slightly used eyebrows, assorted, believe it or not."
(Narrator, 01:12)
- "When she died, the inventory, set up for the benefit of the Surrogate's Court, listed among the movable assets, 300 pairs of slightly used eyebrows, assorted, believe it or not."
- The segment humorously underlines the lengths people have gone for fashion—even centuries ago.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On odd beauty rituals:
"Public gossip was that she never wore the same pair of eyebrows on two successive days..."
(Narrator, 00:55) -
On estate inventories:
"...listed among the movable assets, 300 pairs of slightly used eyebrows, assorted, believe it or not."
(Narrator, 01:12)
Important Timestamps
- 00:30–00:39: Introduction to Agnes Sorel, diamonds, and the notion that truth can be stranger than fiction.
- 00:40–01:12: The story of Venetia Anastasia Hanley and her 300 pairs (600 individual) false eyebrows.
- 00:55: Highlight of the rumor about never repeating a pair.
- 01:12: Inventory of the slightly used, assorted eyebrows at her death.
Style and Tone
- The segment is narrated in the classic Ripley’s Believe It Or Not style—wry, straightforward, and brimming with curiosity.
- The presentation is crisp and designed to both inform and amuse.