good luck finding a photo or the plant

Stitz, hdd could well be right. I checked Vriesea info back thru the BSI Journal to 1988.No mention of it,except May/June 1995.And that only in an article about vrieseas in the period of 1880-1920.,mostly about breeders of the 19th century,from Belgium,France,Germany,and Netherlands.Morren made a cross using barilletti with fulgida,to come up with V.x elegans.(1892).The photos used in the article were drawings only,from illustration Horticole 36:103;1889.
Victoria Padilla's book describes it as follows.
Epiphytic in forests of central Brazil.A small rosette of soft green leaves 1-1.5 feet long,and 1-1.5 inches wide,faintly tinged with copper.Inflorescence,a simple flattened spike 8-12 in. high with spreading bracts,purplish at the base,gradually changing to yellow,with purplish spots,and becoming yellow at the top.
Petals are yellow.

So,not much help picture-wise,but if some breeder or collector that reads your post has a photo of their own,you may get lucky.Were there cameras available in the late 1800's ? Maybe not.
Bob

In New South Wales there were rumors of the plant in 1998 but it turned out to be Vriesea incurvata v. longiflora when it finally bloomed

hdd, thank you for your wishes of "good luck"! --Stitz