Incredibly diverse archive of material related to Rodgers’s life and musical career, totaling approximately 90 items, including letters, fabric, souvenir programs, newspaper clippings, and several signed and unsigned photos of the country music star and members of both the Rodgers and Bozeman families.
The collection is highlighted by a vintage matte-finish 7.25 x 9 Victor Records publicity photo of Rodgers wearing a bowtie and boater hat, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To my dear little Aunt Dara, from your nephew with lots of love, Jimmie Rodgers," matted and framed to 9.5 x 11.25. Additionally highlighted by a trio of ALSs, signed “James” and “James Rodgers.” The first, one page, 6 x 8, dated October 12, 1913; letter to Uncle Tom, in full (spelling and grammar retained): “We are making a little money and having a good time to. I thing we will be in [Birmingham] Ala Saturday one time I hope all is well, tell all I said helo.”The second, one page, 4.75 x 7, postmarked May 2, 1911; letter to Aunt Dara, in part: “You are well I hope. I will be down there during the fair, and I might stay up to the house sister and I are well how are you all and tell Talmage to write to me how is he. Well I will close I have got to eat supper at 6. Answer soon.”
The third, three 7.75 x 4.75 pages, is dated by Rodgers at the top, “Monroe, La, 3/2/20.” Letter to Dara, in part: “I know I have been slow about writing to you but I have been going from place to place, and haven’t had time to write…and I am going to send your $10.00 dollars soon as I can possibly get it, but aunt Dara I have had to pawn my watch to get money to eat on. I have a very good job working between Delta Point La and Shreveport but having a hard time oh my…well aunt Dara I am going to stop, this train is running so blooming fast I cant hardly write as it is. Write me real soon and if you can spare $5.00 please send it to me.” The first two letters are nicely double-matted and framed with a nameplate, an image of Rodgers with two thumbs up, and an original mailing envelope (postdated May 2, 1911) to an overall size of 18 x 21; and the third is matted and framed with the cover from Rodgers’s My Rowdy & Rough Ways album and an original mailing envelope belonging to another Rodgers letter (postmarked January 7, 1928 and addressed in another hand—the return address, however, is in Rodgers handwriting, boldly including his full name and location “Washington, D.C”) to an overall size of 22.25 x 22.25.
Of additional note is a pair of scarce signed books: Goodrich’s New First School Reader (1864) and The Elementary Spelling-Book (1841), both 4.25 x 6.75, respectively signed on the inside of the front (Goodrich) and back (Elementary) covers in black ink, “Jimmie Rodgers.” Each book is individually presented in a 12.25 x 8.25 picture box with nameplates affixed to the viewing glass and soft lining to the interior. Despite the fragile state of each book, Rodgers’s signatures remain bold and clear.
Also included: 10 x 1 yellow crocheted bookmark, 5.25 x 5.25 patch of red, white, and blue quilt, and 15.25 x 15.75 red and white polka-dotted bandana; the latter of which was personally-owned and –worn by Jimmie Rodgers. Accompanied by a handwritten letter of provenance for the bandana from Anne Shine Landrum, Rodgers’s second cousin, dated March 1, 2001.
The remainder of the lot includes a Jimmie Rodgers and Swain’s Hollywood Follies tour card, newspaper clippings, a pair of commemorative hats, a photo album which features approximately 45 personal images of family and friends, including legendary artists like Johnny Cash and Ernest Tubb; a VHS tape of The Singing Brakeman, Rodgers’s only film appearance; various Bozeman and Rodgers family correspondence and photos, including a wonderful 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Jimmie and his two brothers, Walter and Talmage; and three portfolios that contain numerous letters, postcards, photographs, and a collection of six concert programs, including a Hank Williams Memorial show in Montgomery, Alabama, on September 20–21, 1954, and a Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival in Meridian, Mississippi, on May 19–26, 1990.
This incredible compendium of rare Rodgers memorabilia and intimate family keepsakes would make for a unique and instant focal point in any country music collection. In overall very good condition. The James Collings Collection. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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