A fascinating album containing nearly 800 vintage signatures of entertainers and other personalities, 12.25 x 14.5, 1930s–1940s. Aside from the multitude of Golden Age showbiz signatures, two features in particular grant this album a certain distinctiveness. The first is the original collector’s careful documentation of virtually every signature with the year and the location where it was obtained. He or she obviously had a comprehensive knowledge of Hollywood’s hottest hot spots, as evidenced by the frequent appearance of such legendary celebrity hangouts as the Brown Derby, Ciro’s, Romanoff’s, Mocambo, the Clover Club, and the Hollywood Canteen; hundreds more of the signatures were obtained at various other restaurants, theaters, studios, and hotels. The other feature that is immediately evident is the mode of presentation: the signatures have been trimmed around their contours (sometimes, it must be said, rather closely), mounted several to a page along with small magazine photos, and most (but not all) of the slips outlined in black crayon as a “crowning” touch. The signatures appear on both sides of the pages; the majority are in ink, a few are on more conventional slips or larger items, and some signers are represented by multiple examples. A few items of unsigned ephemera, including preview passes and a souvenir program from Gone with the Wind, are also affixed to the pages. In good to very good condition overall, with trimming and outlining as noted above, scattered soiling and toning, and an occasional brush or smudge. Most of the signatures in this well-loved, one-of-a-kind collection are quite clear and dark, and a great many examples can be creatively matted or mounted to a similarly colored background as part of an appealing display. R&R COA. See a complete list of names.
