Auction Date:2014 Jan 23 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Two books of signatures collected by the professional psychic, seer, astrologer, and handwriting analyst Madame Wanda (real name Pauline Strauss), from the period of 1929–1953. The books contain over 1200 signatures from actors and actresses, ballet dancers, swamis, composers, musicians, cartoonists, columnists, and foreign dignitaries. The books have multiple signatures to each page (most pages are signed on both sides), with most in ink, and some in pencil. One book measures 7 x 9.25, the other 7.75 x 10. An amazing collection of notable names, including many Academy Award winners. Signers include: Don Ameche, Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, John Barrymore, Warner Baxter, William Bendix, Joan Bennett, MIlton Berle, Irving Berlin (2 AQSs), Joan Blondell (2), Ward Bond, Phyllis Brooks, Joe E. Brown, Billie Burke Ziegfeld, Leo Carillo, John Carradine, Charles Coburn, Perry Como, Jack Coogan, Laird Cregar, Albert Dekker, Dolores Del Rio, William Demarest, Ruth Donnelly, Gracie Fields, Henry Fonda (2), Reginald Gardiner, Janet Gaynor, Betty Grable, Bonita Granville, Virginia Gray, Jack Haley, Thomas Crawford Hall, Margaret Hamilton, Cedric Harwicke, Signe Hasso, Rita Hayworth, Sonja Henie, Katharine Hepburn, Louise Hovick, Helen Jepson, Bobby Jones (Robt. S. Jones, Jr.), Buster Keaton, Hedy Lamarr, Carole Landis, Frances Langford, Mervyn LeRoy, Mary Livingstone, Anita Louise, Myrna Loy, Bela Lugosi, Ida Lupino, Helen Mack, Rouben Mamoulian, Chrispin Martin, Mary Martin, Victor Mature, Roddy McDowell, Victor McLaglen, Lauritz Melchior, Burgess Meredith, Una Merkel, Ray Milland, David Niven, Maureen O’Sullivan, Jackie Oakie, Louella Parsons, Zasu Pitts, Dick Powell, Vincent Price, George Raft, Sally Rand, Basil Rathbone, Martha Raye, Gene Raymond, May Robson, Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers, Gilbert Roland, Cesar Romero, George Sanders (2), Randolph Scott, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Shirley Temple, Gene Tierney, Sidney Toler, Spencer Tracy, Arthur Treacher, Claire Trevor (2), James Whale, Richard Widmark, Shelly Winters, Anna May Wong, Fay Wray, Loretta Young.
There is mention of an Assistance League several times in these books. The Assistance League was the first non-profit orginization in the West and still exists today. Anne Banning, a prominent member, whose signature is in the book borrowed the money to purchase a house for their first headquarters. In this house, the Assistance League had a thrift shop, trousseau shop, the Treasure Chest, an art gallery, and a tea room in the attic. The Attic Tearoom of Hollywood began in the attic of League headquarters. Meals were prepared for executives and actors who worked at the nearby studios. Such rising stars such as Anne Miller, Shirley Temple, Norma Shearer, and Mary Pickford served as volunteer waitresses who donated their tips to the League.
The books themselves are in good condition, obviously handled from obtaining the signatures, with most of the pages fully- or partially-detached from the binding. The pages themselves are in very good to fine condition, with some pencil name notations near some of the signatures, and some staining to the edges of Book Two’s pages, affecting just a small handful of signatures.
Auction Location:
5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
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