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1042. BOOTH, Edwin. (1833-93) American Shakespearean actor, brother of John Wilkes Booth, he played Tressel at the age of 16 to his father’s Richard III and eventually rose to the top of his profession. He became renowned as the greatest Hamlet of his day; in 1888, Booth founded the Players Club in New York City. A terrific association piece, a stunning photogravure 5 1/2 x 6 1/2 (sight) boldly signed “Edwin Booth” and inscribed “with compliments to Miss Fannie [sic] Brown”. Fanny Brown (b. 1837), was a noted actress in her own right, and actually had a tryst with his brother, John Wilkes Booth! Indeed, after he was killed at Garett’s farm following the assassination, hers was one of four CDVs found on his body. Brown began her career at age six in Boston appearing for the first time in New York as Dora Sunnyside in The Octoroon at the Winter Garden Theatre. Following the war she married a California circus performer in 1866. Not only were the two lovers, but they appeared on stage together on a 1862 tour. Nicely matted and ready for farming. Final letters in inscription blurred, else appears to be in extremely fine condition. Not examined out of matte.

(Est. $600-800)

1043. BOOTH, Edwin. Large Signature “Edwin Booth / April ’84,” penned on a small sheet [2-1/2 in. x 5-13/16 in.], tipped to a card. Age-toning and mounting traces on verso. Together with a handsome portrait, signed in pencil by the artist. (Est. $100-150)

1044. A young Edwin Booth by Anthony/Brady. A pristine specimen, lovely. (Est. $80-120)

1045. Edwin Booth by Burnham Boston. Virtually pristine early image of the great thespian. (Est. $100-125)

1046. A young Edwin Booth, CDV by Fredricks of New York. A handsome example. (Est. $100-120)

1047. A pair of carte photographs: one by C.D. Fredricks, trimmed board; the other by Carbutt. Two CDVs of the great actor early in his career. (Est. $100-200)

1048. Edwin Booth by Anthony/Brady, revenue stamp on verso, tiny clips to top of mount, quite a handsome pose. (Est. $70-90)

1049. Advertising carte of Edwin Booth with small albumen vignette on titled mount, details for obtaining dime-store products on verso. A fun CDV! (Est. $60-80)

1050. A cabinet card of Edwin Booth as Hamlet. A great photo by Sarony, titled mount, quite clean. (Est. $60-80)

1051. Rare cabinet card of the patriarch of America’s greatest theatrical family (sorry Barrymores!) Junius Brutus Booth, 1796-1852. Booth gained national renown with his performance in the title role of Richard III in 1817 at the Covent Garden Theatre. In 1821, Booth eloped to the U.S. with Mary Ann Holmes, abandoning his wife Adelaide and their young son Richard. Booth and Mary Ann (to whom he claimed to be married) settled near Bel Air, Maryland in a farmhouse which Booth later remodeled and named “Tudor Hall.” He then embarked upon a thirty-year acting career that made him famous throughout the country. Plagued by bouts of alcoholism and madness, in 1852 he was involved in a tour of California with his sons Edwin Booth and Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., performing in San Francisco and Sacramento. He died that year on a steamboat while returning to Bel Air. An artistic rendering after a daguerreotype by Sarony, ink identified on mount, light crease at bottom corner below portrait, extremely scarce! (Est. $150-200)

1052. We DEFY you to find one of these! A cabinet card by Falk of the assassin’s nephew, Sydney Barton Booth. Following in the family trade, Sydney (1873-1937), son of Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., starred in numerous well-received plays beginning at the turn-of-the century. Uncle Edwin encouraged the young actor… considering him heir-apparent. Sydney enjoyed a successful stage career before acting in early silent movies, including two from 1911: “The Three Musketeers” (as D’Artagnon), and “Battle of Trafalgar”. A possibly unique photo of the young actor: we could source no known examples! (Est. $100-200)

Almost the entire family on stage!

1053. An extremely rare theatrical broadside, the only example we know of for a joint appearance of Junius Brutus Booth together with his sons Junius, Jr. and Edwin (as well as Junius’ second “wife”, Mary Ann Holmes). The broadside, 6 x 17″ is for an encore appearance of Booth in his most celebrated role of Richard III at the Jenny Lind Theatre in San Francisco on the evening of August 8, 1852 during a year-long tour that took the Booth family throughout California including appearances in Sacramento and San Francisco. Returning east, they stopped for a series of performances in New Orleans before returning home to Maryland. The elder Booth died en route on November 30, 1852. In this production, Junius, Jr. (who is also stage manger) appeared as Richmond, and Mary Ann “Mrs. J.B. Booth” appeared as Lady Anne. Edwin appeared in a concluding performance of the farce State Secrets appearing as the character of Calverton Hal. Not only is this a rarity from the perspective of the billing, but it is also a rare San Francisco item as the Jenny Lind Theatre was purchased by the city of San Francisco later that year for use as the city hall and ceased operation as a theater. From the collection of Edward Emerson. Light soiling, toned at right margin with light chipping with only minimal loss, usual folds, else very good condition. (Est. $500-700)

1054. A Civil War theatrical broadside, 6 x 18 1/2″, for an appearance of Maggie Mitchell (1832-1918) in Boston on May 25, 1864. Mitchell, a rumored girlfriend of John Wilkes Booth as well as a favorite of Abraham Lincoln, appears in the title role of Fanchon, the Cricket, the role that made her famous in 1861. Light folds, else fine. (Est. $100-200)

1055. Surprisingly one of Lincoln’s favorite songs was the 1859 hit “Dixie’s Land”, arguably the first runaway musical hit in American history. The song was even played at Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration. This tune has since become part of the American vernacular. Most likely composed by Daniel D. Emmett (1815-1904), who wrote while in the employ of Bryant’s Minstrels, it was premiered by that company on April 4, 1859 in New York. Offered here is an original playbill, 6 x 9″ for a performance at the Boston Museum on July 27, 1861. Though Lincoln enjoyed “Dixie” and it was enormously popular in the North, many took exception to its adoption by the Confederacy as its unofficial anthem. Signing Dixie, only a week following the Union disaster at Bull Run, would have been offensive to the sensibilities of a Boston audience. Instead the company played it’s “New Overture,” appropriately titled “The Union”. Other numbers including “The Gallant Zouaves”, “Dear Mother I’ll Return Again”, “The Laughing Darkies”, and our favorite: “She’s Black but dat’s no matter.” Also of interest, “WIDE AWAKE”, a Dan Emmett song which introduced “the Whole Troupe in the Plantation Festival Dance.” Usual creases, lightly toned, else fine. (Est. $100-200)

1056. Mourning the Great Thespian Edwin Forrest.

An excellent, large mourning broadside, 10 x 15.5″ bearing a bust portrait of Forrest along with an article from the American Bibliopolist of December, 1872 eulogizing the giant of the stage. Bold, clean.

(Est. $150-200)

1057. A fine collection of 33 nineteenth century playbills and programs ranging from 6 x 10 to 9 x 25″, many of which have been mounted in a folio volume kept by the Edwin Forrest Lodge (#2) of the Actor’s Order of Friendship (A.O.O.F.) including a dramatic bill for Laura Keene’s appearance in Hunted Down at Wood’s Museum, 1872 (tears, bottom missing). Also of interest is an 1861 closing night bill for Joseph Jefferson in Mazeppa! Also included are several nice bills for performances by Charlotte Cushman including Macbeth and Meg Merrilies. Other bills feature performances by E. L. Davenport, Dan Bryant, “Little Mac”, Maggie Mitchell, Edwin Adams, and many others. Overall condition ranges from good to very good with some marginal tears and minor losses, usual folds and light toning. (Est. $100-300)

1058. A fine set of eleven (11) Civil War-era playbills ranging from 5 x 7″ to 9 x 23″, most dating between 1860 and 1865 and include bills for performances by several luminaries of the stage including Edwin Forrest (Richard III, Broker of Bogota); Mr. & Mrs. E. L. Davenport (King of the Commons) and many others including operatic and theatrical performances. Bills bear marginal chips, some partial fold separations, some reinforcement on verso, expected toning, else good condition. (Est. $100-300)

A LARGE collection of playbills

printed on silk!

1059. One of the lost arts of the last century is the silk playbill, normally printed for auspicious occasions like a milestone of a long run, or the opening or closing night for a celebrated actor. A fine collection of eight (8) silk playbills ranging in size from 5 x 8″ to 10 x 10″ featuring a dramatic illustrated silk for Joseph Jefferson and W. J. Florence’s appearance in The Rivals at the Star Theater in New York, Oct. 14, 1889 with appearances by Mrs. John Drew and Viola Allen. Others include a dark red playbill for Fanny Davenport in the Princess of Baghdad and Ruth, a Tramp; an 1890 production of Shenandoah which included Henry Miller, among others. All the bills display the typical expected fraying, light creases, and some edge wear, else very good condition. (Est. $150-300)

1060. Offered here are another seven (7) examples from the latter half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, ranging from 6 x 8″ to 9 x 14″ on blue, pink, yellow and cream-colored silk. Includes a nice large program for a performance of Edwin Adams at the New York Academy of Music, Oct. 12, 1877 with a great bust portrait of Adams at top center (mounted to board); a bill for Fanny Davenport in A Soldier of France at the Boston Theatre ; E. H. Southern in The Crushed Tragedian, at the Park Theatre [New York], Oct. 22, 1877 (60th performance) with a wonderful portrait of Southern in character; Leslie Carter in David Belasco’s, Zaza, May 7, 1900 together with three others. All the bills display the typical expected fraying, light creases, and some edge wear, else very good condition. (Est. $150-300)

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