Ray Bolger: Two Photos Signed by "The Scarecrow of Oz"

On December 6, RR Auction sold a publicity photo from "The Wizard of Oz" signed to one Dana E. Clarke by actor Ray Bolger, calling himself "The Scarecrow of Oz." It is signed with a black felt tip pen.

Ray Bolger
RR Auction ended December 6, 2023

https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/348160206800523-wizard-of-oz-ray-bolger-signed-photograph/?cat=0

Curiously, another photograph signed by Bolger to the same recipient was offered by Nate D. Sanders Auctions almost three years ago. This one was signed with a blue pen.

Ray Bolger
Nate D. Sanders Auctions

http://natedsanders.com/ray_bolger_signed_10___x_8___photo_from___the_wiza-lot59398.aspx

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A Signed Movie Still from "Animal Crackers"

A movie still from "Animal Crackers" (1930) was signed by Groucho Marx, probably decades after the original release. The eBay seller who attested to this in 2014 tried to inspire confidence by including a scan of a signed certificate of authenticity, otherwise blank. Also of questionable value is the seller punctiliously providing  a list of Groucho's solo film work, when the photograph is obviously from a Marx Brothers comedy.

Groucho Marx

eBay listing accessed March 15, 2014

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Groucho-Marx-signed-photo-27-a/360714481368?_trksid=p2050601.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D207%26meid%3D5511710636151456969%26pid%3D100085%26prg%3D1112%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D141220717019%26%26clkid%3D5511713585186065879&_qi=RTM1562572

Groucho Marx

eBay item description

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Jean-Michel Folon: The Artist in Autumn

Belgian illustrator Jean-Michel Folon (1934-2005) shows off his fall fashion sense in an color photograph, apparently published in a magazine. The image is signed and dedicated to an admirer by the artist. The item has been available from a Brussels autograph dealer at least since last summer, priced at 89.99 Euros.

Jean-Michel Folon
AbeBooks listing accessed June 21, 2020 and translated into English by Google Chrome

https://www.abebooks.com/Jean-Michel-Folon-1934-2005-Rare-grande-photo/30663663340/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook

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John O'Hara: A Signed Pach Brothers Photograph

I always liked John O'Hara's books, although it's been a good twenty-five years now since I last took the plunge. I get the sense he is not being read much these days by anyone. That's a shame. I still plan to return to his fiction at some point. Anyway, the news can't be all bad when a rare signed photograph of the writer, a Pach Brothers portrait, sells for nearly three times its high estimate. There might be hope yet.

Pach Brothers:  John O'Hara
Lion Heart Autographs Listing Retrieved February 22, 2020

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/rare-signed-photo-of-butterfield-8-author-john-fc64f70ba1

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

John O'Hara

Pach Brothers of New York, Photographers

Signed Headshots, the Mark of True Celebrity

Attempted Bloggery's Literary Index—with Pictures!

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Seen and Noted: A Photograph Signed by George Fenneman

Radio and television announcer George Fenneman inscribed a photograph "My best to Mary." The eBay listing delivers a classic sales pitch:  "It looks worse than it really is in the zoomed picture." Sold!

Signed and inscribed "My best to Mary/George Fenneman"

eBay Listing Ended November 18, 2016

eBay Item Description

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Eldon Dedini: Cartoonists are not Movie Stars

In what appears to be a presentation drawing on letter paper, Eldon Dedini has drawn one of his self-portraits as a satyr and explained, "Cartoonists are not movie stars and don't have photos of themselves!" The sheet was folded in three to fit into a mailing envelope. It was sold recently on eBay for $79.99.

Eldon Dedini, "Cartoonists are not movie stars and don't have photos of themselves!"
Inscribed and signed "Greetings, Roy Loh!/Eldon Dedini"

EBay Item Listing

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eldon-Dedini-Signed-Autographed-Auto-8-5-x-11-Paper-Stock-Cartoonist-/110911174503?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d2d23767&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

EBay Item Description

Here's another example currently offered by History for Sale with the same inscription. It seems Dedini may have returned to this idea with an original drawing on those occasions when someone asked for a signed photograph.

Eldon Dedini, "Cartoonists are not movie stars and don't have photos of themselves!"
Inscribed and signed "Greetings to/Stan's Place!/Eldon Dedini"

https://www.historyforsale.com/html/printfriendly.asp?documentid=286433

https://www.historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?documentid=286433&start=1

Note:  Click on the link for more posts about Eldon Dedini.

They're unusual but not unheard of. See a signed photograph of cartoonist Ronald Searle. Better still, see the drawing Searle provided in 1947 to a Miss Kerley when he didn't have a photo on hand.

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Ronald Searle Signed Photo

I have no idea how many cartoonists sign glossy photos of themselves just as any celebrity would, although I suspect not all that many. Ronald Searle certainly was a celebrity by any definition, but even for him it must have been a little unusual to sign this modern print of a vintage photo some 55 years after the fact. It's hard to determine its individual worth, as it was sold with a small, uncommon volume in German as well. The book illustrations provided by Searle seem to be reused from other sources. Still, the entire package seems like a reasonable deal to me.

Ronald Searle Signed Photograph

The back of the photo paper. Clearly, this is not a vintage photograph.

Ronald Searle Signature, January 2011

Oscar Wilde,  Elisabeth Schnack, translator, and Ronald Searle, illustrator. Kleiner Seitensprung (Zurich, 1954) Cover

Oscar Wilde,  Elisabeth Schnack, translator, and Ronald Searle, illustrator. Kleiner Seitensprung (Zurich, 1954)

Oscar Wilde,  Elisabeth Schnack, translator, and Ronald Searle, illustrator. Kleiner Seitensprung (Zurich, 1954)

Ronald Searle, "I'll just die and then you'll be sorry." [1947 or earlier], Oscar Wilde,  Elisabeth Schnack, translator, and Ronald Searle, illustrator. Kleiner Seitensprung (Zurich, 1954)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-RONALD-SEARLE-BOOK-IN-GERMAN-AND-HAND-SIGNED-PHOTO-SEE-SEVEN-SCANS-/290917819837?pt=Antiquarian_Books_UK&hash=item43bc0da5bd&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

-/290917819837?pt=Antiquarian_Books_UK&hash=item43bc0da5bd&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  Searle's work is still important to illustrators, but today much effort to promote his legacy is coming from the animation community. Storyboard artist Matt Jones, who curates Perpetua, the Ronald Searle tribute blog, has organized an exhibition of Searle's American reportage work. "Searle in America" will take place in San Francisco in the fall. Some 75 members of the animation community have contributed original works inspired by the master in order to raise money to ship artwork to the West Coast and produce a catalogue. The sale is currently under way on eBay.

The eBay sale of works inspired by Ronald Searle to support "Searle in America" can be found here.

Perpetua, the Ronald Searle tribute blog, is right here.

The Searle posts on my own blog are here.

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