Muray, Nickolas (Astaire, Fred; Bartok, Bela; Benton, Thomas Hart; Chaplin, Charles; Coward, Noel; Garbo, Greta; Gershwin, George; Harlow, Jean; Jolson, Al; Porter, Cole; Ruth, George Herman "Babe" et al.)

Celebrity Portraits of the Twenties and Thirties: 135 Photographs by Nickolas Muray

New York, NY, USA: Dover Publications, 1978. First Edition, First Printing. Softcover. "Photography, fortunately, to me has not only been a profession but also a contact between people - to understand human nature and record, if possible, the best in each individual." (Nickolas Muray, quoted in introduction by Marianne Fulton Margolis). American writer, curator and Kent State student in 1970 Marianne Fulton Margolis curated this collection of photographs, "Celebrity Portraits of the Twenties and Thirties: 135 Photographs by Nickolas Muray." Muray (1892-1965) was a Hungarian-American celebrity photographer and pre-color photograph pioneer. His evocative, soft focus style of portrait photography quickly became a sensation after he moved to America in 1913. Muray was also an avid champion fencer, participating in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics in Saber Fencing. He sadly passed away doing what he loved during an unofficial match. The term celebrity is used loosely here, as not all photograph entries are actual Hollywood celebrities, as United States presidents (Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), Herbert Hoover (1874-1964), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)), influential authors (DH Lawrence (1885-1930), Langston Hughes (1902-1967) and F. Scott Fitgerald (1896-1940)), painters (Claude Monet (1840-1926) and Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975)), Baseball great George "Babe" Ruth (1895-1948), composers (Cole Porter (1891-1964) and George Gerswhin (1898-1937), playwrite Noel Coward (1899-1973) and even Disability Rights advocate Helen Keller (1880-1968) also make appearances. En vogue Hollywood celebrities of the time featured include: "Top Hat" (1935) dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987), "City Lights" (1931) silent film star Charles Chaplin (1889-1977), "Camille" (1936) vamp and cover-star Greta Garbo (1905-1990) and "Juvenile Court" (1938) star Rita Hayworth (as always, giving good face). From the collection of Laurence Goldstein (1943-2023), poet, fim critic, editor, and professor in the University of Michigan Department of English Language and Literature. Large-Format Trade Softcover Original in Sewn Binding: first edition, first-&-only printing. An esteemed example of Hollywood celebrity black & white photography, in its rarest contemporary form, with most distinguished & relevant provenance. In relatively fine-to-very fine condition with very minor scratching and rubbing to front, back covers & spine; mild bumping and rubbing to the fine edges and corners of same; minor age-toning and some chipping to text block. Interior fine-to very fine with moderate age-toning mostly to fine edges of inner covers and two small indiscriminate stains at center edges of inner cover and of front endpaper. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #8049]

Price: $40.00