Featured African American Violinist +

I had a nice day at the flea market today. Though the price difference between NJ and PA is like night and day. I found a few good items in NJ today. But, what I'd pay a dollar for in PA is $20 in NJ. I left a few sellers laughing.

I paid 50 cents for this, and it's extremely cool. An African American violinist. It looks like a postcard, but it's not. The back is straight up cardboard.

I did searches for AA violinists and he didn't come up. But, by the photo, he has to be a known name in classical violin. If anyone has a clue, let me know.


This is an extremely cool piece. The prices were so outrageous I thought about not asking prices. I passed this, and decided to double back and ask. Thankfully the guy wasn't close, he yelled it was $2. The obvious name is Cleavon Little, who starred in this play in 1974. When I got home I searched out the other three names. Can you spot the name that took me by surprise?

You can find the names from the page below.

 

Great finds.
No idea who the violonist is, but it's a great photo.

This signed playbill sold for $65

and it doesn't have the name that took you by surprise

Noticed that LeMassaena signed yours with Bill, and this one with William

 

How old do you think your photograph is? He's wearing a swallow-tail coat with a straight black bow tie. With the collar shape and middle parted hair, I'd think 1920s. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Debora

 

Love the photo.
I tried to liven him up a little.

 

What's the size of the card?

Debora

 

@Snowman Cometh, I too tried to 'neaten' up your Violinist, but my skills and the program I use, is no longer the "best".....hope it helps you find who he is....and
LOVE the image!!!! He DOES look "classy"!!

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Interestinly, he has a lazy eye and very unartistic looking hands.

Debora

 

Swallowtail tux? Cutaway? It's a formal orchestra outfit anyway. The droopy eyelid ... eye irritation, blind in it..who knows. I had a friend who didn't look much like a fiddle player either, but he made a living at it for 40 years.

 

Snowman-Does the bottom sig say-'To Paulette,Dustin Hoffman' ?

 

I was thinking the 1910s or 20s.

3.5" x 5.5". Pretty much the standard postcard size. That's why I was taken back flipping it over. It's literally just cardboard.

What's making his eyes look a little off in your photo is, the eye that looks shut isn't really shut. I took out a magnifying glass and looked closely at mine. I can faintly see his eyeball. Your version it's masked as a shadow under his eye.

BUT, what your much clearer photo did do was get me a hit on a violinist from Colorado. His name is George Morrison Sr, and this is a card of young Morrison Sr. The age difference is what's stopping me from saying it's definitely him. But, the hair, build, facial features, all look similar, this might be my guy.

https://cmhof.org/events/george-morrison-sr-induction/

Yes it does. He directed the play. Besides it being Hoffman's autograph, I had no idea he ever directed anything.

That's very cool. Little's and Hoffman's autographs are why it'll stay in my collection till I drop dead, and my wife donates them to a thrift shop to get rid of all my stuff.

 

That does appear to be him.

Debora

 

Different jawline imo, and as a result a different mouth.
Your guy has more presence.

 

Ears look different to me, especially comparing the two young men photos.

 

Has the look of Stuff Smith

https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/stuff-smith

 

Could be him. The same jawline and mouth, and the same presence.

 

Yes. I think the forehead/brow line is similar. The photo in my link is a few years older. Receding hairline and bigger features such as forehead and chin. Would be nice to find an earlier photo of 'Stuff' to get a better comparison. This looks like an earlier photo. Lower hairline. Different facial expression though.

 

And here's a photo of Eddie South. Same squint in the eye. Same pout as well. In all the other photos I have looked at, the squint isn't present. Maybe it's a pose thing.

 

great eye bosk.........think youcould be right

 

Google (Lens) also led me in his direction, but these are older photos of Eddie, and I don't think it's the same guy as the one in snowman's pic