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Lot #759
J. Fred Johnson Collection of (60+) Signed Classic Hollywood Actress Sketches

Classic actress collection of over 60 portrait sketches, signed by legendary starlets like Vivien Leigh, Veronica Lake, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, and more

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Estimate: $2000+
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Description

Classic actress collection of over 60 portrait sketches, signed by legendary starlets like Vivien Leigh, Veronica Lake, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, and more

Collection of 67 original vintage portrait sketches of classic actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood, all of which are signed in ink or colored pencil by the pictured starlet, the majority of which are inscribed to the artist, J. Fred Johnson. Accomplished in graphite and colored pencil on off-white sheets of drawing paper approximately 13.75 x 16.5, the portraits date between 1949 and 1970 and include the following actresses: Vivien Leigh, Veronica Lake, Jennifer Jones (Selznick), Joan Crawford (3), Bette Davis (2), Ginger Rogers, Gloria Swanson, Mae West, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Lauren Bacall, Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Bennett, Joan Blondell, Shirley Booth, Eileen Brennan, Carol Channing, Savannah Churchill, Claudette Colbert, Dagmar, Dolores Del Rio, Joan Fontaine, Eva Gabor, Betty Grable, Lee Grant, Dolores Gray (2), Joan Greenwood, Signe Hasso, June Havoc, Lena Horne, Josephine Hull, Marsha Hunt, Betty Hutton, Christine Jorgensen, Viola Keats, Nancy Kelly, Deborah Kerr (2), Dorothy Lamour, Angela Lansbury, Peggy Lee (2), Beatrice Lillie, Myrna Loy, Melina Mercouri, Agnes Moorehead, Patricia Neal, Janis Paige, Lilli Palmer, Rosalind Russell (2), Ann Sothern, Kim Stanley, Lili St. Cyr, Haila Stoddard, Margaret Sullavan (affixed clipped signature), Jessica Tandy, Nancy Walker, Nydia Westman, Estelle Winwood, and Fay Wray. Also includes signed portrait sketches of actors Frankie Avalon and Horst Buchholz. Johnson adds his artist signature to each portrait. Many of the sketches are presented in 16 x 20 mats. In overall very good to fine condition, with instances of paper loss and tears to corners from removal from original mounts.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts
  • Dates: #689 - Ended April 17, 2024