Extraordinary iconic vintage matte-finish 7.75 x 10 crystal-clear full-length photo of Chaplin as The Tramp, his signature character and most enduring creation. Boldly signed in fountain pen, “Good luck, Charlie Chaplin 1928.” Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity and grading from PSA/DNA, grading the autograph an “8.” In fine condition, with a single tack hole to each corner, a small crease to upper left corner tip, and a bit of trivial edge soiling; these minor flaws could easily be matted out to produce an exceptionally appealing display.
Chaplin first introduced the Tramp when director Mack Sennett requested that he don comic make-up for a film called Mabel’s Strange Predicament. He later admitted in his autobiography, “The moment I was dressed, the clothes and makeup made me feel the person he was. I began to know him, and by the time I walked onstage he was fully born.”
This rare portrait is dated 1928, the year Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in The Circus, which became one of the most popular silent movies ever made; just the year before,“talkies” had transformed the industry. The Little Tramp’s pensive expression reflects not only the hunger of his early years, but the struggle for fame that lasted throughout his career. RRAuction COA.
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