Vintage ink signatures of all four Marx Brothers on a large off-white 10.25 x 15.5 guestbook page dated February 17, 1928, all adding some sort of humorous sentiment: “Half Man and Half Women [sic], Harpo Marx,” adding a small portrait sketch; “Germany must pay, Zeppo Marx and Marion”; “Two Duncans and a Marx! Who cares—Groucho”; and “Your artichoke was wonderful / Your roast beef was devine [sic] / Your cheese cake just a thing of art / The whole damn thing was fine. / This I must say about you in this book / with a table between us / You look like Venus / Oh! God! how that woman can cook. Chico ‘Jackie’ Marx.” At the bottom, Chico’s wife adds, “He meant, oh how that woman can ‘look.’ Betty Marx.” Another vertical notation to the right side (likely in Groucho’s hand) reads, “4 [scribbles] Bros.,” with the random scribbled marks a pictogram to signify ‘Marx.’ A central horizontal fold and some staining to edges (affecting the first few words of Harpo’s sentiment), otherwise fine condition. At this time, the brothers were Broadway sensations, having found success with I'll Say She Is and The Cocoanuts, soon to be followed by Animal Crackers in October 1928; they would soon transition to film, releasing screen adaptations of the latter two musicals through Paramount in 1929 and 1930. All four Marx Brothers are very rarely encountered on a single item, and this exceptional piece aptly captures their legendary sense of humor at a relatively early date. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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