Exceptional scrapbook album owned by Hollywood pianist Melvin Leroy ‘Roy’ Bush, 11 x 16, containing 40 signed photos—the great majority inscribed to “Roy”—and just over 100 fascinating unsigned photos from film sets. The majority of the signed photos measure approximately 8 x 10, with oversized or smaller images indicated in parentheses. Signers include: Norma Shearer, Clara Bow (oversized), Constance Talmadge (oversized), Lilyan Tashman (oversized), Jack Dempsey, Evelyn Brent (oversized), Bobby Agnew, Mary Brian, June Collyer, Philippe De Lacy (5 x 7), Harrison Ford (silent film actor, 1884-1957), Robert Frazer, John Gilbert, Gaston Glass, Elinor Glyn, Neil Hamilton, Frankie Lee, Beatrice Lillie (oversized), Anita Louise, Katherine MacDonald, Harry T. Morey, Conrad Nagel, Miriam Seegar, Pauline Starke, Lewis Stone, Virginia Valli (oversized), Walter Wilkinson, and 13 others. There is also a large original drawing in the style of George McManus’s ‘Bringing Up Father’ cartoon, signed “Coffey,” showing Bush at his piano. The unsigned photos primarily measure between 9 x 7 and 10 x 8, and show film sets, actors and actresses, and other details of production; many of them include Bush as a subject, generally seated behind his little upright piano. In overall very good to fine condition. Bush was born on August 21, 1889, and was employed by movie studios during the late silent era, building a house in Culver City in 1922. He was evidently close to many of the cast members he worked with, given the warm, friendly inscriptions to him found on the photos in this collection. Combining the classic, rare, and obscure, this is an absolutely unique collection from the early days of cinema. RR Auction COA.
