Real Photo Postcard Portrait of an African American Musician with Saxophone and Clarinet.
Chicago, Illinois: Schlink Studio, likely 1910s–1920s. Real photo postcard measuring approximately 3 ½ x 5 ½ inches. Studio portrait of an African American musician standing in overcoat, hat, gloves, and cane beside a chair displaying a saxophone and clarinet. Divided postcard back. Light wear and soiling, with small loss or surface disturbance at lower margin; very good. Item #List3820 A real photo postcard portrait of an African American musician posed with saxophone and clarinet. The sitter is not identified, but the portrait was clearly made to present him as a professional or semi-professional performer rather than as an informal amateur. The formal clothing, cane, and carefully arranged instruments give the image the character of a publicity or theatrical portrait. The combination of saxophone and clarinet is especially appropriate to early twentieth-century dance-band and jazz performance, when reed players commonly doubled on both instruments. The photograph likely dates from the period in which Black musicians circulated through local orchestras, theater bands, dance halls, vaudeville circuits, and early jazz ensembles, often leaving behind few named records apart from photographs like this. A strong real photo postcard portrait of an African American reed player, with good visual presence and clear musical content.
Price: $250.00