Exceptional 1940s era photograph album that appears to have been compiled by sisters from Tehran who performed in burlesque shows during World War II. There are many impressive photos in the album, but the best are undoubtedly the six that show a performance in Harlem, New York featuring Harry Flemming (also spelled Fleming). Flemming was born in the Virgin Islands and traveled across Europe and the United States performing jazz and staging various revues. He produced and recorded albums with Columbia, some of which are available online. In 1938, he recorded “Stompin at the Savoy,” a jazz song made popular by Benny Goodman in 1936.

The photographer, who is unknown to us, spectacularly captured one of Fleming’s performances in six different images. Three are hand tinted, the others in black and white. One of the performers is identified as Elizabeth Darling, who may have compiled the album. The tonality, clarity and hand tinting of these photographs is exquisite.

The remainder of the album features artistic portraits of the sisters as well as scenes in Tehran and Rome. There are six photographs of American GI's in Tehran, each identified. A grouping of five snapshots are arranged in a V, with the subjects showing newspapers commemorating the end of WWII. An alluring image titled “Femme Fatales” shows the sisters smoking cigarettes, among others.

Good overall condition.





[African-American History, Slave, Slavery, Abolition, Abolitionist, Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, Union, Confederate, Document, Letter] [Civil Rights, Martin Luther King Jr.] [Paper Ephemera]