Swann Galleries - Printed & Manuscript African Americana, Sale 2342, March 27, 2014 - page 278

MADE FOR BESSIE SMITH
521
(MUSIC—BLUES.) SMITH, BESSIE.
Tramp Art, portable “vanity/jewel
box.”
20 x 9 x 7 inches with three red felt-lined drawers; her name, as well as a “G Clef ”
and a quarter note have been skillfully cut from thin wood with a coping saw, and
appliquéd to the front and back; the front, back and sides are decorated with 26 small, rec-
tangular pieces of mirror (age has caused the mirror pieces to oxidize), while the edges are
decorated with scalloped pieces of wood, typical of “tramp art.”
Np, circa 1920’s
[3,500/5,000]
Bessie Smith (1894-1937) is without question one of the handful of iconic names in the for-
mative years of Blues Music. Together with King Oliver, Louis Armstrong and a handful of
others, she was certainly what we’d call a “superstar” today. This little vanity or jewel case was
no doubt made for her by an adoring fan. We have no provenance other than the fact that it
was bought at a “flea market” by an antique dealer who recognized the name. Bessie Smith’s
actual career was quite brief. She made her first recording “Downhearted Blues” in 1923 pro-
pelling her to fame. In the era of the “Roaring Twenties” Smith became the highest paid black
entertainer of the day, heading her own shows, which sometimes featured as many as 40
troupers, and touring in her own railroad car. This little portable vanity was probably made to
be carried around with here on her tours.
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