Ann Dvorak Autographed Portrait By George Hurrell
Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 190
Yesterday on eBay, I won the privileged of paying for this 8×10 embossed portrait of Ann by famed photographer George Hurrell. Money’s been a bit tight in our household lately, so I was hoping to get it for less than I did. But in all honesty I’m lucky it didn’t go for much more. Hurrell is one of those photographers that can cause collectors to go into a feeding frenzy.
A few years back, I wrote about the Hurrell’s in my collection that were personally owned by Ann. Since then, I have obtained three more Hurrell’s through various online auctions. I am actually kind of bummed that it’s autographed, mainly because it’s personalized and I have no clue who that person is. About nine years ago, there was a eBay dealer who had an unsigned copy of this same photo listed and he wanted $350 for it. When it didn’t sell, I contacted him and offered $150. He wouldn’t take it and something tells me it’s still at his place, collecting dust. If I have learned anything in 15 years of collection on Ann Dvorak, it’s that stuff always comes around again. It may have taken me almost a decade to add this photo to the collection, but I now have and at a price I can kind of live with.
Absolutely fabulous photo! Just gorgeous. Had it been available, might it have merited consideration as a possible cover photo for the book?
Would love to see that Hurrell you mentioned of Ann and Leslie. It pains me to think of those possessions of Ann’s that were lost in that Hawaiian hurricane of some years back.
Apologies if this has been mentioned previously, but does anyone else think the Hurrell photo of Ann, the one with her hand to her chin that adorns the front of the website, makes her look like Luise Rainer?
I can’t tell you why, but for some reason I did not want to use a Hurrell for the cover. I have no rational, except it just didn’t feel right. I did end up using the photo from the website banner inside the book, because it’s one of my favorites. She definitely is sporting the care-free Rainer hair in that one!
Why are you upset that it is personalized?!?!?! SHE TOUCHED IT!! 😀 😀 😀
Oh, I’m just spoiled and jaded. I have three others that she personally owned. I wish it wasn’t personalized. I like my Hurrells pristine. 😉