Mary Pickford inked handprint by Alice Denton Jennings - 1939

Perhaps one of the most unique pieces in this collection is this Mary Pickford inked handprint by palmist Alice Denton Jennings. Jennings offered "character analysis and vocational guidance" based on the lines and measurements of one's hand. She was a renowned expert on the "science" and in 1942, wrote a book on the subject: Your Hand Tells All: A Manual of Simplified Palmistry. This handprint reportedly originates from Jennings' own collection and probably adorned the walls of her Atlanta, GA studio, where hung the handprints of many great people, from political figures to movie stars and in between. It is also signed in ink by Mary herself and dated 1939.

Mary, not at Jennings' studio but on a set that spared no expense and featuring a palmist print on the wall, in the 1911 IMP The Mirror. (Courtesy of the Mary Pickford Foundation.)

Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Zorro Photograph on Debossed paneled Folio

Photograph of Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Zorro on debossed paneled folio. Stamped in gold on interior “Kodak Paris.” Written on the reverse side of the folio, in Mary’s hand, “Douglas Jr., Douglas Sr., Mary and ‘Zorro Pickford.’ Crillon Hotel, Paris / Property of Mary Pickford." 1920s.

Mary Pickford - Bachrach - Portrait - 1913

Exquisite, lightly-tinted, personalized and hand-signed portrait of Mary Pickford by Bachrach, presumably taken in Washington, DC. Trimmed. 1913. While it was almost certainly just advertising, the studio claimed, at least back in 1914, to have taken Mary's personal favorite portrait. 

Mary Pickford - Strauss Peyton Photos

An extremely nice, albeit heavily retouched, photo of Mary by Strauss-Peyton ca. 1923. I feel this is less of a portrait than it is a pictorialist work of photographic art that showcases the skill of Homer Peyton. Personalized, signed, and dated 1930 in purple ink.

An extremely nice, albeit heavily retouched, photo of Mary Pickford by Strauss-Peyton ca. 1923. I feel this is less of a portrait than it is a pictorialist work of photographic art that showcases the skill of Homer Peyton. Photographer's stamp on verso.

Portrait of Mary Pickford by Strauss-Peyton ca. 1923. Photographers stamp on verso.

Portrait of Mary Pickford by Strauss-Peyton ca. 1923. Photographers stamp on verso.

Portrait of Mary Pickford by Strauss-Peyton ca. 1923.

Portrait of Mary Pickford as Dearest from her film Little Lord Fauntleroy (1921) by Strauss-Peyton. Handsigned by Mary in ink, "Sincerely Mary Pickford / Character of 'Dearest'" Photographer's stamp on verso. 1922.

Hand-painted portrait of Mary Pickford in a Jeanne Lanvin dress by Strauss Peyton (signed by the fan/artist, L. Piccolo.)

Mary Pickford 8x10 photo by Strauss Peyton. Photographer's stamp on verso. 1922/23. Part of NZ Photo Album.

Portrait of Mary Pickford by Strauss-Peyton. 1922/23.

Mary Pickford 8x10 photo by Strauss Peyton. Photographer's stamp on verso. 1922/23. Part of NZ Photo Album.

I felt the above newspaper clipping (from a "Mary Pickford Papers" Collection scrapbook at the Margaret Herrick Library) was too interesting and amusing not to share. The blurb, bringing attention to Mary's new bob coiffure in 1928, is a "photoshopped" version of the previous Strauss-Peyton photo. Clipping is for reference only and not part of my collection.

Mary Pickford photograph by Strauss-Peyton. Photographer's stamp on verso. 1922/23.

Slightly enlarged Mary Pickford 7.75x10 photo by Strauss-Peyton (which appears to be a period copy-print.) 1922/23. Part of NZ Photo Album.

Slightly enlarged Mary Pickford photo by Strauss-Peyton (which appears to be a period copy-print.) This one additionally marked over Photographer's mark with "Mary Pickford" in negative. 1922/23.

Mary Pickford - Melbourne Spurr Photos

“Mary Pickford,” says Melbourne Spurr, “always comes back to me, so I guess she thinks I’m not a bad photographer.” 

Mary Pickford herself helped launch Melbourne Spurr's Hollywood photography career having been so impressed with his work shooting her for Fred Hartsook studio. It can be said that any photographer's career would get a boost if they shot Mary as that in itself was rather marketable at the time, but for Spurr, the quality of his Pickford portraits created a feverish interest -- so much so, that sittings would have to be booked months in advance. He would go on to photograph many stars in the 20s for his own studio, but branched out to other subjects by the decade's end.

Mary Pickford by Melbourne Spurr ca. 1923. Photographer's studio stamp on verso and embossed at lower right. Personalized and hand-signed in purple ink.

Mary Pickford by Melbourne Spurr ca. 1923. Photographer's studio stamp on verso and embossed at lower right.

Mary Pickford by Melbourne Spurr ca. 1923. Photographer's studio stamp on verso and embossed at lower right. Handsigned in ink.

Mary Pickford, framed by field curvature -- whether intentional or not, I can't say -- in a natural light portrait by Melbourne Spur 1922. Photographer's stamp on reverse.

Mary Pickford posing for Melbourne Spurr. Photographer's stamp on reverse. 1922. Part of NZ Photo Album.

Mary Pickford posing for Melbourne Spurr. Photographer's stamp on reverse. 1922. Part of NZ Photo Album.

Mary Pickford posing for Melbourne Spurr. Photographer's studio stamp on verso and embossed at lower left. 1922.

Mary Pickford posing for Melbourne Spurr. 1922.

Mary Pickford, husband Douglas Fairbanks, and a dog pose beside the Pickfair pool for Melbourne Spurr. Photographer's stamp on verso. ca. 1922.

Mary Pickford posing with her hair down for Melbourne Spurr. Personalized and Handsigned in ink by Mary Pickford on verso. 1922.

Mary Pickford - Correspondence Card - 1914

Fairly scarce (I've seen one other,) hand-signed Mary Pickford correspondence card. "Miss Mary Pickford wishes to express her thanks for your charming letter of appreciation of her work. She trusts you will continue to enjoy her pictures and she encloses her photograph with best wishes and kindest regards. Mary Pickford. 108 St. Andrews Place, Los Angeles, California." 1914. Part of NZ Photo Album. 

As a side note, Mary and her mother leased the property for 6 months in early-1914. They were subsequently sued, for $111.44, by the owner of the property, Florence S. Porter, for skipping out one month's rent, allowing her dog “to sleep on some costly tapestried cushions,” damaging a brick column with her car, and damaging the hardwood floors -- the plaintiff's lawyer also noting, “Late revelries and orgies.” Mary argued the house was unsafe due to sewer gas, her wardrobe was ruined by leaking plumbing, she contracted a cold when the furnace out of commission due to a flooded basement, and she “missed an important engagement when her automobile was held by a cavein of the cement driveway.” Mary ultimately won the suit but her mother had to pay a $6.40 water bill. 

The house was located at 108 South St. Andrews Pl. and has since been demolished. There are several photos of both the inside and outside of this house out there in the world, often erroneously noted as being a supposed house at 1403 N. Western Ave. (which itself is a mystery... but that is whole other story.) The two photos seen here from AMPAS are for reference only and not part of this collection.

Mary Pickford - White Studio Photos

Mary Pickford poses at a mirror while she... well, a maid... brushes her hair. The White NY studio mark is seemingly hand-signed in ink on recto. Studio stamp on verso. Photo by White, NY (White Studio.) 1916. Perhaps an Artcraft issued publicity still as it came with a batch from NZ.

Mary Pickford poses with a mirror from the same session as that above. Hand-signed in ink, though clearly not signed by Mary. Photo by White, NY (White Studio.) 1916. Part of NZ Photo Album.

Mary Pickford poses with a mirror. Photo by White, NY (White Studio.) From Mary's Estate. 1916.

Mary Pickford poses with a book. Stamped signature. Photo by White, NY (White Studio.) 1916.

Mary Pickford photo by White, NY (White Studio.) 1913. Part of NZ Photo Album.

A nice early and popular Mary Pickford photo by White, NY (White Studio.)  From Mary's Estate. 1913.

A nice early and popular Mary Pickford photo by White, NY (White Studio.) 1913. Part of NZ Photo Album.

A nice early and popular Mary Pickford photo by White, NY (White Studio.) Stamped Signature. 1913.

Colorized early portrait by White, NY. Handsigned in ink by Mary Pickford on recto and verso. Correspondence and signature on verso reads, "Haven't an uninscribed photo so hope you will use this one. Owen [Moore] joins me in sending our love to our little friend Beverly Sinclaire. My word! Mary." ca. 1913.

Early portrait by White, NY ca. 1913. Stamped signature that was subsequently traced in ink. Incidentally, the dress she is wearing can be seen in the random opening shot of Tess of the Storm Country (1914) 

Early portrait by White, NY. Incidentally, the dress she is wearing can be seen in the random opening shot of Tess of the Storm Country (1914.)  From Mary's Estate. ca. 1913.

Early tinted portrait by White, NY ca. 1913. Incidentally, the dress she is wearing can be seen in Behind the Scenes (1914.) From Mary Pickford's Estate.

Mary Pickford in a portrait by by White, NY (White Studio.) Signed in ink, though very clearly not by Mary. ca. 1914.