The actor famous for his portrayal of Superman wore these trunks while shooting The Adventures of Superman Ephemera Unsigned: A pair of trunks worn by actor George Reeves in the 1950's classic The Adventures of Superman television series. The brownish-red knit briefs are designed with an elastic pull string on the inside waistband. The sewn in tag on the inside band reads: Broadway Knit Mills, 100% virgin wool, Los Angeles, California. Framed with two plaques and an image of the actor as Superman. Best known for playing the "Man of Steel" on film and on television, George Reeves (1914-1959) made his film debut in 1939. He played one of Scarlett O'Hara's hopeful beaus in Gone With the Wind (1940). Reeves' career took a turn when he was cast as Superman/Clark Kent in 1951's Superman and the Mole Men, a role he reprised in the 1953-1958 television series. In The Adventures of Superman, Reeves portrayed the character again. Reeves was neither the first nor the last film Superman, of course. Kirk Alyn preceded him, while Christopher Reeve and many others have followed. Reeves was never able to shake off being typecast as Superman; the television show ran until he was 44 years old.

The German composer who succeeded in influencing numerous fields of study outside of music signed handwrote and signed this note! Autograph Note Signed: "R. Wagner" in German, 1p, 5x7. No place, no date. To "Dear Friend". In full: "Would you be so kind as to settle the little matter enclosed herewith." Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813-1883) dominated the development of classical music from about 1850 to 1875. He originated the musical drama and was a pioneer in the development of the leitmotifs, specific sounds and harmonies that are associated with characters. Wagner produced both the text (libretto) and music for his operas and prioritized the drama in each production over specific artistic and theatrical mediums. His best-known production is called Der Ring des Nibelungen, but is commonly referred to as the Ring Cycle. Since Wagner's death, his music and writings have seen their share of controversy. Evidence exists of Wagner's antisemitism, and as a result Wagner's music was used by Adolph Hitler to bolster his Third Reich fascist government. Although the use of Wagner's work by Nazi Germany has complicated his legacy, there can be no doubt that Wagner was one of the greatest musical composers of all time.

The Italian composer signs this touching sentiment on a photograph mount. Photograph Mount inscribed and signed: "Alla bella & gentile Signorina / Marietta Stern, / ricordo / Giacomo Puccini / Roma Gen: 1918" Photograph of Puccini by Vuillemenot Montibone, 6½ x 8½, 11¾ x 17 photograph and mount overall. Puccini was in Rome preparing for the European debut, on January 11, 1919, of his opera, Il trittico. This was a trilogy of three one-act operas including Il tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. Photograph is creased and toned. Photograph mount creased. Framed to an overall size of 24½ x 27. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), the greatest Italian opera composer of his time. He wrote a number of operas, including his three most famous works, La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly, while living at Torre Del Lago, the home he had purchased in 1891. Puccini and his family lived at Torre Del Lago until 1921, and the home became a museum after the death of Puccini's wife in 1930. Light partial postmark to the right of Puccini's head.

SIR WALTER SCOTT 1823 promissory note signed by Sir Walter Scott highlights relationship with publisher James Ballantyne. Promissory Note signed: "Walter Scott", 8x3¼. Edinburgh, 1823 May 3. The great Scottish poet and novelist agrees to repay his publisher in twelve months. In full: "Twelve months after date, pay to our order, at our Printing Office here, eight hundred and seventy five pounds sterling, for value received. James Ballantyne & Co." Sir WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832), considered to be the father of the historical novel, had first met JAMES BALLANTYNE (1772-1833) in 1783 while attending Kelso Grammar School. In 1799, Ballantyne privately printed the two pamphlets with which Scott began his writing career, An Apology for Tales of Terror and The Eve of St. John, a ballad, beginning a literary and business partnership that would last throughout Scott's lifetime. The greatest success of James Ballantyne and Co. came in 1808, when Scott's second narrative poem, Marmion, was printed by Ballantyne for publisher Archibald Constable (Scott's first narrative poem, The Lay of the Last Minstral, had been published by Constable in 1805). Scott's romantic work, Rob Roy (1818) was also published by James Ballantyne and Co.

His handwritten notes on ruled notebook paper for a high school history test, framed with his phototo an overall size of 34x24. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, 1 page, 7¾x10 ruled notebook paper. No place, but Lubbock, Texas, no year. Holly has written an outline of four points, likely to study for his history class. Headed: "Questions on American History/Chapter I". In full: "1. List some of the contributions of the following ancient peoples to our life today./a. Phoenicians/b. Greeks/c. Romans/2. State briefly how the following contributed to the discovery of America./a. The Renaissance/b. The Crusades/c. Marco Polo and other travelers/d. The invention of printing/e. the commercial revolution/3. Spanish Explorers - Date - Scene of Ex. Import/a. Balboa/b. Magellan/c. Cortes/d. Pizarro/e. Ponce de Leon/4. French Explorers - Date - Scene of Ex. - Import./a Verrazano/b. Cartier/c. Champlain". During his high school years in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy did his history homework, as evidenced by this manuscript, on which Holly has written a "1" at the upper right corner. But Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (1936-1959) was no ordinary high school student.

11x14 sepia photo of Fields in the stage version of his skit, "The Caledonian Express," signed and inscribed to author and publisher Arthur Samuels. Field's inscription includes one of his famous lines from the stage and screen skit: "You'll ha to git oot/o' the compartment." Oversized Photograph inscribed and signed: "To My friend/Arthur -you'll ha to git oot/o' the compartment,/from his friend/Bill Fields/Oct 11 - 1928." Sepia, 11x14. Remarkable studio portrait inscribed to Arthur Samuels, who was involved with the publishing of "Ladies Home Journal" and authored Poppy. Half-view left profile by Hal Phype. Fields has quoted one of his lines from the Earl Carroll's Vanities sketch "The Caledonian Express" (1928), in which the legendary comedian played four Scottish characters trying to remove an uninvited guest from a train compartment. Fields repeated the skit in the film Follow the Boys (1945), but that time played the intruder. Samuels' Poppy made Fields a Broadway star in 1923, and he reprised the role in two film versions. Surface creases at upper right corner with fraying at that corner, else fine, handsome and rare.

Right handprint the composer which he has signed and dated in 1925! Handprint signed: "Richard Strauss/21.4.25" in ink, 6½x8¼. Handprint of Strauss' right hand. Stamped: "M. Raschig's Handarchiv." Strauss (1864-1949, born Richard Georg Strauss in Munich, Germany) was Court Conductor at Munich (1894-1898) and Chief Conductor of the Berlin Court Opera (1898-1918). As a composer, Strauss was regarded as the leader of the New Romantic school. Among his works were 15 operas, including Salome (1905), Elektra (1909) and Der Rosenkavalier (1911), as well as ballets, symphonies, concertos and about 200 songs. Berlin palm reader MARIANNE RASCHIG, who also wrote a scientific book on the art of palm reading, put together a collection of over 2,500 handprints from 1924 to 1935. Lightly creased and soiled, irregular left edge. File notes in blank areas (unknown hand). Otherwise, fine condition.

The two offer an inducement for the film Serpico (1973) to proceed Document Signed: "Al Pacino" and "Martin Bregman" both in black ink, 1p, 8½x11. No place, July 24, 1972. In letter form to Produzione DeLaurentiis International Manufacturing Company, Rome, Italy. Begins: "Gentlemen". In full: "Reference is made to the Memorandum Agreement between you and CHAL Productions, Inc. and Artists Entertainment Complex, Inc. dated July 24, 1972, relating to the production of a motion picture based on the life of Frank Serpico and the book SERPICO written by Peter Maas. In consideration of the execution of said Agreement by you and as additional inducement to you to execute the same, the undersigned, Al Pacino and Martin Bergman, hereby expressly accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of said Memorandum Agreement applicable to them. The undersigned shall be directly liable hereunder without your first being required to pursue and/or exhaust any remedy within your power and you shall not be required to proceed against CHAL Productions, Inc. and Artists Entertainment Complex, Inc. prior to proceeding against the undersigned. Very truly yours".

This fantastic (and huge) 33¾x63¾ color poster is a promotion for TNT's 1999 spectacular An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash, and is signed by Johnny Cash and three members of his backing bands the Tennessee Two and Tennessee Three - Marshall Grant, W. S. Holland and Bob Wootton - along with Kix Brook and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Emmy Lou Harris, Marty Stuart, gospel singer Wilson Waters, Jr. and host Jon Voight. Poster signed "W S Holland", "Kix/Brooks", "Marshall/Grant", "Ronnie Dunn/'99", "Bob Wootton", "Marty Stuart", "Wilson Waters Jr", "E L Harris", "Kris Kristofferson", "Johnny Cash", "Jon Voight" and "Lyle Lovett", all in silver ink. With six unidentified signatures. Color, 33¾x63¾, mounted on foamboard. Promotional poster for An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash, originally broadcast on TNT on April 18, 1999. ©1999 Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash was just that - a tribute to the Grammy-winning Man in Black by musical acts like Bruce Springsteen, Trisha Yearwood, U2, Cash's wife June Carter Cash, Sheryl Crow, the Dave Matthews Band, Kris Kristofferson, the Mavericks, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Chris Isaak, Wyclef Jean and others.

Gioacchino Rossini sends an autograph letter in Italian to send an article. Autograph Letter Signed: "Rossini" in Italian, 1p, 4¼ x 5½. No place, no date. To Severini. In full: "Please send, within today, the portion of the opera La Fata Bianca [The White Fairy] which has the tenor's role, to Mr. Curioni. All is well." Curioni was the Italian tenor, Alberico Curioni.By the time he was 18, Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) had written his first opera. The Italian composer is best known for his comic opera, The Barber of Seville, and his grand opera, William Tell, with its famous overture. The "Overture" to the four-act William Tell became one of the most familiar of all operatic works when it was used to open the radio and television show, The Lone Ranger. Guillame Tell was first performed in Paris in 1829. The Italian composer, the leading representative of the Bel Canto School of Opera and one of the last masters of opera buffa, spent his later years in Paris and his native Italy. Lightly stained, lightly creased, with folds. Light ink transfer from a different letter. Ink smudging present on some letters. Framed to an overall size of 32½ x 24½.

Four legendary actors draw caricatures of themselves and sign them in ink, completing this incredible framed collection Comprises: 1) Self-caricature signed: "Ernest Borgnine" 7½x6½ visible. Lightly toned. Otherwise, fine condition. 2) Self-caricature signed: "John Gielgud/ 1985". 2¾x4½. Fine condition. 3) Self-caricature signed: "Good Wishes/ Alec Guinness/ 1981". 5½x8. Fine condition. 4) Self-caricature signed: "Ch". 5¼x8. Fine condition. These four actors - two Brits, two Americans - dominated the screen and stage on both sides of the Atlantic for decades. JOHN GIELGUD (1904-2000) was born a generation before the other three. He performed on Broadway and London stages for many years, eventually becoming an accomplished theatre director as well. He was the fourth person to win at least one individual Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. ALEC GUINNESS (1914-2000), much like Gielgud, earned acclaim on the stage and transitioned to film and television right after WWII. One of his most famous screen roles is that of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the first trilogy of Star Wars films.

Hammerstein and Romberg both inscribe and sign Romberg's handwritten musical quotation from the musical, with Hammerstein adding, "I'm only the guy who wrote the words …" Framed with an inscribed and signed photo of Romberg to 34½x25½ Comprises: (1) SIGMUND ROMBERG and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II. Autograph Musical Quotation inscribed and signed: "To John/With the composers (sic)/best wishes/Sigmund Romberg", 1p, 7½x9½. Above his signature, Romberg has drawn 5 bars of music and written "etc -". Above them, he has written "from the 'Desert Song'/Valse Mod". ANS: "Oscar Hammerstein 2 -" at lower portion of sheet. To "Dear John". In full: "I'm only the guy who wrote the words to the above notes - and they don't matter. Best regards". Slightly creased. Fine condition. (2) SIGMUND ROMBERG. Photograph inscribed and signed: "To Mr. James C. Stratton/Sincerely/Sig Romberg". B/w, 8x9¾ overall, image 7½x8½ (one surface). Publicity photograph by James J. Kriegsmann, N.Y. Typed caption at lower margin: "Sigmund Romberg and his Concert Orchestra". Minor surface creases, else fine condition.