A pristine portrait, as Clemens helps raise money for the victims of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Exceptional vintage matte-finish 7 x 10.5 portrait by A. F. Bradley, New York, dated 1907, signed in the lower border in black ink, “Mark Twain.” Double suede matted and framed with a name plaque to an overall size of 19 x 27.5. In fine condition.
This is one of a number of iconic portraits taken by noted New York photographer A. F. Bradley. Clemens agreed to pose for the portraits as a fundraising effort for the survivors of the San Francisco earthquake which, in 1906, had devastated the city in one of the worst natural disasters in US history. With casualties numbering over 3000 people, the economic impact was huge. At the time the government reported only 376 deaths in an effort to downplay the effects, fearing the loss of outside investment needed for rebuilding. With the equivalent of $5.7 billion in damage, any and all help was needed. On April 20, 1906, Clemens delivered a speech at Carnage Hall, begging New Yorkers to aid victims of the San Francisco disaster and later, at the urging of writer George Wharton James, agreed to pose for A. F. Bradley. These Bradley images remain some of the most popular photos ever taken of Mark Twain.
This photograph is uninscribed, pristine and oversized thus making it a true rarity.
