Cat. #0030024122: WALLACE REID

Ultra-rare vintage 7x9-inch matte-finish silver-tone portrait by Evans Studio of Los Angeles, boldly signed and inscribed in black fountain pen in about 1917, probably for L.A.'s Mayor, William Workman: "To Bill Workman / Best wishes, / Wally Reid." In fine condition, with neatly trimmed borders and slight silvering around the edges, only very slightly visible when the image is viewed head-on. One of the most popular leading men of the early silent screen, turning out an average of six to ten features a year, dashing Wallace Reid was adept at drama, comedy, and, above all else, action films. While performing stunts during the filming of Valley of the Giants (1919), he suffered a severe back injury, treated with morphine injections. He became addicted to the substance and died in a sanitarium at the age of 31. His autograph is almost impossible to find in any format, and this is just about the finest example we have ever encountered.