Boot Sale Gold, From A "Golden Age"

Many years ago when I was 14, I was helping my mum set up a charity stall at a boot sale where I lived in Putney, after said duties I was given the princely sum of almost £1 and let loose to explore the other stalls. On the way to the cake stand (obviously the first stop for a 14 year old) I noticed a folder with some photos in it amongst some bric a brac. It was priced at 50p (a large part of the cake budget!) Cake or Folder? there was only one thing to do. So I offered the lady 20p and crossed my fingers.

Later that day having OD'ed on home baking I was the proud owner of this.

It wasn't until I returned home and up to my bedroom that I opened this Pandoras box. The first photograph was an amazing crew photo from the classic 1948 feature film "Anna Karenina", starring Vivian Leigh and Ralph Richardson.

Next photograph up was a bit disappointing, just some actress, and some idiot had scribbled on the picture.

I mean just who is Ava Gardner, anyone would think she was a screen goddess who married the likes of Mickey Rooney and Frank Sinatra...............OH WAIT!!!!!

Every print revealed a rare captured moment of the golden age of our movie making history.

And lots more scribbled on prints.

Tyrone Power anyone! A matinee idol of the golden age, and still to this day one of the top 100 box-office moneymakers of all time.

All in all there were about 30 prints, 11 of them signed movie stars from this Golden Age.

There's still a couple of signed photos whose signatures I cannot make out, so if there are any movie buffs out there, do drop me a line, it would be wonderful to attribute all the prints.

Until Next Time

Matt