IRA ALDRIDGE Signed Clip / Autographed RARE Early African-American Actor JSA COA

Description

Signature of early Black thespian IRA ALDRIDGE (1808-1867), clipped from a letter (with writing on the reverse).
Aldridge's signature is RARE, as the few examples of his writing that exist are primarily held by libraries and museums. A search of the past 15 years of Ebay sales, as well as a Google search, turned up only one other example offered for sale - a signed lithograph with an asking price of ,500 (featured in a NY Times article dated April 20, 2022 about the New York Antiquarian Book Fair). An UNSIGNED poster advertising a play starring Aldrich sold at Swann's Gallery for 00.
1" x 4", condition as shown, with a spot of mounting residue on the reverse.
Aldridge was a member of the order of Art and Science conferred by King William 4th of Prussia, and holder of the medal of Leopold and the White Cross. Born in New York City, Ira Aldridge got his start in the Brown’s Theatre (known as the African Theatre), New York, but his prospects were brighter in England and he emigrated in 1824. He performed as Othello in 1826, making him the first actor of African descent to perform a major Shakespearean role.
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