Signatures

In 1921 an Austrian monsignor, Josef Schnitt, reformed the dissolved Court Choir Boys formed in 1498 by Emperor Maximilian I to perform for the Austro-Hungarian royalty, modernized it and renamed it the Vienna Boys Choir -- the most famous choir in the world, performing in Vienna and around the world. Signature of founder Josef Schnitt (who adds his title, "Rektor" -- rector) in black ink at the top of a heavy stock 3½" X 5½" card, n.p., n.y. [inked date on verso 24 November 1932]. Near fine. Below Schnitt's signature all 20 members of the choir sign in two columns, all in ink and all fairly legible. The verso of this card is a charming stream-of-conscious autograph request from Thomas, Donald and James Goodrich, who write: "We are just three little Boys we live in the city of Venice in the State of Illinois we are trying to get the autograph names of great People from all over the Land if your Reverence will autograph this card for us Boys we will think it Grand and will you have some of the Boy Members of the Choir autograph the card with there address in Vienna, so we can write to them when they return Home." The Vienna Boys Choir took their very first tour in the U.S. in 1932 and took the country by storm, arriving in New York aboard the SS Statendam on November 15 -- just two weeks before they all signed this card. Extremely unusual and scarce.