SIGNED COLLECTION OF SHEET MUSIC

[1981]. Hardcover. Signed page a bit wrinkled not affecting Berlin's writing. Near Fine and possibly unique. Thick quarto (8-7/8" x 11-3/4" x 3" thick) in a plastic-enclosed black pebbled leather 3-hole binder containing 194 vintage pieces of sheet music by Irving Berlin, likely all reprints, specially compiled and arranged alphabetically with a special contents page bound at the front. INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the composer on the front endpaper: "For Rosemary and Earl Wilson/with love from/Irving Berlin -- 1981." A privately compiled effort exclusively produced and supervised by Irving Berlin during his twilight years, likely only for his closest friends. We are aware of the existence of only one other copy, that belonging to Harold Arlen. Earl Wilson was one of the best known gossip columnists of his day and an authority on Broadway and show business. He often interviewed Berlin, including the well-known interview in December 1953 about HOLIDAY INN when Berlin told Wilson: "But the public liked 'White Christmas' and it became a runaway. You see, a war song doesn't have to be about wars. This is really a peace song." Wilson and Berlin were longtime friends maintaining a 35-year correspondence.