[Original Artwork for Signs for the Amytis Theatre]
- [St. Louis] , 1930
[St. Louis], 1930. Very good. Two pen-and-ink illustrations on artist's board measuring 9” x 12”. Very good: lightly toned and dust soiled with pinholes at corners and a couple of small tears at edges.
This is pair of pen-and-ink drawings for a segregated movie theater by an important but lesser-known African American illustrator, Spencer Thornton Banks. Banks was born in Mississippi in 1912 and ultimately worked in St. Louis for over 50 years while running his Veteran's Sign and Art Company. His comic strip Pokenia ran in the St. Louis Argus in the 1930s and is noted as a rare example of a comic featuring a female protagonist that dealt with Black professional life. It's documented that in the mid-1930s Banks did artwork for the Amytis and while these pieces are unsigned, when one compares them to known examples of Banks' work and combines it with their provenance, it's clear these came from his hand.
According to Cinematreasures.org, the origin of the Amytis Theatre in St. Louis can be traced to 1918 when,
“it was the auditorium for Poro College which had been founded by Annie Malone. In February 1934 the auditorium became a commercial operation, the Amytis, and presented films and occasional stage attractions. This was one of the theaters for the Black population of St. Louis in the days of racial segregation. The last ad spotted for the theatre was published in July 1960. The FDYB [Film Daily Yearbook] lists a seating capacity of 640.”
The person from whom we purchased the signs shared this regarding their provenance:
“I purchased these along with several other items from The Neon Lady, an antique shop on Cherokee Street (in the antique district known as “Cherokee Row”) in St. Louis in 1983 or 1984, around the time of Banks’ death. The antique store may have bought them from Banks or at an estate sale. The Neon Lady shop had a number of Banks’ works including colorful portraits of movie stars and jazz greats. Had I known better and had more money (I was a poor college student at the time) I would have bought them all. So, I purchased a few of the “portrait” heads, which I sold many years ago, but retained these Amytis signs and one signed pen-and-ink drawing. These have been in my possession for around 40 years, but I’m thinning my collection of movie memorabilia, and they should go to someone who will value and take care of them.”
Wonderful illustrations with multiple levels of importance.
This is pair of pen-and-ink drawings for a segregated movie theater by an important but lesser-known African American illustrator, Spencer Thornton Banks. Banks was born in Mississippi in 1912 and ultimately worked in St. Louis for over 50 years while running his Veteran's Sign and Art Company. His comic strip Pokenia ran in the St. Louis Argus in the 1930s and is noted as a rare example of a comic featuring a female protagonist that dealt with Black professional life. It's documented that in the mid-1930s Banks did artwork for the Amytis and while these pieces are unsigned, when one compares them to known examples of Banks' work and combines it with their provenance, it's clear these came from his hand.
According to Cinematreasures.org, the origin of the Amytis Theatre in St. Louis can be traced to 1918 when,
“it was the auditorium for Poro College which had been founded by Annie Malone. In February 1934 the auditorium became a commercial operation, the Amytis, and presented films and occasional stage attractions. This was one of the theaters for the Black population of St. Louis in the days of racial segregation. The last ad spotted for the theatre was published in July 1960. The FDYB [Film Daily Yearbook] lists a seating capacity of 640.”
The person from whom we purchased the signs shared this regarding their provenance:
“I purchased these along with several other items from The Neon Lady, an antique shop on Cherokee Street (in the antique district known as “Cherokee Row”) in St. Louis in 1983 or 1984, around the time of Banks’ death. The antique store may have bought them from Banks or at an estate sale. The Neon Lady shop had a number of Banks’ works including colorful portraits of movie stars and jazz greats. Had I known better and had more money (I was a poor college student at the time) I would have bought them all. So, I purchased a few of the “portrait” heads, which I sold many years ago, but retained these Amytis signs and one signed pen-and-ink drawing. These have been in my possession for around 40 years, but I’m thinning my collection of movie memorabilia, and they should go to someone who will value and take care of them.”
Wonderful illustrations with multiple levels of importance.
Details
Title
[Original Artwork for Signs for the Amytis Theatre]
Author
[Banks, Spencer Thornton]
Condition
Very Good
Publisher
[St. Louis]
Date
1930