Photograph of Mary Tillman

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of contortionist Mary Tillman. Tillman is depicted from shoulders up against a black background. Her back is to the camera. She is looking over her proper left shoulder towards the viewer and she is smiling. She is depicted nude and wearing large, metal hoop earrings. There is an inscription in black ink on the bottom left corner of the photograph that reads, [To Sally, A Swell / Lady. Theres[?] Luck / to go around[?] our / friendship. / Sincerely / Mary Tillman]. To the left of Tillman’s signature is date, handwritten in black ink, [April / 9th / 1937]. The photographer's mark, printed in the negative in the bottom left corner reads, [YOUNG / ST. LOUIS]. There is a pen mark in black ink on the back of the photograph.

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