R&B GROUP 1950s PUBLICITY PHOTO PRINT: THE COASTERS (#1) Milton Deutsch Agency

Description

R&B GROUP 1950s PUBLICITY PHOTO PRINT: THE COASTERS (#1) Milton Deutsch Agency
This print is from the estate of the late African American booking agent and promoter David H. Booker (1917-1980), who was once the main local promoter for shows and dances at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium, bringing in national R&B, jazz and blues acts and sometimes pop and rock 'n' roll stars as well. He used black & white glossy publicity photos he got from agencies such as Gale, Shaw, GAC, Milton Deutsch and Universal, and record companies (Duke, Vee-Jay, etc.) but apparently when he ran out and needed more he would make copies from the prints on lesser quality paper (still slick or glossy, though) -- sometimes again and again, and after several generations of recopying, the resulting prints would have blurred lines and lettering and a brown or reddish tint or outlining. (At least that's the explanation a photo restoration expert suggested to me; if you know more about what process may have been used, please let me know!)
The Coasters photo here is a later generation print that has acquired a tint and blurred outlines, and it is cut to 7-3/4+ x 9-5/8" size. However it still dates from the 1950s period when Booker was active in promoting big package shows that included the Coasters, Clyde McPhatter, Fats Domino, Eddie Cochran and other national rock 'n' roll and R&B stars.
I have many more records, CDs, magazines and memorabilia listed at my eBay store, BluEsoterica.com Mail Order and if you are in Kansas City, see my bins at Holy Cow Market & Music, 3109 Gillham Road, Sundays from noon a.m. till 5:00 p.m. -- Jim O'Neal, Co-founder, Living Blues Magazine (eBay seller Stackhouse232)