Merritt, Hal — [Two Illustrated Envelopes] Vaudeville Illustrator Decorates His Correspondence to Fellow New-Yorker, Brevoort B. Barr

Centerport, Long Island, [NY], 1920. 2 envelopes. Illus. with colored drawings. 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. The first illustration depicts a winter scene of a man digging his car out of the snow. The second is of a man shaking hands with a bag of money. The first was the earlier, perhaps a bit before 1920, the second about 1923. Hal Merritt was a famous Vaudeville illustrator; he provided the drawings for Will Cressy's 1914 book, "Continuous Vaudeville," was on the same bill with W.C. Fields, and was known as "the talking cartoonist." for his act "Chalk talks and monologue", where he accompanied his monologues with drawings on stage, The Philadelphia Keith-Albee Theater Manager's Report for June 27th, 1904 notes: "HAL MERRITT-15 mins. in one-Monologuist and mimic, with a little poster drawing. Well known on the circuit. Always makes good here, if not on too late. His poster work seems to go best. Good act." Brevoort Bristol Barr (1869-1964) was a long time New York agent of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. Very good, slightly browned edges, illustrations bright and clear.