Rare 1935 W.H. Berry Signed Photo Chocolate Dandies Broadway Harmony King London

Extremely rare signed studio portrait of W.H. Berry, the original “Harmony King” in the 1924 Broadway musical revue The Chocolate Dandies, created by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake. Photographed in London in 1935 at the renowned S. Georges studio in Leicester Square, this historic artifact captures a key figure in early African American musical theater.

Inscription reads:
“Best Wishes to Joe Bourell, a Cleveland Artist. May you always enjoy good health and success. Sincerely, W.H. Berry ‘Harmony King’ London March 1935”

W.H. Berry was a featured vocalist in The Chocolate Dandies, one of the most important all-Black productions of the Harlem Renaissance era. His signature here — with his stage title — offers a rare glimpse into the international reach of Black performers in the early 20th century. The portrait was gifted to Joe Bourell, likely a fellow artist from Cleveland, establishing a meaningful connection between two creatives during a time of expanding Black artistry abroad.

– Original 1935 gelatin silver photograph
– Studio embossed and mounted on postcard stock
– Signed and inscribed by W.H. Berry
– No known duplicates in circulation
– Measures approximately 8.5 x 5.5 inches — larger than standard postcard format

This is a one-of-a-kind item of exceptional cultural and historical value, ideal for collectors of African American performing arts, Black Broadway history, or early jazz age memorabilia.

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