Cat. #005215: ARTURO TOSCANINI

Scarce vintage blue fountain pen signature of the legendary conductor-- arguably one of the greatest to ever wave a baton-- dated Hallowe'en of 1934 in Austria, given on the verso of a 3.5 x 5.5-inch black and white postcard portrait. Just over eight weeks before signing this piece, Toscanini had conducted at the August 23, 1934, Salzburg Festival-- a politically explosive action: Salzburg lay on the border with Nazi Germany, very close to the summer residence of Adolf Hitler, and the festival was about to be boycotted due to mostly non-German attendance. Despite that backdrop, the maestro strolled into the Festival Hall like a messianic king, having drawn a massive crowd due to his international and Jewish solidarity. In good condition, with a few minor surface dings, and accompanied by an RR Auction certificate.