An Anna May Wong Group of Set Stills from Her Films

An Anna May Wong Group of Set Stills from Her Films Including Daughter of the Dragon, Limehouse Blues, Daughter of Shanghai, Dangerous to Know, Island of Lost Men, and King of Chinatown. Please note that there may be some duplication of photographs in each film folder. Daughter of the Dragon (Paramount Pictures, 1931). Starring Anna May Wong. Director Lloyd Corrigan. Approximately 60 silver gelatin photographs, 8 x 10 in., some with photographer 'A.E. Freudeman' stamped to verso. Limehouse Blues (aka Limehouse Nights) (Paramount Pictures, 1934). Starring Anna May Wong. Director Alexander Hall. Approximately 35 silver gelatin photographs, 8 x 10 in., almost all with location descriptions handwritten in ink to border, some with photographer 'A.E. Freudeman' stamped to verso. Daughter of Shanghai (aka East of Shanghai) (Paramount Pictures, 1937). Starring Anna May Wong. Director Robert Florey. Approximately 65 silver gelatin photographs, 8 x 10 in., almost all with location descriptions handwritten in ink to border, some with 'Set Dressing (36)' stamped to verso. Dangerous to Know (Paramount Pictures, 1938). Starring Anna May Wong. Director Robert Florey. Approximately 45 silver gelatin photographs, 8 x 10 in., almost all with location descriptions handwritten in ink to border, some with 'Set Dressing (36)' stamped to verso. Island of Lost Men (aka North of Singapore) (Paramount Pictures, 1939). Starring Anna May Wong. Director Kurt Neumann. Approximately 25 silver gelatin photographs, 8 x 10 in., most with location descriptions handwritten to border, some with 'Interior Decorating (36)' stamped to verso. King of Chinatown (Paramount Pictures, 1939). Starring Anna May Wong. Director Nick Grinde. Approximately 20 silver gelatin photographs, 8 x 10 in., almost all with location descriptions handwritten in ink to border, many with 'Set Dressing (36)' stamped to verso. It is only in the last two decades that a long overdue appreciation for Anna May Wong has surged, and rightly so. As the first Chinese American actress in Hollywood (she was born in Chinatown in Los Angeles), she was a role model to Asian women everywhere, despite experiencing discrimination in Hollywood during her moviemaking years. When directors of her films asked her to use stereotypical Asian mannerisms, she would decline, although sometimes she was forced to acquiesce if she wanted to stay in show business. Though she was a great success as a star, she still struggled to be treated fairly in the industry and often was relegated to second leads instead of leading lady roles. The Hays Code further limited her opportunities by forbidding mixed race relationships in films. Throughout it all, she persevered, though her frustration was palpable when she said, 'I was so tired of the parts I had to play. Why is it that the screen Chinese is nearly always the villain of the piece?' Wong went on to star in more movies and television until her untimely death at the young age of 56 in 1961. 8 x 10 in. or smaller Footnotes: The collection of Paramount Pictures set stills that is being offered in this auction is an extraordinary historical archive from the late 1920s to the early 1970s. Sets stills were taken for continuity purposes and to document the arrangements of the sets and props, etc, during the making of a film. Not only does this collection photographically document the changes in filmmaking through the decades, it details the changing styles of architecture, interior design (the Art Deco sets from the 1930s are astonishingly beautiful), fashion, cars, and more. In the cases of location shooting, one can see the evolution of various southern California towns and landmarks, from the tony nightspots of Hollywood to the open spaces of Brentwood to the artistry of the Paramount Ranch. The photos give a unique behind-the-scenes look at the stars during filming; some vamp for the camera while others avoid it, some study their scripts or confer with the director, and some look incredibly bored. Equally interesting is the appearance of the stars' lookalike stand-ins and famous extras such as Bess Flowers. The unsung heroes of filmmaking, the crews, are seen as well, holding the booms, adjusting the lights, holding the clapper boards, and waiting, waiting, waiting. And speaking of unsung heroes, the talent, imagination, style, and creativity of the art directors and set decorators for these films cannot be overstated. Most of the fashion designers of the 1930s and '40s, such as Edith Head, are recognized for their contributions, as well they should be; however, the set decorators and art directors are grossly overlooked. Masters of their profession such as Hans Dreier, Robert Usher, William Flannery, Hal Pereira, Ernst Fegte, Sam Comer, Walter H. Tyler, A. Earl Hedrick, and so many others, deserve their place in the sun, and hopefully, the future owners of these historic photographs will appreciate their artistry. Lot to be sold without reserve. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing