Up for auction is a wonderful and rare scrapbook/autograph/memory album from an estate. It contains 50+ signatures and messages of gratitude and well wishes from some of Americas most notable folks in the early 1900s, all of whom spent time at the Grasonville Md home of Publishing giant Arthur Kudner and his wife Madeline, Talisman Farms. Among the signatures is that of former heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney and his wife Polly. Polly¿s thank you note sent after the stay also included, as well as newspaper clippings of the event, which state Kudner flew the Tunneys home after their stay on his personal plane. Other notable signatures include Edgar W Stow (Possibly the silent film and early TV bit role actor), Time Magazine Man of the Year and former GM President Harlow ¿Red¿ Curtice and his wife, Tom McKnew who we found out worked with Amelia Earhart on the 1930 National Geographic Explorer project, Ray Howard (possibly the 1919 and 1920 Indy 500 racecar driver, Hazel Vandenberg (wife of Senator Arthur Vandenberg), Averill Harrison (Governor, later Secretary of Commerce and Ambassador to Russia) and many more. Some signatures difficult to read with the handwriting styles. Some pages have photos added, one photo appears to have fallen out, one message in pencil is quite faded.

Additional contents info "Memory Album of Mr. & Mrs Arthur Kudner of the Famous Talisman Farm in Maryland. Mr. Kudner was a Newspaperman, Aviator, Concert Singer, Publisher and President of Erwin, Wasey & Co. Ad Agency. Guests at the 603 Acre Farm Mansion in the 30¿s & 40¿s would often sign the Memory Album with messages and signatures. Among the guests were writers, actors, businessmen, politicians, aviators including: Boxing legend Gene Tunney and his wife Polly; NY Governor Averill Harriman; Paddie Naismith- Actress, aviatrix who raced  at Brooklands , her image was the girl seen in the very 1^st high definition colour television picture transmitted by John Logie Baird in 1940; Edna Woolman Chase Newton- Editor & Chief of Vogue Magazine 1914-1951;¿Red Curtice¿ ¿ President AC Sparkplugs, later President of General Motors, later to be Time Magazines Man of the Year; Lucius Ordway- owner of The 3M Company; Tom McKnew-President of the National Geographic Society; Roy W. Howard- President of United Press International; Bob Dow- Silent Films Juggler; Charles A. Gordon- Dr. who formed the Brooklyn & Long Island Chapter of the American College of Surgeons; Paul Garrett- Vintner; Charles L. Jones- Louisiana soaring Society Governor; John Quigley- The Boston Newsboy Tenor; Margaret Brainard-Actress."

Good overall condition for age. Some edge and corner wear, corners clipped. Parchment is a bit soiled, some pages have some light moisture staining on edges. The ribbon from the tied binding missing, another can easily be added. It measures 9 ¾¿w x 12 7/8¿. A wonderful piece of American history. There is some interesting reading on the web about the real estate development controversy which has arisen on the Talisman Farms dispersal that impressed all the folks who signed this album so much, that they wrote down their thoughts on what a beautiful place to visit it was.                                                                                                                        12/07