Wilmington, Delaware / Cincinnati, Ohio: 1934.
Price: $4,000.00
Unbound. The collection of Dance Marathon champion Catherine “Kitty” Potter. Included are over 150 photographs of Potter and various contestants, 11 dance programs, more than a dozen letters and cards from fans, family, and fellow marathoners, along with related news clippings and ephemera. Overall very good, most items with glue or paper remnants on their backs from being removed from a scrapbook; four programs are glued together at the spine and one rear wrap detached but present.
Potter, who was born in Virginia but lived in Wilmington, Delaware, entered a local dance marathon with partner Joe Riccio sometime early in 1934, winning the grueling event and splitting the $500 first prize. The couple entered a contest of champions held later that year in Cincinnati, Ohio. The event lasted an amazing two months (totaling 1,473 hours) with Potter winning the contest solo along with another solo male contestant after Riccio was disqualified halfway through.
The programs, of which 10 are mimeographed and one printed, tracked the daily events of the Cincinnati contest with rulings, biographies, schedules of events, and a recap of the incidents that occurred during the overnight hours. The final program features Potter’s name on the front announcing her as one of the co-champions, along with sections on contest highlights, a complete list of couples, and a farewell note.
Illustrating the phenomenon are more than 150 photographs of Potter, her partner, and various couples, trainers, judges, and entertainers. They range in size from 2½” x 4½” to 8” x 10” but with most 3½” x 5½”. Many are Inscribed to Potter with her notes on the rear. Most of the photo are loose, but nearly a dozen of the larger format photos are still attached to their original scrapbook pages preserving Potter’s captions.
Rounding out the collection is a group of a letters from fans wishing her well in the marathon, along with kind words from fellow contestants, and two letters from family. The first family letter is from Potter’s mother pleading with her to stop competing in dance marathons and is accompanied by a newspaper clipping of the dangers involved in such endurance events. The other letter from her brother, an endearingly poor speller, wishing her well, says he will visit her soon, and that she should not feel down about squandering her marathon winnings.
A charming collection documenting a young woman’s short but successful career as a dance marathon contestant and champion in the 1930s at the height of that Depression Era craze.
Item #395737
