Original Drawings, Tom Valiant, 1923, Santa Monica, Rudolph Valentino, Sweet 16 Unspanked

Valiant, Tom. Scribblings of a Would-Be Artist. Santa Monica: Tom Valiant, 1923. Oblong octavo, cloth sketch book, unpaginated but 48 pages. Includes 34 mostly pencil drawings by Tom Valiant.

For your consideration is this 1923 sketchbook of Would-Be artist Tom Valiant of Santa Monica, California. Tom Valiant was born in Massachusetts on Dec. 14, 1906. He settled in Fresno, CA in 1939 and continued to paint there until his death on July 10, 1951. He was known in his prime as a watercolorist and his works were noted in Edan Hughes' book, "Artists in California, 1786-1940." Several of his drawings feature Rudolph Valentino. A fascinating look at the beginnings of an Art career.

Condition notes: Good+. This oblong octavo, measuring 9 ¾ inches by 8 ¼ inches, is bound in cloth. The block of pages is separate from the binding, and the first and last pages have split from the rest of the block. The art is in very good condition, as drawn by the 1923 Would-Be artist of Santa Monica, Tom Valiant.