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Lot 3031

A Leo Jaffe Dictograph handset

5 May 2013, 10:00 PDT
Los Angeles

Sold for US$3,500 inc. premium

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A Leo Jaffe Dictograph handset

Circa 1940s, wood base with plastic handset and buttons with typed labels reading "Fergsn," "Kahn," "Skouras," "Javitz," "Levine," "Ring." Previously housed in Jaffe's office at Columbia Pictures in New York. Jaffe joined the studio in 1930, and rose to run the studio in the 1960s and '70s. The labels likely refer to Spyros Skouras, the head of Fox; Joseph Levine, the head of Embassy; and possibly Joseph Javits, the New York Senator. This handset was also used as a prop in the Woody Allen film The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), on the desk of the Hollywood Executive. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the consignor.
10 1/2 x 9 x 4 1/2 in.

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