FABULOUS AND IMPORTANT “BLIND TOM” “THE SLAVE MUSICAL GENIUS” ARCHIVE.

Blind Tom, born a slave in Columbus GA was a piano virtuoso who amazed the American public with dazzling feats of mimicry and memory of the most sophisticated pieces of music ever written. He could sing in German, French and English at the age of 10 years old. There are at least 4 scholarly biographies written about Blind Tom, nee Thomas Greene Wiggins 1849. One of Tom’s biographers, Geneva H Southall states in her 1999 biography “Blind from birth he was a “throw-in” as a bargain when Colonel James Neil Bethune, a highly respected Columbus GA lawyer and newspaper editor who purchased his parents Charity and Mingo Wiggins and two of his brothers at a slave auction in 1850… Tom demonstrated his aptitude for music from his 4th birthday, having slipped unnoticed to the piano and picked out several tunes he had heard played by the Bethune daughters, all of whom were accomplished musicians. After that revelation Tom became something of a “household pet” with all members of the family… One can assume that Tom received a solid theoretical and technical music foundation. His progress was such, by the time of his 6th birthday, he had become a ‘prized possession’ with the Bethune children proudly exhibiting him to their neighbors.” Of the reported 20 children of Charity and Mingo, only Tom had any musical ability or was autistic. Tom had his first public appearance at the Columbus Temperance Hall on October 7th 1857. Within a year Tom was so famous that his owner was being paid royal sums for Tom to perform all over the south. At the Civil War’s end and freedom given to southern slaves Colonel Bethune made a deal with Tom’s parents paying them such that he could continue to be Tom’s guardian and toured with him all over the world making immense wealth for him but little for Tom and his parents. This archive with over 50 pieces of original sheet music, broadsides and photographs chronicle his life. There are 2 Columbus newspapers, October 10th and 14th 1862 advertising soldiers aid concerts hosted by Tom. It was noted in Ms. Southall’s biography that Tom must have been quite aware of the war and politics because at one of these Confederate events he played on the piano Dixie with one hand, Yankee Doodle with the other while singing “The Girl I Left Behind” at the same time. Included are over 20 pieces of sheet music, mostly 19th century dating from 1865. There are 3 broadsides, one with a large vignette of Blind Tom most likely used in one of the many concert halls he performed. There are 8 photographs from life, CDV’s and cabinet cards. There is a requested signature of Tom where his “mark” was sent. There are 6 versions of early biographies “Sketches of the life of Blind Tom” printed beginning in 1867 with several variations printed in the US and England from 30-55 pages. There is a December 1865 phrenological journal which studies the shapes of heads of luminaries from George Washington to Julius Caesar and a full page on Blind Tom. Blind Tom was no doubt among the most famous performers and pianists of his day. His last public performance was in 1905, he died in 1908. His New York Times obituary June 15, 1908 was not glowing about the true genius that Tom Wiggins is known to have had today, and there was no mention of his exploitation throughout his life or that his earnings in today’s money would be the equivalent of many millions of dollars, though he saw little of it and died penniless. Obituaries were published nationwide and black newspapermen were quick to report the almost lifelong slavery that he endured. It is also interesting that Blind Tom is possibly the only person to have 2 obituaries in the New York Times, when he was first reported killed in the Johnstown flood of 1903 and somebody was buried in a tombstone placed on his grave. There are several magazine and newspaper articles also accompanying this group from the 1860’s Harper’s Weekly to he Ladies Home Journal of 1898 and other later editions concerning Blind Tom. There are also 2 large notebooks with biographical research and correspondence prepared by George Greene. This is no doubt by far the largest grouping of Blind Tom memorabilia ever assembled and took almost an entire room to display in the Greene Museum. Also accompanying are several large reader boards from the museum. PROVENANCE: From the Greene Museum of Southern History. CONDITION: Fair to excellent. Prospective purchasers should inspect. 9-28019 (10,000-20,000) – Lot 1402