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Subject:
From:
Christian Stalberg <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:47:55 -0800
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	My family is missing an autographed picture of Mark Twain and we're
trying 
to locate it. I already checked with the collection at the Bancroft Library
and they do
not have it. Here is the story of how it came into my family:

      	My great, grandfather Herman Cornelius Stalberg became the librarian
of the Union Club in New York City in May 1893. Apparently Mark Twain came
to the Club and met my GG grandfather. One of Twain's daughters was studying
vocal music. Twain had some music that was in the wrong key so apparently my
GG grandfather - a musician as well as a librarian - offered to transpose
the music
for Twain's daughter's use. The transposing was done as a favor to Twain and
my 
GG grandfather would not accept payment. Instead, Twain gave my GG
grandfather 
a photograph of himself with the following inscription "To Herman Stalberg,
with 
greetings, (signed) Mark Twain".

      	My father told me this story and of how as a boy of between 10 and
12
years of age in NYC he told his school classmates this story. The classmates

did not believe him so my father's aunt Frieda mailed my dad the photograph 
and he took it to school and shared it with everyone to prove it was true.
The photo then went back to aunt Frieda. She died in Southern California
probably in the early 1960s. She had no children and we do not know what
happened to her possessions, this photograph perhaps being among them, now
lost.

      	Anyone having any ideas where we might be able to locate this photo
and/or how we might be able to claim it once found would be most
appreciated. Thank you!

            - Christian Stalberg

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