1955-57 Spirit of St Louis James Stewart Aviation 4 Pieces - Mac Julian

Group of three original vintage black-and-white photographs and one period photographic postcard connected with the production and promotion of Warner Bros.’ 1957 aviation film The Spirit of St. Louis, directed by Billy Wilder and starring James Stewart as aviator Charles A. Lindbergh.

The collection includes two photographs measuring approximately 8 × 10 inches that show James Stewart during aviation-related production activity.

One photograph presents Stewart standing on an airfield before a large United States Air Force troop-carrier aircraft, with a reproduction of Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis visible in the distance.

The second shows Stewart and several members of the production seated beside a TWA Lockheed Constellation. Airport personnel, equipment and a motion-picture camera are visible nearby. Together, the two photographs document aircraft and location work undertaken for the film.

A third photograph, measuring approximately 9 × 7 inches, shows Warner Bros. still photographer Mac “Julian” Saugstad standing beneath the wing of an aircraft at an airport terminal while carrying photographic and production cases.

The reverse bears the red stamp of:

Photo Kanova
3 Rue Troyon
Paris XVIIe

It also bears a period penciled notation reading:

“Mac Julian – Spirit of St. Louis 1955?”

The photograph places Julian within the European production activity connected with the film and records the photographer working away from the Warner Bros. studio.

Completing the collection is a period French photographic postcard showing a small aircraft flying above Paris beside the Eiffel Tower. The reverse carries a printed message discussing the recreation of Lindbergh’s 1927 landing at Le Bourget and concludes with a printed facsimile of James Stewart’s signature. The message and signature are reproduced as part of the postcard and are not handwritten by Stewart.

Directed by Billy Wilder, The Spirit of St. Louis was a Warner Bros. aviation production requiring location work, specially constructed aircraft and staged flying sequences recreating Lindbergh’s 1927 solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris.

The collection combines images of James Stewart, the production’s aircraft, Mac Julian’s international production activity and a French promotional postcard associated with the film.

Provenance
From the Mac Julian Archive, the personal photographic archive of Warner Bros. still photographer Mac “Julian” Saugstad (1901–1970).

Known professionally as Mac Julian, Saugstad spent more than three decades photographing Hollywood productions and created portraits, key-set stills, publicity photographs and behind-the-scenes images for Warner Bros. and other studios.

The photographs were retained within Julian’s personal archive following his studio career and have remained with his family since.

Condition
The two approximately 8 × 10-inch photographs of James Stewart exhibit noticeable overall rippling and waviness, together with light handling wear and minor age-related marks. The approximately 9 × 7-inch photograph of Mac Julian shows light surface and edge wear associated with age and handling. The postcard has scalloped edges, light toning and minor handling wear. Please examine the accompanying images carefully for the complete condition.