Another Rare Double Talk

Vintage DOUBLE TALK ventriloquist newsletter.  June 1938.  Vol. 1 No. 8.  Fourteen age-yellowed 8.5 x 11 mimeographed pages.  Cover has slight tear and a few pencil markings, but otherwise this rare historical piece is in remarkably good condition in spite of its nearly 73 years. 

Contents:  The Fundamentals of the Ventriloquial Voice by John Ellwood and Ada Ripel; Honesty Is The Best Policy (adult vent dialogue by Leon); This N That (vent news and gossip of the day by Richard Haldene); A full page news/ad by Humme announcing the addition of a 42" girl figure, Jeanne, to his act;  Vich Vay Did He Vent?, a humours article by Baffles on his early efforts at venting; Nite Spot Ventriloquism by Leon; A biography introduction to 13 year old "Chucky" Koontz, the "World's Biggest Little Magician, Humorist, Ventriloquist" (including an actual copy of his advertising flyer with photo, an insert to this newsletter); An untitled article by Judge Frank Carter which turns out to be a mild tirade over Bergen's skills (or lack thereof); Dummy Talk (more than two full pages of brief shorts with news of the day's vents) by Oscar.  This is a rare piece - so much history.  Fascinating.  On eBay auction now:   http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290672013861

One of Haldene's comments that caught my eye: "Johnson Smith of Detroit are now selling a 10" vent figure and a book on vent for $1.45.  Well, we may as well give the kids a break.  I'll bet many of us wish we could have obtained a figure that cheap when the bug first bit us."  I wonder what Haldene would think if he could see the price of starter figures today, Goldberger dolls (without a vent book!) that cost more than the price of a wood carved professional figure of his day!