Lot 942: Five Frederick Fox Midcentury Theater Designs, Broadway & Met Opera, incl. Tosca

Group of five (5) Frederick Fox (New York/New Jersey, 1910-1991) scenic designs for midcentury stage productions on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera. Item 1: Watercolor on paper set design painting for the Met production of Puccini 's Tosca, Act III, depicting the top of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome with statue of the Archangel Michael, c. 1955. Inscribed"Painting Detail / Act III Tosca / Designed by Frederick Fox for / The Metropolitan Opera Assn. / Scale 1/2" = 1 ' – 0"," upper right. With United Scenic Artists stamp signed"Frederick Fox," upper left. Housed under glass in an ebonized wood frame with cream mat. Sight: 14 3/4" H x 21 1/2" W. Frame: 18 3/4" H x 28" W. Item 2: Watercolor on paper set design painting for Tosca, Act III, depicting the top of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome by night with actors emerging from a stairway at right and sentry keeping watch at right, 1955. Signed and dated"Frederick Fox 55," lower right. Housed under glass in a gilt and ebonized wood frame with cream mat. Sight: 6 1/4" H x 11 3/4" W. Frame: 16 15/16" H x 20 7/8" W. Item 3: Tempera on paper set design painting for Tosca, Act I, depicting a cathedral interior with three actors. Inscribed"Act I," lower margin, and signed"Frederick Fox 55," lower right. Housed under glass in a gilt and ebonized wood frame with cream mat. Sight: 6 1/4" H x 11 3/4" W. Frame: 16 15/16" H x 20 7/8" W. Item 4: Tempera on paper set design painting for the 1944 Broadway production of Only the Heart depicting a lavish living room interior. Signed"Frederick Fox" and dated"45" in pencil, lower right. With"M. Goldberg / 323 W. 45 St / NYC" and"Only The Heart / By Horton Foote / Directed by Mary Hunter" inscribed to backing plus Woodmere Art Gallery, Chesnut Hill, PA, label affixed to backing. Mat is inscribed"Only The Heart." Housed under glass in an ebonized wood frame with tan mat with french line. Sight: 3 1/2" H x 8" W. Frame: 11 3/4" H x 15 1/2" W. Item 5: Tempera on paper set design painting for the Admiral Broadway Revue television production of Flaming Youth depicting a darkened attic interior with chairs and arch window, c. 1949. Inscribed" Flaming Youth / Admiral B 'way Revue / Scale 1/2" = 1 ' -0"," lower margin. With United Scenic Artists stamp signed"Frederick Fox," upper left. Unframed. Sheet: 7 1/4" H x 9 7/8" W. Backing: 8 7/16" H x 10 3/4" W. Biographical note: "Frederick Fox was a scenic designer for theater, opera, and television. Fox designed scenery and lighting for Broadway shows and Metropolitan Opera House productions. He was a pioneer in television design, working on shows such as Admiral Broadway Revue (1949) and the Your Show of Shows (1950-1954) series. Fox was a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829." (Source: New York Public Library)

CONDITION: All items in overall very good condition. Not examined out of frames. 1st item with minor abrasions to frame. 2nd item with loose joining to lower corners of frame. 4th item with toning to mat and minor abrasions to frame. 5th item is hinged to cardstock backing with tape. Not examined outside of frames.