Zaro Rossi - autographed!

Here's that picture I promised back in January -- a photo personally autorgraphed by Zaro Rossi! If only my name happened to be Jack....

When I purchased this sepia beauty, I admit to being a bit skeptical about the signature's authenticity. What led me to bid was the fact that while the seller could read the name with no problem, he (she?) didn't appear to know the model's last name, limiting the search potential (I found this while searching under the very generic "gay vintage 50s" in my endless quest for Palatinus photos). Someone familiar with classic physique models would surely have put "Zaro Rossi" in the item description!

Lo and behold, just a couple of weeks ago, another autographed Zaro came up for auction -- from a different seller. Compare the two -- the autographs are identical. It's no secret that Zaro sold sets of photos of himself directly to his fans -- here's an advert for the second picture from a March 1958 issue of Adonis that features the second photo.

Sadly, the cost of this second picture exceeded my meager means -- but I'm very happy to have visual proof that I own an actual photograph signed by the incomparable Zaro!

Zaro Rossi

I bought this one a few months back. It's an oddity, and not just because Zaro is in an honest-to-gosh pouch -- it's dimensions are a bizarre 3 1/2 x 5 1/2, and it's not trimmed in any way. It may have been meant for publication use, as "Tomorrow's Man" is typewritten on the back. Luckily it is printed on such heavy paper that the typing doesn't penetrate.

As for the image -- what a hunky guy! I don't want to guess the photographer yet, but when I get a chance I'll try to find if I have any other bow shots in the files...

Another really cool Zaro to share with you as soon as it arrives in the mail...!!!

Zaro Rossi by Dave Martin