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1945 1946 1947 Tulsa Yearbooks, each with SIGNED Letters from the Famous LIFE Magazine, Bounds Twins, Betty and Barbara Bounds.
The Complete 3-Year Archive: 1945, 1946, & 1947 Will Rogers High School Yearbooks (The Lariat - Tulsa, OK)
Up for sale is a museum-quality, three-volume time capsule of World War II and post-war American youth culture. This complete set includes the Sophomore (1945), Junior (1946), and Senior (1947) yearbooks belonging to a highly popular and deeply involved student (my Papa) named William \"Bill\" Breisch.
Unlike standard, lightly signed yearbooks, these volumes are heavily annotated front-to-back. They serve as a continuous, three-year diary packed with cinematic, full-page letters, romantic drama, and inside jokes that perfectly capture the colloquialisms of the 1940s.
The \"Tulsa Twins\" (LIFE Magazine) Provenance:
The crown jewel of this collection is the continuous, three-year documentation of the owner\'s close friendship with Betty and Barbara Bounds. The Bounds sisters became national pop-culture icons when they were featured in a massive photo essay in the August 4, 1947 issue of LIFE magazine, cementing them as the definitive face of the mid-century American teenager. This archive contains more than six signatures and notes from the twins, tracking their friendship from the day they met until their graduation:
1945 (Sophomore): Contains the origins of their friendship, with personalized notes from both Betty and Barbara.
1946 (Junior): Features longer, dedicated notes from both twins a full year before their national LIFE magazine spread.
1947 (Senior): Contains even more highly personalized notes from both Betty and Barbara Bounds. Crucially, the owner\'s senior portrait is printed directly next to Betty Bounds, and diagonally from Barbara, with both twins signing their names across their portraits.
Incredible 1940s Americana & Ephemera:
Beyond the pop-culture provenance, these books are a treasure trove of regional folk history and teenage lore.
Romance & Drama: The pages are filled with mid-century dating culture, including a deeply romantic eight-month anniversary letter, multiple dramatic breakup/reminiscence letters, and full-page confessions of high school crushes.
Social Clubs: Features the complete three-year origin and history of local high school social fraternities and sororities, specifically tracking the boys\' \"Baronets\" club from its formation through its peak.
Folk Art: Includes a fantastic, hand-drawn caricature profile sketched in blue ink by a classmate.
All three volumes are in amazing condition. The bindings are intact, and the pages are packed with hundreds of signatures, full-paragraph letters, and well-wishes.
Will ship fully insured via USPS Priority Mail to ensure this historical archive is protected. Local pickup in the Tulsa/Sand Springs area is also welcome for regional historians or collectors.
This is a remarkably rare opportunity to own a fully documented, primary source of the exact youth culture that defined 1940s America.
(Please note: Books are sold exclusively as a 3-volume bundled set to preserve the continuous historical narrative. Vintage copies of the August 1947 LIFE magazine are NOT INCLUDED but make a perfect companion piece for the winning buyer).
