![‘….our wizard friend Tesla….’ [TESLA NIKOLA]: (1856-1943) Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer and futurist, best](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/490e7209-4b7e-4aa3-9ba4-afab011e768f/8ccdf75b-2e2a-49b8-968e-afac00d5baf3/468x382.jpg)
‘….our wizard friend Tesla….’ [TESLA NIKOLA]: (1856-1943) Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer and futurist, best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. [HIGGINSON FRANCIS J.] (1843-1931) American Rear Admiral who served during the American Civil War and Spanish-American War and was the last commander-in-chief of the North Atlantic Squadron and first commander-in-chief of the North Atlantic Fleet. A collection of correspondence to Higginson from a variety of individuals at the time when Higginson was chairman of the United States Lighthouse Board (1898-1901) and seeking Tesla's assistance with wireless telegraphy. The collection comprises forty-eight A.Ls.S. and nine T.Ls.S., over 150 pages, 8vo and 4to, various places (New York, New Orleans, Washington, Newport etc.), largely 1898-1900, with both business and social content, some relating to wireless telegraphy and a few with references to Tesla, including Thomas Coulis, in part 'I have wanted to write to suggest….having some wireless telegraphy experiments while the Fleet is at Newport…..the scheme that had marked in my idle head was to use the Torpedo station as a Base for these experiments…..our electrical experts at the Torpedo station & on board the ships would do the work, & our wizard friend Tesla & his employers the Thompson Houston Company could furnish the machines necessary & advertise themselves as well at the same time. The Marconi experiments between…..[South] Foreland…..& Boulogne could be imposed (?) upon perhaps. The thing is at least up to date. The machines would cost something but if Tesla & the Thompson Houston people were called in their own advertisement would be sufficient & the plant would cost nothing….' (24th April 1899); Thomas Perry, Naval Secretary of the Lighthouse Board 1899-1901, in part, 'In response to my letter which I wrote Mr. Tesla for you, giving him certain data desired by him, he replied in an official way in a letter addressed to the Light-House Board, in which letter he states, “I shall soon place at your service, apparatus thoroughly practical and satisfactory in every respect.” After talking the matter over with Hoxie, we both became convinced that it would be necessary to tell Mr. Tesla that the Light-House Board had not requested him to go so far as to provide any apparatus, which you can well imagine, coming from him, would involve the expenditure of a great deal of money - money which the Board has not. So I addressed an official letter to Mr. Tesla, a copy of which I inclose (sic) herewith (no longer present) that you may see and have a perfect knowledge of what has been done, and I hope that you will approve of it.' (18th August 1899); Harry Taylor (7) largely discussing naval matters & tactics in war, in part, 'I think it will be well to have the fleet go to Newport and the officers to work out problems. To have the ships do so would require more, many more, than we have, but the fleet might as well lie there for a month or six weeks as at Tompkinsville and tactical problems, tactical war games and strategic war games could occupy them most usefully….' (2nd May 1899), 'The Captains who are here to see the President are going to meet…..at 2pm today to confer before going to the White House - and all hope you will be there' (2nd January 1900); William M. Folger (1844-1928) American Rear Admiral who served in the American Civil War (without seeing action) and fought in the Spanish-American War, thirty-two A.Ls.S., most with initials, largely social in content, although discussing naval matters, fever amongst the officers ('There is no reason in the world why it should not break out within a week in every village with 200 miles…..It is perfectly possible there may be a great epidemic'), Admiral of the Navy George Dewey and other mutual colleagues, recommending various novels and other books, warning against the side effects of Laxative Brown Quince, and in one letter mentioning the soprano Emma Eames, 'Mrs. Eames (mere) asked me to dinner for Wednesday - and the opera (Walkure) afterwards - to hear her daughter, who I suppose contributed the box, but I wanted Wed. free for some Bohemianism (quite harmless) with you and declined (To tell the very truth I am glad to get out of it). The female part of Eames family believe with a certain amount of justification that I plucked Eames as a brand from the burning - and whenever they get a chance they try to shew it. I don't mind much, but I do not care greatly to go to the opera with the old lady'; Nelson A. Miles (1839-1925) American General who served in the American Civil War, the American Indian Wars and the Spanish-American War and held the position of last Commanding General of the United States Army (1895-1903), Silas Casey III, Rear Admiral of the Pacific Squadron 1901-03, and several other individuals. Together with a small selection of printed ephemera including the subscription list and balance sheet of Miss Weston's work in the Royal Navy, 1st July 1894 to 30th June 1895 and a number of partially printed receipts and invoices (most torn and with various faults) from Hirsbrunner & Co., Watchmakers & Jewellers in Shanghai, Tat Cheong, Ship Compradore & General Dealer in Hong Kong, Alphonzo Smith, piano agent in New York, C. Guieu & Co., Parisian Bakery in Shanghai etc. Some overall age wear, a few P, generally G, 70
We found 596780 price guide item(s) matching your search
There are 596780 lots that match your search criteria. Subscribe now to get instant access to the full price guide service.
Click here to subscribe- List
- Grid
-
596780 item(s)/page
DVORAK ANTONIN: (1841-1904) Czech composer. A good A.L.S., A Dvorak, four pages, 8vo, Prague, 4th August 1886, to 'My dear Friend' (possibly the music publisher Henry Littleton), in English. Dvorak informs his correspondent that he has just returned to Prague and received their letter, continuing to remark 'It is difficult for me to give you any promises in regards to the arranged courtesy in Scotland. I have much to do in Prague…..and I really do not know if I shall be abel (sic) to remain in London as long as you wish. I imagine I must be here in Prague till the end of October to conduct the Ludmila in our National Theatre and after having enjoied (sic) a little rest, I would be compeled (sic) to undertake such a larg (sic) journey to England agin!! (sic). If it would be only another time (March or April) I would certainly come, but in December when the days are getting very short and cold it is much les (sic) agreebel (sic) and tiresome to travel. This is the only reason which prevents me making use of your friendly invitation', and further adding that his wife would be glad to come to London so that she could see the two performances in St. James's Hall and Crystal Palace, and that he himself longs to see the beautiful Scotland of Robert Burns and asking if the trip could be postponed to the following Spring, concluding by asking his correspondent to send him a copy of the newly printed score for Saint Ludmila as soon as possible. A letter of fine content, not least for its references to Saint Ludmila. Rare. One neat split to the lower half of the central vertical fold, otherwise VG Saint Ludmila was Dvorak's third oratorio and was composed for soloists, choir and orchestra between September 1885 and May 1886. The work was commissioned by the publisher Littleton during Dvorak's first visit to England and was intended for the Leeds Music Festival, where Dvorak conducted the first performance on 15th October 1886. It had considerable success with the audience 'in raptures…..the critics praised the music in the warmest terms'. Dvorak made nine invited visits to England during his career, often conducting performances of his own works.
BERGMAN INGRID: (1915-1982) Swedish actress, Academy Award winner. D.S., Ingrid Bergman, four pages, 4to, n.p. (New York), 10th April 1970. The partially printed document, completed in typescript, is a standard AFTRA engagement contract for a single television broadcast, made between Bergman and Anthony Productions Inc. for Bergman's appearance as a principal performer on The Merv Griffin Show to be recorded at the Cort Theatre in New York on 10th April 1970, stating that the actress will receive a compensation payment of $265 plus 10%. Signed by Bergman at the foot of the first page and also countersigned by a representative of Anthony Productions Inc. Stapled to the upper left corner. VG
SADE MARQUIS DE: (1740-1814) French Writer, Nobleman and Revolutionary Politician. Best-known for his erotic works and sexual fantasies with violence and lack of morality. Author of The 120 Days of Sodom. Sade spent thirty-two years of his life imprisoned and most of his works were written while incarcerated. The word sadism was coined from his name. Rare A.L.S., `Sade´, three pages, 4to, Charenton, 23rd December 1806, to his stage manager M. Ripert, in French. Sade first refers to his correspondent´s son, a military officer in Napoleon´s troops, and states `Je vous assure mon cher et ancien ami que la nouvelle que vous me donnez de votre fils, me fait infiniment de peine, je ne sais quel funeste pressentiment m'avait présagé le malheur qui lui est arrivé mais en l'embrassant (et M. Quesnel s'en aperçut), je sentis un mouvement involontaire d'une tristesse plus forte que moi, mais heureusement qu'il s'en tirera bien, et vous devez avoir déjà des nouvelles de sa convalescence… Au reste consolons nous de cet accident par l'idée certaine qu'il va bien sûrement monter en grade ; il aura sûrement un régiment et d'autres faveurs; car vous savez comme moi qu'il sert un bon maitre et que jamais l'Empereur n´a laissé dans l'oubli des officiers bléssés à son service…´ (“Translation: “I assure you my dear and old friend that the news you give me of your son pains me infinitely, I don't know what fatal presentiment had presaged to me the misfortune that befell him, but in embracing him (and M. Quesnel noticed it), I felt an involuntary sadness movement, stronger than me, but fortunately he will be fine, and you must already have news of his convalescence… Besides, let us console ourselves for this accident by the certain thought that he will surely rise in rank; he will surely have a regiment and other favours; because you know like me that he serves a good master and that the Emperor has never left in oblivion officers injured under his service...”) Sade further changes the topic and mentions his own affairs, stating `Un mot de mes affaires… je vous suis obligé de ce que vous avez decouvert pour me procurer quelques fonds dont je me trouve avoir absolument besoin dans ce moment-ci… et voici comme cela pourrait etre arrangé, l´affaire se fairait ce quon appelle par anticipation; le nouveau fermier en signant l'acte me payerait une année d'avance dont il se rembourserait a la fin de son bail, et ce remboursement fait par le fermier qui prendrait alors, c'est a dire a la fin du bail de celui que vous me proposez payerait cette année; personne par ce moyen ne se trouverait gené. Combinez bien, minutez bien ce que je vous propose et si l'on y consent, et que vous trouviez ce plan b bon pour moi. Envoyez moi de suite un modèle de procuration je vous le renverrai signé…´ (Translation: “A word about my affairs...I am obliged to you for what you have discovered in order to get me some funds which I find myself absolutely in need of at this moment...and here is how it could be arranged, the matter would be what is called “by anticipation”; the new farmer by signing the deed would pay me a year in advance which he would be reimbursed for at the end of his lease, and this reimbursement made by the farmer who would then take the contract, that is to say at the end of the lease of the one whom you propose; no one by this means would be embarrassed. Plan well what I propose to you and if we agree to it, and that you find this plan b good for me. Send me immediately a power of attorney that I will send it back to you signed…”) Before concluding, Sade insists on his need of money, saying `A l'égard du château j'espère que vous ne le louerai qu'à quelqu'un de sûr, et qui n'y laisse rien dégrader cette clause est très importante… je vous remercie de ce que vous me dites a l'occasion du bois de Saumane, mais étendez vous dans votre reponse et dites moi de quelle manière je vais en retirer de l'argent…´ (Translation: “With regard to the castle I hope that you will only rent it to someone reliable, and who does not let anything deteriorate, this clause is very important… I thank you for what you tell me regarding the Saumane wood, but extend your answer and tell me how I will get money from it…”) A lengthy letter of good content. With address leaf. Postmarked. One small hole to first sheet and few small ones to the second, only partially affecting one word, and not affecting the signature. Very small area of paper loss to the edge of the second sheet as a result of the letter opening. G Sade refers to Napoleon I when mentioning the behaviour of the Emperor when relating to injured soldiers of his troops.
KOLLWITZ KATHE: (1867-1945) German artist. A good A.L.S., Kathe Kollwitz, four pages, 8vo, n.p., 2nd April 1920, to Dora Hitz, on the printed stationery of the Frauenkunstverband (Women's Art Association), in German. Kollwitz states that she was sorry to hear that her correspondent was back in hospital, and continues 'Now to your picture, which is very beautiful, I like it a lot. You want it hung in one of the first halls. But you will only really understand the Berlin Secession if you take a look inside. Radical changes have been made which is evident from the fact that almost all of the rooms have been repainted, in the most vibrant bright colours. Luckily, hanging up the pictures is none of my business, it is done by a member of the board. I imagine hanging up the pictures in the lower rooms as very difficult. I am going back in a few days to see how they have hung up your picture and will then let you know. I will communicate your wishes to the Commission', further referring to another female artist, 'Lore Feldberg, who I consider very talented, was initially supposed to exhibit two works of art, but unfortunately it was then decided to take only one. Her self-portrait with tulips is now on display'. A letter of fine content and excellent association. A dark ink blot appears to the upper left corner, slightly affecting the printed letterhead. VGDora Hitz (1856-1924) German painter, a co-founder of the Berlin Secession and Court Painter to the Romanian Royal Family.Eleonore Feldberg (1895-1966) German painter who studied under Dora Hitz.
GERMAINE DE STAEL: (1766-1817) Also known as Madame de Stael, her real name being Anne Louise Germaine de Stael-Holstein. French leading Salonniere, a woman of letters and political Theorist. She was the daughter of Banker and French Minister Jacques Necker. A voice of moderation during the French Revolution, her intellectual collaboration with Benjamin Constant between 1794 and 1810 made them one of the most celebrated intellectual couples of their time. She lived many years in exile, first during the Reign of Terror and later escaping from Napoleon´s persecution. Rare A.L., one page, 8vo, n.p., n.d., `this Friday´, to Mr. Mackintosh, in French. Germaine de Stael states in part `Vous me manquez beaucoup, my dear Sir, vous êtes pour moi la belle Angleterre, celle de l´esprit et de l´âme. N´oubliez pas que j´attends vous et Lady Mackintosh demain a diner, vous me donnez mes jours de fête….´ ("I miss you very much my dear Sir, you are for me the image of the beautiful England with spirit and soul. Don´t forget that I am waiting for you and Lady Mackintosh tomorrow for dinner, you bring me my happy days..") Further ´referring to her son, very emotionally saying `Je vais diner lundi chez Lady Liverpool, voudriez-vous être de la partie? Il y a de bien grandes Nouvelles, ah mon pauvre fils eut été bien heureux de se battre a présent, cela me serre le coeur jusqu´au point de le briser.. ´ ("I am going to have dinner on Monday at Lady Liverpool´s home. Would you like to join us? There are great news, alas my poor son would have been very happy to be fighting right now. That constricts my heart to breaking point..") One stain, only affecting one word, otherwise G
TURGENEV IVAN: (1818-1883) Russian novelist, poet and playwright. A.L.S., Iv. Tourgueneff, to two sides of a pain 12mo correspondence card, Rue de Douai, Paris, 14th April 1882, to Hjalmar H. Boyesen ('My dear friend'), in English. Turgenev writes a letter of introduction, stating that his letter will be forwarded by Professor Kowalefski of Moscow ('a great friend of mine') and explaining 'He has the intention to remain in America for three or four months - and I recommend you aa warmly as possible this very amiable and intelligent man, so as to render him his sojourn in your fatherland agreeable and useful'. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Turgenev to Boyesen in New York. Together with a T.L.S. by William A. Jackson of The Houghton Library at Harvard University, one page, 8vo, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 10th September 1963, to Stephen Rowan, thanking him for having sent the copy of Turgenev's letter to Boyesen and commenting 'It is the first Turgenev letter I have seen written in English. Normally he wrote as you know in French or Russian'. Rare. Some very light, minor age wear, otherwise VG, 2Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen (1848-1895) Norwegian-American author and professor of Germanic languages at New York's Columbia University from 1881.
GOYA FRANCISCO JOSE DE: (1746-1828) Spanish Painter. Goya is considered the most important Spanish Painter of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and is regarded as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. A precursor of the Expressionism. His masterpiece portrayal of a naked woman, La Maja Desnuda ("The Naked Maja"), now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, was a remarkably daring nude for the time, renowned for the unashamed gaze of the model towards the viewer without negative connotations. An exceptionally rare L.S., `Fran[cis]co de Goya´, three pages, 4to, Bordeaux, 30th November 1824, to the Duchess of San Fernando, in Spanish. Goya apologies for his hasty departure from Paris preventing him from saying goodbye to her himself, stating in part `Cuando salí de Paris para venir a esta [ciudad], dispuse atropelladamente mi viaje; el tiempo urgía, me hallaba sin dinero, y admití la oferta de unos amigos que me anticiparon los gastos del camino…´ (Translation: `When I left Paris to come to this [city], I hastily organized my trip; time was urgent, I was without money, and I accepted the offer of some friends who anticipated the expenses of the trip…") Goya is still not sure about his near future and explains that his has requested to the King of Spain an extension of his permission to leave his court painter obligations, saying `Aqui estoy, sin saber lo que debo hacer de mi. He pedido una prórroga, siquiera para poder pasar el invierno al calor de la chimenea, y no se si S[u] M[ajestad] tendrá a bien de concedérmela…´ (Translation: "Here I am, not knowing what I should make of myself. I have asked for an extension, at least that I can spend the winter in the warmth before a fireplace, and I don't know if H[is] M[ajesty] will be good enough to grant it to me…") Further again, Goya explains in full detail what the present he has sent to his correspondent is, being some drafts, drawings and figurines of three dwarfs, stating in part `Me tomo la libertad de remitir a V.E. esos tres comisionados, a quienes doy el encargo especial de asegurarla cuan agradecido estoy a la memoria que conserva de mi, y cuanto deseo complacerla y servirla. Son tres enanos que se presentaron en la feria de Burdeos dos meses hace, y me pareció conveniente sacar un tanteo de sus caras y sus figurillas. El de los pantaloncitos tiene 18 pulgadas, de los otros dos (que son marido y mujer) ella tiene 21 pulgadas y el esposo 20. Celebraré que cumplan su comisión, según los deseos del invalido que los envia´ (Translation: `I take the liberty of sending to Y.E. those three commissioners [referring to his three dwarfs figurines], to whom I give the special charge of assuring you how grateful I am to the memory you keep of me, and how much I wish to please and serve you. They are three dwarfs who appeared at the Bordeaux fair two months ago, and I thought it convenient to make a test of their faces and their figurines. The one with the short trousers is 18 inches, and the other two (who are husband and wife) she is 21 inches and the husband is 20. I will celebrate that they fulfil their commission, according to the wishes of the invalid who sends them" [Goya refers here to himself]) Goya has a lengthy list of important portraits paintings of dwarfs. An exceptional document, with very interesting content related to Goya´s last years, short after his arrival to France, and referring to his work on three dwarves he met at a fair in Bordeaux. A letter in very fine condition. VG Goya became a court painter to the Spanish Crown in 1786 and this early part of his career is marked by portraits of the Spanish aristocracy. In 1793 an illness left him deaf, after which his work became progressively darker. In 1799 Goya became the First Court Painter, the highest rank for a Spanish court Painter, under King Charles IV of Spain. During the Peninsular War and Napoleon´s invasion of Spain, Goya remained in Madrid, and his series of paintings Disasters of War, or his painting The Second of May 1808, show how much this war affected him deeply, fearing for his country´s fate. He also painted important portraits of the Royal Spanish family and of Lord Wellington.His late period is marked by the Black Paintings, on the plaster walls of his own house "La Quinta del Sordo" ("The House of the Deaf Man") where disillusioned by political and religious corruption, and by social developments in Spain, he lived near isolation. He also painted dwarves, and persons with insanity or in mental asylums, as well as themes related with witches and fantastical creatures. Goya abandoned Spain in 1824, the year of the present letter, to retire to the French city of Bordeaux from where the present letter is written. He was accompanied by his maid and companion Leocadia Weiss, 42 years younger than him, although it remains unclear if she was or not his lover.It was at that time and in Bordeaux where Goya completed his well-known series of paintings La Tauromaquia, depicting bullfighting scenes. Goya died and was buried in Bordeaux, but was later re-interred in the Royal Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida in Madrid. Famously, the skull was missing, and the Spanish consul to Bordeaux reported so to his superiors in Madrid, who wired back "Send Goya, with or without head". The present letter is most probably in the hand of Leandro Fernández de Moratín (1760-1828) Spanish Dramatist, Poet, and translator of works of Moliere and Shakespeare into Spanish. Goya made his friend´s portrait in his late years in Bordeaux. Fernandez de Moratin lived his late years in exile in France and died in Paris only two months after Goya passed away in Bordeaux. The present letter is written to Maria Luisa of Bourbon and Villabriga (1783-1846) Duchess of San Fernando de Quiroga. She was directly related to several Kings of Spain, being the grand-daughter of Philip V, the niece of Charles III, and cousin of Charles IV. Maria Luisa and her husband, first duke of San Fernando, went into exile in 1823 to Paris.
TEMPLE SHIRLEY: (1928-2014) American actress, recipient of the first special Juvenile Academy Award in 1935. T.L.S., Shirley Temple, one page, 8vo, Beverly Hills, California, 4th May 1939, to Douglas Barber, on printed stationery featuring a portrait of the young child actress. Temple states, in full, 'It was lovely of you to send me the attractive green leather bellows for my Birthday, and I want to thank you ever so much for remembering me'. Accompanied by the original envelope. VG
COLLINS WILKIE: (1824-1889) English novelist and playwright whose work The Moonstone (1868) is widely considered as the first modern detective novel. A good A.Q.S., Wilkie Collins, one page, 8vo, Gloucester Place, Portman Square, London, 17th February 1883, on his personal printed monogrammed stationery. Collins has penned a seven-line quotation which he identifies as being from The Woman in White, in full, 'Women can resist a man's love, a man's fame, a man's personal appearance, and a man's money; but they cannot resist a man's tongue when he knows how to talk to them'. Rare in this form. Very slightly irregularly trimmed to the upper edge and with a few signs of previous tears (professionally restored to a very high standard and now only very slightly affecting a few words of text) and with some minor traces of former mounting to the verso. G The mystery novel The Woman in White (1859-60) was Collins's fifth published work and can be seen as an early example of detective fiction with the protagonist, Walter Hartright, employing many of the sleuthing techniques of later private detectives.
DWIGHT EDWARD: (1933- ) American test pilot who, in 1961, became the first African American to have entered the Air Force training programme from which NASA selected astronauts. Dwight was controversially not selected to officially join NASA and subsequently resigned from the air force in 1966. A good vintage signed and inscribed 10 x 8 photograph of Dwight seated in the cockpit of his aircraft. Signed in blue fountain pen ink to the image. A few very light, minor corner creases, otherwise VG
SARASATE PABLO DE: (1844-1908) Spanish virtuoso Violinist and Composer. An excellent and very good content A.L.S., `Pablo de Sarasate´, three pages, 5 x 6, Paris, 15th October 1894, to `Docteur Mackenzie´, in French with few words in English. In an ebullient letter from Paris, Sarasate states in part `Caro Maestro et cher ami, je vous salue tous trois de tout coeur, et suis enchanté d´apprendre que vous avez passé un bon été… all right: hurrah for England et pour l´une de ses gloires qui s´appelle Mackenzie. Dimanche prochain j´aurai l´honneur de présenter au public Parisien votre Pibroch, aux Concerts dirigés par Colonne. Son orchestra est superbe, et je puis vous garantir une execution de premier ordre; je tacherai de me montrer en cette occasion un écossais pur sang - moins le costume - et de prouver que la musique nationale de votre beau pays est l´une des plus belles et poétiques qui existent au monde, vous savez que j´en suis fanatique´ (Translation: "Caro Maestro and dear friend, I send my regards to the three of you from deep in my heart, and I am very pleased to learn that you have spent a good summer… all right: hurrah for England and for one of his glories called Mackenzie. Next Sunday, I will have the honour to play your Pibroch for the Parisian public, at the concerts conducted by Colonne. His orchestra is superb, and I can grant you that the performance will be first-rate; for this occasion, I will try to appear as a pure-bred Scotsman - except for the costume - and prove that the national music of your beautiful country is one of the most lovely and poetic in the whole world, as you know am a fanatic of it") Sarasate further regrets that his friend Mackenzie cannot attend in person the concert and comments that Colonne is ready to play in future further works of Mackenzie. Accompanied by the original envelope, addressed in Sarasate´s hand, postmarked and stamped. G to VG Alexander Campbell Mackenzie (1847-1935) Scottish Composer and Conductor. Widely regarded as one of the fathers of the British musical renaissance in the late XIXth century. Mackenzie´s Pibroch Suite for Violin and Orchestra was dedicated to Sarasate who premiered it with the composer conducting at the Leeds Festival in 1889. Pibroch is defined as a set of variations for the Scottish Highland bagpipe. It is etymologically related to Gaelic "Pib" ("Pipe"). Mackenzie dedicated his Highlan Ballad (1893) to Sarasate. The two remained close friends until Sarasate´s death in 1908, when Mackenzie wrote a moving tribute to him in the Musical Times. Pablo Sarasate not only championed Scottish music, he also composed some such as his "Six Airs Ecossais" ("Six Scottish Airs") Edouard Colonne (1838-1910) French Conductor and Violinist.
KOLLONTAI ALEXANDRA: (1872-1952) Russian Communist Revolutionary. A member of the Mensheviks first, and further Bolshevik Party, she was one of the first and few women appointed as Soviet Ambassador. Rare T.L.S., `A.Kollontay´, two pages, 4to, Oslo, 17th February 1925, in Cyrillic. Signed by Alexandra Kollontai in her capacity as Plenipotentiary Minister of the U.S.S.R to Norway. The letter bearing the printed heading, in French and Cyrillic, of the U.S.S.R legation in Norway, is a license approval stating in part `..is hereby authorized for sea-hunting in the territorial waters of Russia on the North cost of European Russia from the Finnish frontier up to Novaya Zemlya along the seaside of the continent and islands, except water zone of the White Sea, south of the Orlovsky Light-house and Cape Kanushin line, where the hunting is forbidden.´, further saying `This certificate is issued on the basis of the contract agreement signed by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with the "Aaalesund Navigation Union, group of seal hunters", and ratified by the Council of Peoples' Commissars on 16th December 1924.´ Also bearing two countersignatures beneath Kollontai´s one, and alongside a C.C.C.P. ink stamp. Four binder holes to the left border with very small area of paper loss around them, none affecting the text or signatures. G
DESGROUETTES PÉPIN: (?-1805) Pierre Athanase Desgrouettes, also called Des Grouettes, was one of the most odious figures of the French revolution during the Reign of Terror. A stool pigeon in the prisons of terror. Malignant and misshapen, he was imprisoned during the reign of Louis XVI for prevarication and later again imprisoned in La Bastille for printing pamphlets, but became with the French revolution a judge in few revolutionary tribunals as member of the Commune. Rare A.L.S., `Pépin Dégrouhettes´, two pages, 4to, n.p., [Paris], 8th October 1792, First year of the Revolution, to the Minister of war, in French. Desgrouettes, on behalf of several “good citizens”, denounces their boss and indicates his address in order to arrest him, stating in part `Permettez que je vous adresse la réclamation de plusieurs bons citoyens… les sacrifices qu´ils ont fait pour la chose publique ont réduits á la nécessité de travailler à la journée au camp sous Paris, et dont un chef infidèle retient le salaire et par consequent les moyens de subsistance. Ce chef est le S. Chevreau, demeurant rue de Fauxbourg Saint Denis nº 24…´ (“Allow me to address to you the complaint of several good citizens... the sacrifices they have made for the public affairs has reduced their lives to the need of having to work by day in the camps beneath Paris, and their salaries are withheld by an unfaithful boss and consequently their livelihoods too. This chief is S. Chevreau, residing rue de Fauxbourg Saint Denis nº 24…“ Desgrouettes explains in detail the days they worked, the small amount received on account, and the refusal of Chevreau to pay the amount agreed and due and the way he harshly ousts them, and further again states invoking the principles of the revolution `Il n´entre point dans l´esprit de la Nation et de ses ministers que les citoyens malaisés qui servent la Patrie soient volés et maltraités; je vous prie donc avec instance, citoyen minister, de faire justice… et de punir l´infidèle et brutal Chevreau. Dans une République bien organisée il faut que tout homme….´ (“It is not in the spirit of the Nation and its ministers that the weak citizens who serve the Fatherland are robbed and mistreated; I therefore beg you insistently, citizen minister, to do justice... and to punish the unloyal and brutal Chevreau. In a well-organized Republic every man must...”) Desgrouettes adds beneath his signature that he acts in his capacity as `Membre du conseil general de la Commune et Président du tribunal criminel´ (“Member of the General Council of the Commune and President of the Criminal Court”). In very fine condition, about VG Desgrouettes is well-remembered and described by imprisoned people in Paris, as a provocative agent and a stool pigeon of the revolutionary committees. During the Reign of Terror, Desgrouettes was picking out at the prison of Saint Lazare the arrested persons to be executed. It is reported that when the number of executions was important he was celebrating with joy and wine and returning home drunk and singing.
SAINT-SAENS CAMILLE: (1835-1921) French composer of the Romantic era. A.L.S., with his initials C. St. S., one page, 4to, n.p., 19th September 1917, to a friend, in French. The composer makes an enquiry of his correspondent, in full, 'Les Amoureux de Catherine commencent-ils, ou finissent-ils la matinee? Je voudrais aller les entendre demain, sans etre oblige de subir Mme. Butterfly. Rep.S.V.P.' (Translation: 'Does Les Amoureux de Catherine begin or end in the morning? I would like to go and hear it tomorrow, without having to suffer Mme. Butterfly. R.S.V.P.'). In a postscript Saint-Saens remarks that he returned on Sunday evening from the countryside, where he had been for a fortnight. Some light creasing, a few minor spots of foxing and a few neat tears to the edges, G Les Amoureux de Catherine, an opera comique in one act, was the first opera composed by Henri Marechal (1842-1924) and Madama Butterfly is, of course, Giacomo Puccini's opera which had premiered in 1904.
MARGUERITE DE NAVARRE: (1492-1549) Also known as Marguerite of Angoulême. Princess of France and Queen of Navarre by her second marriage to King Henry II of Navarre. Marguerite was the sister of French King Francis I. Marguerite is the ancestress of the Bourbon Kings of France. A patron of humanists and culture, she is regarded as "The First Modern Woman". Rare L.S., `Votre bonne cousine et amie, Marguerite´, one page, 4to, Jarnac, (Charente, Southwestern of France), 12th March 1543, to Monsieur de Jarnac, in old French. Marguerite will intervene and write to the King so that the Sire de Jarnac is compensated for the expenses incurred for the trips made for the service of the King, stating `Mon cousin, j'ai vu la lettre que vous m'avez écrite et suis bien aise que vous n'êtes encore parti pour aller à La Rochelle. Je vous assure que je ne manquerai d'écrire au roi la dépense que vous avez faite aux voyages et autres choses pour son service car il est raisonnable que vous en soyez récompensé, et aussi le roi ne voudrait pas que l'on se fit pauvre à son service et principalement vous qu'il a en si bonne estime. Quant à l'affaire de monsieur de Caumont, j'en ai écrit… J'écris présentement aux deux qu'ils me viennent trouver à Béziers et que je tiens prêt qu'ils me fassent compagnie jusqu'à Bordeaux. J'avais délibéré de vous mander là avec madame de Jarnac et votre fille mais j'ai avisé qu'il sera meilleur savoir avant quelle volonté à monsieur de Caumont…´ (Translation: "My Cousin, I have seen the letter you wrote to me and am very glad that you have not yet left to go to La Rochelle. I assure you that I will not fail to write to the King about the expense you have made for travel and other things under his service because it is reasonable that you should be rewarded for it, and also the King would not want people to become poor at his service and especially you whom he holds in such good esteem. As for Monsieur de Caumont's affair, I have written about it... I am currently writing to the two who are coming to find me in Béziers and I am ready for them to accompany me to Bordeaux. I had deliberated to summon you there with Madame de Jarnac and your daughter, but I advised that it would be better to know beforehand what will Monsieur de Caumont…") Also annotated to the heading `De la mesme reyne pour les mesmes affaires des mesmes moys et an. Mars 1543´ (Translation: "From the Queen for the affairs of the same month and year, March 1543") Neatly inlaid, otherwise VG
JOACHIM JOSEPH: (1831-1907) Hungarian Violinist and Composer. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms. A good A.L.S., `Joseph Joaquim´, four pages, 8vo, London, Monday first of March, n.y., on the 13 Airlie Gardens, Campden Hill. W. printed stationery, to Mr. Colonne, in French. Joachim apologizes for his late letter, thanks his correspondent for his warm welcome during his last stay with him and his family, and states in part `Je viens d´arriver a Londres apres un mois de travail incessant a Berlin..´ ("I have just arrived to London after a full month of non-stopping work in Berlin..") Joachim further asks Colonne to send him urgently to Manchester some belongings he is missing, saying `J´ai honte d´avouer que je suis force aujourd´hui d´écrire ces quelques lignes; il me faut ma musique, les choses de Schumann et mon concerto, partition…´ ("I am ashamed to admit that today I am forced to write these few lines; I need my music, the things of Schumann and my concerto, score..") VG
SADE MARQUIS DE: (1740-1814) Donatien Alphonse François de Sade. French Writer and Philosopher. Rare A.L.S., `Sade´, one page, small 4to, Charenton, 14th August 1809, in French. Sade acknowledges receipt stating `Je reconnais avoir reçu de Monsieur de Coulmier directeur de la maison de Charenton, Cinq Cordes de bois à moi fournies en detail dans l´hiver de mil huit cent huit à mil huit cent neuf à Charenton ce 14 août mil huit cent neuf´ (“I acknowledge having received from Mr. de Coulmier, director of the house of Charenton, five bags of wood provided to me in the winter of one thousand eight hundred and eight to one thousand eight hundred and nine at Charenton, August 14th, one thousand eight hundred and nine”) Small overall minor age wear, with a small hole to the lower border, not affecting the text or signature. G François-Simonet des Coulmiers (1741-1818) Des Coulmiers was the last abbot of the French National Constituent Assembly and the first Director of the national house, or nursing house, of Charenton. He had a very good and friendly relationship with Sade. Sade always expressed a boundless passion for the theatre, and Des Coulmiers built a theatre in the nursing home. The bleachers were intended to receive about forty mental patients, chosen among the least agitated. The rest of the room could accommodate about two hundred spectators, exclusively recruited by invitation. Sade wrote plays for the theatre and directed rehearsals.
LOREN SOPHIA: (1934- ) Italian actress, Academy Award winner for Best Actress in 1961 for her role as Cesira in La Ciociara. Signed 8 x 10 photograph of Loren seated in a three-quarter length pose, at the edge of the Aegean Sea, in costume as the poor Greek sponge diver Phaedra, in a scene from the romantic adventure film Boy on a Dolphin (1957) which marked Loren's English-language film debut and was the first Hollywood film to be shot in Greece. Signed by Loren in bold black ink with her name alone to a clear area of the image. A few very minor, light corner creases, VG
CHURCHILL WINSTON S.: (1874-1965) British Prime Minister 1940-45, 1951-55. Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1953. Book signed and inscribed, being a folio softcover edition of Winston Churchill - The Greatest Figure of Our Time, edited by Bruce Ingram, First edition published by The Illustrated London News, London, 1954. Issued as an Eightieth Year tribute to Churchill, the volume is profusely illustrated and includes twelve colour plates and four gravure plates and with sections of text devoted to Churchill in Parliament, and in War, Churchill the man, and his place in history. Signed by Churchill in fountain pen ink to the plain recto of the frontispiece illustration, 'To P. G. Oates from Winston S. Churchill', and dated 1954 in his hand. An unusual volume to find signed. Some very light, minor age wear, VG Peter Geoffrey Oates (1919-2007) British civil servant who worked in the Prime Minister's office at 10 Downing Street from 1951, firstly as private secretary to Attlee, and later to Winston S. Churchill.
The Duke of Montmorency authorises a payment to an archer ‘ ill from two stab wounds that he had in his body’ sustained at the Battle of Dreux MONTMORENCY ANNE DE: (1493-1567) Duke of Montmorency. French soldier, statesman and diplomat who became a Marshal of France and Constable of France, serving five kings. A good D.S., Montmor[en]cy, one page (vellum), slim oblong folio, Moulins, 28th January 1566, in Middle French. The manuscript document is issued by the Duke of Montmorency in his capacity as a peer and Constable of France, adviser to the King and Ordinary Treasurer of his Wars and orders 'en vertu de nre pouvoir……Vous paiez baillez et delivrez comptant a Jehan distidon archer de la cpaignie de monsr de cursol son estat et solde de quartier de Janvier fevrier et mars mil Vc Lxii Nonobstant ql ayt este mis absent a la monstre dernierement faicte dont attendu quil nous a este bien et deuement certiffié que lors q. lad. Monstre a estee faicte por lesd. quartiers ql estoit mallade de deux coups de coustellas quil a eu en son corps estant por le service du roy a la bataille de dreux Et quil nen a este pourveu aulcun en sa place, Nous lavons Relleve et Rellevons par ces pntes Rapportant lesquelles controllees et veriffiees par le controlr gnal des guerres avec quictance dudict distidon sur ce suffisante La somme q. por cest effect luy aura estee paye sera passee et allouee en la despence de vos comptes et rabatue de vre recepte par messrs les gens des comptes du roy….' (Translation: 'by virtue of our power……you pay, bail and deliver cash to Jehan Distidon, archer of the company of Monsieur de Cursol, his state and quarter pay for January, February and March 1562, notwithstanding that he was absent from the watch recently made, of which expected that it has been well and duly certified to us that when the said watch was made for the said quarters that he was ill from two stab wounds that he had in his body being in the service of the King at the battle of Dreux, and that none have been provided in his place. We have noted it and hereby note, reporting which controlled and verified by the general controller of wars with receipt of the said Distidon on this sufficient the sum which for this purpose will have been paid to him will be passed and allocated in the expense of your accounts and reduced from your receipt by the gentlemen of the King's accounts'). Countersigned by Martin (?) and with the remnants of the blind embossed paper seal loosely in place. With a contemporary docket to the verso signed by Leconte, secretary and comptroller general, confirming that the payment has been registered, Moulins, 8th February 1566. Some light overall age wear and a few stains and creases, G The Battle of Dreux took place on 19th December 1562 and was fought between the Catholics, led by Anne de Montmorency, and the Huguenots, led by Louis I, Prince of Conde, and constituted the first major engagement in the French Wars of Religion. During the battle Montmorency had his horse shot from under him and he was taken prisoner, and one of the Duke's sons also met his death. However, Montmorency's soldiers eventually won the battle, one of the bloodiest of the 16th century
![[NUREMBERG TRIALS]: JODL ALFRED (1890-1946) German Generaloberst, Chief of the Operations Staff of the German Armed Forces Hi](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/490e7209-4b7e-4aa3-9ba4-afab011e768f/17bc7299-5dcd-4a64-bb72-afac00d9449b/468x382.jpg)
[NUREMBERG TRIALS]: JODL ALFRED (1890-1946) German Generaloberst, Chief of the Operations Staff of the German Armed Forces High Command 1939-45. An historically significant A.L.S., Jodl, (and also signed Alfred Jodl at the head of the first page), two pages, folio, n.p. (Nuremberg), 22nd October 1945, to the Secretary General of the International Military Tribunal, in German. Jodl writes to formally object to the indictment handed to him at the Nuremberg Trials and states, 'On 19. 10. the indictment was handed to me, but without being accompanied by any of the evidence upon which it was based. The representatives of the prosecution are in possession of all of the files. At their will they can use that evidence which would work against me and discard that which would be in my favour. As the defendant I possess nothing but my memory, which during five and a half years of war and six months of imprisonment has not noticeably improved. That might suffice for a burglar or a highwayman, but not for a case with such a complexity of questions as the one against me. Under such circumstances, the preparation of an adequate defence is impossible, and I wish to enter formal objection against it'. Jodl proceeds to request that various pieces of evidence, either in carbon or photostatic copy, be presented to him as soon as possible, listing the evidence as, in part, 'The most important pieces of evidence upon which the prosecution is based in accordance with…..the Constitution of the Court….My notebook and my official notations (diary)…..these volumes contain evidence of the utmost importance in my defence….My notes for a lecture delivered by me in Munich 7.11.1943…..A copy of the Geneva Convention Rules and of the Hague Treaty….One copy each of the collections of the German Foreign Office concerning breaches of neutrality in Norway, Holland, and Belgium….and of the common-law crimes committed by Poland, France, England, Greece (Crete), all of which were presented at Geneva…..A collection of all of the infringements and crimes against common law committed by the former enemies of Germany….' Accompanied by an official English translation prepared by the IMT. Neatly inlaid and with several file holes to the upper edge, only very slightly affecting a few words of text. About VG After the end of World War II, Jodl was indicted at the Nuremberg Trials on charges of conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The principal charges against him related to his signing of the criminal Commando and Commissar Orders. Found guilty on all charges, he was sentenced to death and executed in Nuremberg in 1946. Provenance: The present document originated from the archives of Dr. Hans Werner who was responsible for directing the printing of the Record of the Trial of Major War Criminals in 42 volumes and in three different languages (English, French & German) immediately following the Nuremberg Trials.
STREEP MERYL: (1949- ) American actress, Academy Award winner for Best Actress in 2011 for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Signed colour 8 x 10 photograph od Street in a head and shoulders pose in costume from her Oscar winning performance as the first female British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from the biographical drama film The Iron Lady. Signed by Streep in silver ink with her name alone to the image. EX
BRENNAN WALTER: (1894-1974) American actor, the first Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actor in 1936 for his role as Swan Bostrom in Come and Get It. Vintage signed and inscribed sepia 8 x 10 photograph of the actor in a head and shoulders pose. Signed in fountain pen ink to a light area of the image and dated 1943 in his hand. A couple of very light, minor corner creases, otherwise VG
Having survived two near fatal air crashes in Africa, Hemingway asserts –‘….tell the boys nothing is bad if you say to it go fuck yourself’ HEMINGWAY ERNEST: (1899-1961) American novelist, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1954. An excellent A.L.S., Papa, two pages, (separate leaves), 4to, Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice, 8th April 1954, to Leonard Lyons ('Dear Lenny'). Hemingway writes a detailed letter, just a few months after having been almost fatally injured in two successive plane crashes with his wife, 'Miss Mary is fine now. Her ribs ok. She was banged worse than she knew but she is very brave and has the guts of a badger. After a proper examination they found I bought it pretty thoroly (sic) Full concussion; loss sight left eye (optic nerve is regenerating ok) loss hearing left ear, ruptured right kidney, ditto liver and spleen, intestines collapsed, paralysis of sphincter etc. couldn't shit for 22 days then I had 62 movements (complete with cramps in 20 hours) all standing up. If sit down lower intestine comes out…..was urinating kidney cells that looked sort of like black quill tooth picks. Only semi soft. So will skip the atrocities. But tell the boys nothing is bad if you say to it go fuck yourself', adding that he would have appreciated joking with Lyons ('Lenny you get very fond of your friends when you are up shit creek'), continuing with a further account of his recent misfortunes, this time during a fishing expedition undertaken in February, '….Ray [Marsh, his pilot] and [I] land on a beach with the Cessna. This is a little show boat but a little bit good too. So what happens? It is very dry again and wind force 7 and I am in bed and a bush fire starts right behind the camp and will burn out a place……so we have to turn it and try to canalize it. You know that is very rough with primitive methods. But the system is the same. So I get 2nd degree burns on legs, abdomen, chest and mouth. Had burned on left hand and right forearm. You can see the tendons and the bone. We keep this out of the papers on acct no reporters……and we don't have to make a report because we win. But everything breaks loose inside again and everyone is judging how we do on the burns by how I smell. Patrick [Hemingway's son] has shoved back to Tanganyika. Young Denis, my partner has an attack of amoebic and can't move, Miss Mary is crazy as a goat but doesn't know it. It is a magnificent situation. So Miss Mary takes the safari to Mombassa (sic). At this time she is in her watch buying epoch and she gives a watch to every game scout and gun bearer that is worth more than they make in a year. They are all in love with her anyway and she doesn't have to give watches. But she has just pranged in a couple of kites and burned in one and watches are the smallest things she can think of. She starts with Omegas and goes through the Rolex Oyster perpetuals', and also writing of his passage to Europe and future travel plans, 'I bring the chartered ship back….in to the old anchorage at Fort Jesus (very easy) and stay aboard 4 days while we wait for the Lloyd Triestino boat. It is very pleasant in the old harbour. Never thought would make Venice but made it OK. All wounds healed good and sound. Here there exists always certain problems. Fine, beautiful, lovely problems. Tomorrow we go to the country. Then Paris to pick up a couple of clothes and bet 6 horses. Then to Spain to try to get in shape. Very good RAF doctor told me I could live 2 months if I kept my mind on it. Could live 2 years if I made it a career. We figure to beat him by ten. But lost so much blood, internal, that must pace myself and so will skip NY and come straight home. Tell Toots and the mob that will come up quiet, I don't want to see some jerk like Billy Rose when I still have a concussion and think you can use the portable gallows. The objectives now are Paris, Madrid, Santiago de Compostella (sic) and the Finca [Vigia] and Black Dog…..Read this letter to Toots would you mind, or Sherm too. Fuck 21 and all their…..air-force colonels'. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Hemingway and signed ('E Hemingway') by him in the upper left corner above the printed emblem and name of the Gritti Palace Hotel. A letter of rich content written in the year that the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. VGLeonard Lyons (1906-1976) American newspaper columnist for the New York Post where his columns, The Lyons Den, became a New York institution covering theatre, movies, politics and art. In January 1954 Ernest and Mary Hemingway were on safari in Africa when the novelist chartered a sightseeing flight over the Belgian Congo as a Christmas present to his wife. The plane made an emergency landing and a report printed in the New York Times at the end of January declared the cause of the crash in the blue and silver single-engine Cessna to have been a result of the pilot having to dive at low altitude to avoid hitting a flying flock of ibises - jungle birds large enough to smash the canopy of the aircraft. The article continued 'Mr. Hemingway said that to miss the ibises the plane had to land either on a sandpit where six crocodiles lay basking in the sun or on an elephant track through thick scrub. Mr. Marsh chose the scrub and landed the plane with minor damage. They spent Saturday night around a camp fire surrounded by the elephant herd and caught a ride yesterday morning in a launch filled with tourists back to Butiaba on Lake Albert. When the second plane ground-looped and caught fire Mr. Hemingway said he butted open the rear door and scrambled out. His wife and the pilot also escaped, but all their luggage was destroyed. Even when the first crash stranded them overnight in the jungle, Mr. Hemingway said he was not worried. "We had emergency goods, but were short on water," he said. "We took turns going to the river, but the elephants were very stuffy about it. There were a lot of hippos and crocs wandering around the river bank."'Hemingway's two plane crashes had brought about worldwide press coverage, including reports of his death, and whilst spending two weeks recuperating the writer read his erroneous obituaries. Hemingway's biographer, James Mellow, wrote that the novelist 'had coveted the Nobel Prize', which he received in October 1954, but that 'there must have been a lingering suspicion in Hemingway's mind that his obituary notices had played a part in the academy's decision'. Still suffering from pain from the African accidents, Hemingway decided against travelling to Stockholm to be presented with the Nobel Prize.
LEDGER HEATH: (1979-2008) Australian actor, posthumous Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actor in 2008 for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Signed colour 8 x 10 photograph of Ledger, with close-cropped hair, in a half-length pose lying on a bed during a photoshoot for Flaunt magazine in 2002. Signed in bold blue ink with his first name only to a light area of the image. A typed label neatly affixed to the verso indicates that the signature was obtained in person on 4th March 2003 at the DeLux nightclub in Hollywood. Rare. EX
PASTEUR LOUIS: (1822-1895) French chemist and microbiologist, renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination and pasteurisation. A.L.S., L. Pasteur, one page, 8vo, Paris, 10th April 1882, to a gentleman, in French. Pasteur writes, in part, 'Je vous remercie de votre lettre et de votre dépêche de ce matin. Vous aurez la complaisance de me dire si les deux moutons morts a Forfry annoncés par votre dépêche, font partie des 3 mauvais qui ont reçu d'emblée le vaccin spécial ou des 45 qui ont reçu antérieurement le 1er vaccin' (Translation: 'I thank you for your letter and your telegram this morning. You will have the kindness to tell me if the two dead sheep at Forfry announced by your telegram, are part of the 3 ill ones who immediately received the special vaccine or of the 45 who have previously received the 1st vaccine') and in a postscript remarks 'Retenez bien que le 7 avril vous avez inoculé chez M. Narest ; le 8 avril, chez Mr Longuet ; le 9 avril chez ? - je ne sais pas encore. Ne confondez pas les résultats dans ces trois cas-là' (Translation: 'Remember that on 7th April you inoculated at Mr. Narest's; on 8th April at Mr. Longuet's; on 9th April at? - I do not know yet. Do not confuse the results in these three cases'). A few very light, minor creases and one small tear to the centre of the lower edge, otherwise VGPasteur had been trying to develop the anthrax vaccine since 1877, shortly after Robert Koch's discovery of the bacterium, but it was not until 21st March 1881 that he announced the successful vaccination of sheep, and a public experiment was conducted a few months later in May. All of the vaccinated sheep survived, while unvaccinated ones died before the public viewers, and Pasteur's report to the French Academy of Sciences in June concluded '[by] looking at everything from the scientific point of view, the development of a vaccination against anthrax constitutes significant progress beyond the first vaccine developed by Jenner, since the latter had never been obtained experimentally'.
NYONG'O LUPITA: (1983- ) Kenyan-Mexican actress, Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for her role as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave. Signed colour 10 x 8 photograph of Nyong'o seated outdoors in the grass in a full-length pose in costume as the slave Patsey from the biographical drama film 12 Years a Slave. Signed by the actress in bold black ink with her first name only to the image. EX
DODGSON CHARLES LUTWIDGE: (1832-1898) Lewis Carroll. English author, poet and mathematician whose works include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865). A rare signed and inscribed printed leaflet entitled An Easter Greeting to Every Child who Loves Alice, four pages, 12mo, n.p., 11th September 1877. The leaflet takes the form of a letter addressed to Dear Child and was privately printed for the author in Oxford in 1876, the opening text stating 'Please to fancy, if you can, that you are reading a real letter, from a real friend whom you have seen, and whose voice you can seem to yourself to hear wishing you, as I do now with all my heart, a happy Easter'. This first edition first printing is on paper bearing a partial 'E Towgood Fine' watermark and features the word 'My' in Roman type face, instead of italics, at line twelve of the third page. Signed by Carroll with the rarer form of his signature in his characteristic mauve coloured ink to the cover, 'Edith from Lewis Carroll' and dated 11th September 1877 in his hand. A couple of very light, extremely minor creases, otherwise VG Copies of the present leaflet, which have previously been described as 'the rarest of the Carroll items excepting the first issue of Alice', were originally printed with the intention of having them inserted into specially bound presentation copies of The Hunting of the Snark, however Dodgson is also known to have given away individual copies to his young friends, as would appear to have been the case with the present example.
SPONTINI GASPARE: (1774-1851) Italian Composer & Conductor, a favourite of Napoleon Bonaparte. A rare A.L.S., Spontini, two pages, 4to, Paris, 11th August 1810, to Monsieur Tacchinardi, in French. The letter bears the printed heading of ` Spontini, Compositeur particulier de la chambre de Sa Majesté l´Impératrice et Reine´ (Translation : ``Spontini, personal Composer of Her Majesty the Empress and Queen´´). Spontini makes a proposal to his correspondent and singer, stating in part `Stimattissimo Signor Tacchinardi, D´ordine di S. E. il primo Cianbellano dell´Imperatore e soprintendente de Teatri Imperiali, rispondo alla vostra risposta…´ (``Translation: Dear Mr. Tacchinardi, by Order of H.E. the first Chamberlain of the Emperor and superintendent of the Imperial Theaters, I answer to your response...´´) Spontini further refers to a monetary contract offer, saying `Supponendo adunque, all´amministrazione di questo Imperial Teatro, dico da parte di Sua Eccelenza, , che per cantar nel Teatro Imperiali di Cittá, e della Corte vi si offrono per un anno diciotto mila lire, ed una serata di benefizio, che potete valutare per quattro e piu mila franchi…´ (Translation : ``Assuming, therefore, that a decision of yours has made you dictate such unalterable and harsh laws to be applied to the administration of this Imperial Theater, I say on behalf of His Excellency, that in order to sing in the Teatro Imperiali di Città, and of the Court, we offer you for a year eighteen thousand lire, and a benefit evening, which you can evaluate at four thousand francs and more...´´) Before concluding Spontini comments a concert event at Fontainebleau, saying `…un viaggio a Fontainebleau, ed in questa occasione i primi talenti sono gratificati di quattro a sei mile lire…´ (Translation : ``…a trip to Fontainebleau, and on this occasion the main talents will be awarded with four to six thousand lire…´´) With address leaf to `Monsieur Tacchinardi, Chanteur très renommé au théatre´ (Translation : ``Monsieur Tacchinardi, very renowned Singer at the theatre´´) Bearing a red wax seal. Overall minor age wear and creasing, otherwise GSpontini refers to Napoleon I when mentioning the Emperor and to Joséphine as Composer of the Empress.
DUFOUR GUILLAUME HENRI: (1787-1875) Swiss General, engineer and topographer who served under Napoleon I. Dufour presided over the First Geneva Convention in 1864 which established the International Red Cross. A charming A.L.S., Genl. G. H. Dufour, Philopoimen, two pages, 8vo, Geneva, 23rd September 1862, to 'Mon cher Dupin', in French. Dufour states that his correspondent's letter 'm'a fait un sensible plaisir en me fournissant la preuve que ni la distance, ni les annees, n'avait efface de votre souvenir un vieux camarade de service' (Translation: 'gave me great pleasure by providing me with the proof that neither distance nor years had erased from your memory an old comrade in the service') and continues 'Je vous remercie des expressions bien veillantes dont vous vous etes servi a mon egard. Je voudrais les meriter en tout point, mais je sens, mieux que personne, tout ce qui me manque pour cela. Nous avons longuement parle de vous avec M. de Chabrier, et si vous reconnaissez les qualites solides de cet homme estoimable, de caractere antique, je puis vous assurer que, de son cote, il ne parle de vous que dans les termes de l'affection la plus vraie et la mieux sentie. Vous avez apprecie a leur juste valeur les paroles inconsiderees de Biscio et consors, et comme vous le dites, nous devon remercier les etourdis qui les ont prononces si legerement; car ces paroles ont donne lieu a des manifestations patriotiques, a d'energieques protestations, qui ne peuvent laisser aucun doute sur les vrais sentiments de nos population….' (Translation: 'I thank you for the benevolent expressions which you have used towards me. I would like to deserve them in every way, but I feel, better than anyone, how much I lack for that. We spoke at length about you with M. de Chabrier, and if you recognise the solid qualities of this estimable man, of ancient character, I can assure you that, on his side, he speaks of you only in terms of the truest and best felt affection. You have fully appreciated the inconsiderate words of Biscio et al., and as you say, we must thank the thoughtless people who spoke them so lightly; because these words gave rise to patriotic demonstrations, to energetic protests, which can leave no doubt about the true feelings of our people…..') before concluding 'vous travaillez toujours; je vous en fait mon compliment, et je felicite le public qui profitera de vous....Pour moi, je deviens de jour en jour plus paresseux, et ne conserve quelque verdeur que pour l'amitie' (Translation: 'you are still working; I pay you my compliment, and I congratulate the public who will take advantage of you…..For me, I become lazier day by day, and retain some greenness only for friendship'). With blank integral leaf. VG
QUEEN MARGOT - MARGARET OF VALOIS: (1553-1615) Popularly known as "La Reine Margot". French Princess of the Valois dynasty. Queen of Navarre 1572-1599 as spouse of King Henry III of Navarre, and later Queen of France 1589-99 at her husband´s accession to the French throne as Henry IV. Margaret was the daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de´ Medici, and the sister of Kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. Extremely rare A.L.S., `Marguerite´, two pages, folio, n.p., n.d., to Henry, in old French. Margaret of Valois writes in her hand twelve lines of text at the base of a letter, stating `Faites que Mr Rigaut me [fasse] [trouver]… et faites que ie vous trouve plus veritable en Celle que ne l´avez été au bois de lezoux et… s´en donner ce que j´en… et vous assure que je suis touiours… Vre bonne… Marguerite´ (Translation: "Make sure that Mr. Rigaut find for me… and let me find you more true on the one the you have not been in the Bois de Lezoux… give him what I do… and assure you that I am always… Your good… Marguerite") The letter written text states in part `Henry, le bon commencement que je crois de mes affaires me promet que dieu fera enfin le reste aussi heureusement. J'ai beaucoup d'obligation à monsieur d'Here de la Bonnerusher, rien ne lui manque en son voyage et qu'il reste content de vous et écrivez moi souvent tout ce [qui] s'y fera. Vous m'écrivez qu'avec mes… de notre affaire dieu veuille… ainsi vous ne me mandez rien de votre mariage et crois que mes affaires vous font oublier les vôtres. Je serais bien aise qu'il [vous] réussisse. Monsieur Richaud m'écrit qu'il ne pourra pas… de l'argent des bois de Lezoux. Ce n'est pas ce que vous m'avez dit, prenez garde que vous soyez plus véritable aux autres espérances que vous m'avez données. Je me réjouis infiniment de la bonne intelligence qui est entre monsieur Richaud et monsieur Savaron, maintenez-la toujours afin que mes affaires en aillent mieux. J'écris à monsieur de Savaron. Rendez-lui mes lettres. Je le remercie de la bonne volonté qu'il m'a témoignée et lui représente combien je reçois de contentement de la bonne intelligence qu'il a voulu avoir pour mes affaires avec monsieur Richaud et le prie de faire entendre à ceux de Clermont combien il me ferait paraître de bonne volonté à ne permettre plus que les gens de mon neveu demeurent à Clermont qui n'ont plus prétexte d'y demeurer à cette heure que j'en ai pris possession…´ (Translation: "Henry, the good start I believe in my affairs promises me that God will finally do the rest as happily. I have a lot of obligations to Monsieur d'Here de la Bonnerusher, he has everything he needs for his trip and that he remains happy with you and write to me often about everything that will happen there. You write to me only with my… of our business, that I hope God grant… so you don't tell me anything about your marriage and I think that my business makes you forget yours. I would be glad if he succeeds. Monsieur Richaud writes to me that he will not be able to… money from the woods of Lezoux. That's not what you told me, take care that you are truer to the other hopes you gave me. I am infinitely delighted with the good understanding that exists between Mr. Richaud and Mr. Savaron, always maintain it so that my business will go better. I am writing to Monsieur de Savaron. Give him my letters. I thank him for the goodwill he has shown to me and tell him how pleased I am with the good understanding he wanted to have for my business with Monsieur Richaud and ask him to make those of Clermont understand how much he would make me appear willing to no longer allow my nephew's people to live in Clermont, who no longer have a pretext to live there at this time that I have taken possession of it…") To the verso, a hand written short paragraph refers to Charmont and to the deliberations of the Council of State, also referring to a cause of a problem, to wisdom and behaviour. The Queen's text is scattered with small holes as a result of the iron gall ink having reacted with the paper over time, although most words remain legible and the signature is only very slightly affected. Some light overall foxing and a few minor, small tears to the edges, GMargaret of Valois refers to Monsieur Savaron, most probably Jean Savaron (1566-1622) French Historian and Magistrate of the city of Clermont. The letter refers to the city of Clermont and to the one of Lezoux.Margaret of Valois was a woman of letters, an enlightened mind and a generous patron. She was one of the most fashionable women of her time and influenced many other European Royal courts. During her imprisonment she wrote her memoirs, the first woman to have done so.Margaret´s union with the King of Navarre which had been intended to contribute to the reconciliation of Roman Catholics and the Huguenots in France, was tarnished six days after the marriage ceremony by the St. Bartholomew´s Day massacre.Margaret´s infertility and the political tensions led to the end of her marriage. She consented a Royal divorce in 1599 and lived in exile.Alexandre Dumas père wrote his well-known historical novel La Reine Margot in 1845. Although the novel is based on real characters and events, certain aspects of La Reine Margot may be inconsistent with the historical record; historians have attributed that to artistic licence and to the fact that Dumas might have been influenced by propaganda against certain historical figures.
VINCENT HENRY: (1813-1878) British Chartist leader and ant-slavery campaigner, active in the formation of early Working Men's Associations in Great Britain. A.L.S., Henry Vincent, three pages, 8vo, Talbot Place, Stamford Hill, 4th January 1844, to [William] Lovett. Vincent states that he wrote to Mr. Statham regarding topics for lectures but has not received a reply, continuing to explain 'I am ready to lecture for you on Wednesdays 17th and 24th if the subjects meet with your approval. I should like the first to be on “Civil and Religious Liberty”, and the second on “Commerce - its influence upon the social comforts, intellectual progress, and Civil and Religious Liberties of Mankind” and remarking 'I think if these subjects are well advertised they will draw good audiences', further discussing where short notices could be published, including in the Morning Advertiser, and asking for an immediate reply 'or I shall be thrown out with other engagements'. Some light age wear and a small, single spindle hole to the centre, only very slightly affecting the signature, otherwise VGWilliam Lovett (1800-1877) British activist and leader of the Chartist political movement, one of the leading London-based artisan radicals of his generation.
TRUMBO DALTON: (1905-1976) American screenwriter of Roman Holiday (1953) and other Hollywood movies, Academy Award winner. Trumbo was one of the Hollywood Ten and refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 during their investigation of alleged Communist influences in the motion picture industry. Book signed, being a hardback edition of Hollywood on Trial by Gordon Kahn, First Edition published by Boni & Gaer, New York, 1948. Signed by Trumbo in blue ink with his name alone to the front free endpaper and also signed by Adrian Scott (1911-1972) American screenwriter and film producer, one of the Hollywood Ten who was blacklisted by Hollywood movie studio bosses. Further signed by Gordon Kahn (1902-1962) American author and screenwriter who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Signed ('Gordon Kahn') in black fountain pen ink to the title page. Bound in grey boards with dark green title to the cover and spine. Lacking the dust jacket. Some light age wear and a few small tears and scuffing to the upper and lower edges of the spine, otherwise about VG
BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTS: Prudente Jose de Morais e Barros (1841-1902) Third President of Brazil 1894-98 and the first civilian President to be elected by direct popular ballot and the first to serve his entire term. Morais e Barros was the former Governor of the State of Sao Paulo. The city of Presidente Prudente was named after him; & Manuel Ferraz de Campos sales (1841-1913) Fourth president of Brazil 1898-1902. Former Governor of Sao Paulo and Minister of Justice. Two large 23 x 18 oblong folios, 59 cm x 46 cm, one page each, Rio de Janeiro, 16th December 1895 and 20th February 1902, to Cavalheiro Julio de Bombiero de Hremenae, the partially printed documents being the titles given by the President of the Republic of the United States of Brazil, acknowledging and granting His Royal Apostolic and Imperial Majesty the appointment of Bombiero as general Consul in Rio de Janeiro and in all the territories of the United States of Brazil. The titles bear to the upper heading the monogram of the United States of Brazil, with a star and the date of 15th November 1889. Signed by Morais e Barros and by Ferraz de Campos Sales respectively in bold black ink to the lower right corners, the first bearing an attractive and large paper seal affixed, and the second bearing an ink stamp. Both countersigned. G to VG
‘there will in no way at all be a just, honest, stable, comprehensive peace until the arrogant common enemy, who has out of weakness so violently brought on war from all sides, withdraws’ ANNE: (1665-1714) Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland 1702-07. A fine L.S., Anna R, with a holograph subscription, three pages, folio, Palace at Windsor, 3rd July 1709, to Franz Ludwig, Count Palatine, Bishop of Worms, and Johann Wilhelm, Count Palatine on the Rhine, Elector of Bavaria, in Latin. The Queen writes, in part, 'Most illustrious and excellent Prince, dearest cousin and friend, as well as most serene Prince, dearest brother, cousin, and friend, the new peace negotiation by the French, which is too little sincere, has no doubt already been made known [and] it would be superfluous to explain to Your Excellency and Your Electoral Excellency with how much unworthiness the most Christian King not only refused to have several preliminary articles concluded in The Hague confirmed, & after their having been approved by his plenipotentiaries, but also in contempt of all his allies, he has abused [them] through insinuations he has thought up to enrage the spirits of his subjects. We hope indeed that the long since renowned skills will remove the anger from all hearts and that the allies will all be of the same mind as We that there will in no way at all be a just, honest, stable, comprehensive peace until the arrogant common enemy, who has out of weakness so violently brought on war from all sides, withdraws, that he must by necessity or unwillingly desist. These things may already speak for themselves. We nonetheless, from Our concern for the public weal, deemed it to be not unseemly to appeal with Our exhortation to Your Excellency and Your Electoral Excellency to urge and cause everyone of authority in the region of the Upper Rhine by most grave admonishments to support it, as well as to provide a share of fighting forces, of soldiers and funds, and also at this moment, by which the moments of the greatest causes turn to Our example and that of the order of the general domains of the Belgian Federation, to send men and funds & thus expand the German combat army on the Upper Rhine and fortify it by means of the things needed for war, so that not only the boundaries of the Empire are protected, but also the provinces broken off at the time can be reintegrated. This sole hope of a war to be completed with glory and a peace to be maintained with security. To this be added the hope for divine grace, which will not be rejected as unseemly, health, liberty, and event the indignation at such an enemy. We thus humbly appeal to Your Excellency and Your Electoral Excellency to take active part in the cause, for haste is necessary so that this best occasion not slip from our hands…..' Countersigned at the foot by Henry Boyle (1669-1725) 1st Baron Carleton, Anglo-Irish politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer 1701-08, Northern Secretary 1708-10 and Lord President of the Council 1721-25. With integral address panel bearing a blind embossed paper seal (neatly split). Annotated in ink at the head of the first page to record that the letter was received at Erfurt on 29th July 1709. A letter of interesting content and association written during the Spanish War of Succession (1701-14), the European great power conflict which arose from the death of the childless King Charles II of Spain in November 1700 and led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Philip of Anjou and Charles of Austria, and their respective supporters, among them Spain, Austria, France, the Dutch Republic, Savoy and Great Britain. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG Franz Ludwig of Palatinate-Neuburg (1664-1732) Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince-Bishop of Worms 1694-1732. Johann Wilhem II (1658-1716) Elector Palatine 1690-1716, brother of Franz Ludwig.
MONTGOMERY B.L.: (1887-1976) British Field Marshal of World War II. A highly unusual book signed, being a hardback edition of The Memoirs of Field-Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, K.G., First edition published by Collins, London, 1958, signed ('Montgomery of Alamein F.M.') by Montgomery in fountain pen ink to the front free endpaper and dated November 1958 in his hand. Additionally signed by Spike Milligan (1918-2002) Irish actor and comedian. Milligan has signed his name in bold black ink, also to the front free endpaper, beneath a statement in his hand, in full, 'I wrote - enclosing this book, saying - I had done his bidding during the war - would he now do mine and sign this book - within 48 hours it was signed and returned'. To one of the inside pages of illustrations, featuring photographs of Montgomery's father and mother, and one of the young Monty aged nine years, Milligan has added a few brief annotations, making disparaging remarks about Montgomery's parents and the observation 'OK' alongside the photograph of the juvenile future Field Marshal. Lacking the dust jacket and with some light overall age wear and minor foxing and staining, G Spike Milligan served as a signaller (Gunner Milligan 954024) in D Battery (later 19 Battery), 56th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, during World War II. The unit saw action as part of the First Army in the North African campaign and then in the succeeding Italian campaign. Milligan was appointed lance bombardier and was about to be promoted to bombardier when he was wounded in action at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944 and subsequently hospitalised.
GIEREK EDWARD: (1913-2001) Polish communist Politician, he was the de facto leader of Poland 1970-80. Signed 4 x 6 photograph of Gierek, the image showing the Polish First Secretary of the Polish United Worker´s Party in a head and shoulders pose. Signed in bold blue ink to the lower white border with his name alone. VG
LISZT FRANZ: (1811-1886) Austrian-Hungarian Composer. A.L.S., `F. Liszt´, two pages, 8vo, Szekszard, 13th August 1870, to an unidentified lady, in German. Liszt states `Your young protégé, Agghazy, came to Szekszard the day before yesterday. I do consider him recommendable because he rises to the challenge of your kind recommendation. I particularly liked the graceful, and euphonious canon (in F major) which was written for you. His sentiment and creativity are also clear in his other compositions, although with clumsiness… But the untamed composer has still sufficient time to mature…´ With two official stamps at the head of the first page, only very slightly affecting the salutation. With blank address leaf. Small tear to the folded edge. Paper with watermark. G
ROOSEVELT FRANKLIN D.: (1882-1945) American President 1933-45. A good vintage signed and inscribed sepia 10 x 8 photograph of Roosevelt seated in a half-length profile pose at his desk, holding a fountain pen in one hand as he prepares to write on the papers before him. Photograph by Harris & Ewing. Signed in bold fountain pen ink to the lower border, 'For Alberto Poltronieri from Franklin D. Roosevelt'. Framed and glazed in an unusual wooden frame with two affixed engraved metal plaques, the first stating 'This wood was part of the White House roof erected about 1817 and removed in 1927' and the second featuring the seal of the President of the United States. Some very light, minor age wear, VGAlberto Poltronieri (1892-1983) Italian violinist.
WILLIAMS SERENA: (1981- ) American Tennis Player, winner of twenty-three Grand Slam singles titles, considered among the greatest tennis players of all time. Signed colour 10 x 8 photograph by Williams, the image depicting her jumping in a full-length pose with a trophy in her hands, celebrating her last US Open win in 2014. Signed in bold dark red ink to the image with her first name only. EX.
AHMAD II: (1862-1942) Bey of Tunis 1929-42. D.S., as Ahmad Bey, in Arabic, one page, folio, Royal Palace, Tunis, 2nd May 1930, in Arabic. The attractive partially printed document features the coat of arms of Tunis at the head within a decorative archway and borders, and awards Leonard Louvel, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the of the Minister of War in Paris with the Order of Nichan-Iftikhar (Grand Officer, First Class). Accompanied by an official partially printed French translation of the document authorised and signed by two officials (one the Minister Plenipotentiary) of the Residence Generale de France in Tunis. Some light staining and creasing to the borders of Ahmad Bey's document and with a lengthy split to the left half of the central horizontal fold, the translation with some age wear and a large tear to the right edge (repaired with sellotape to the verso), just affecting the text. FR to G, 2
![[HITLER ADOLF]: (1889 - 1945) Fuhrer of the Third Reich 1933-45. A remarkable series of three A.L.s.S. to Adolf Hitler, from](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/490e7209-4b7e-4aa3-9ba4-afab011e768f/eb93d054-3e9c-46da-bbb8-afac00d92910/468x382.jpg)
[HITLER ADOLF]: (1889 - 1945) Fuhrer of the Third Reich 1933-45. A remarkable series of three A.L.s.S. to Adolf Hitler, from a female admirer, Emma Borary. The letters are each signed with her first name only, five pages (total), 4to & folio, Spandau, 7th December 1942 and 25th & 26th February 1943, addressed in various styles to the Fuhrer ('My beloved Adolf' etc.) and each bearing red receipt stamps from the Kanzlei des Fuhrers der NSDAP. The letters demonstrate that Borary had a passionate attraction towards Hitler, in part 'take my heart forever totally into your hands, for your strong love alone is able to hold it and only at your side will it find quiet and peace. I was with you tonight, embraced and kissed you, but you weren't completely satisfied with one and asked me if I wanted to enter into a modern marriage....I want to love you with all my devotion...for in this world you are everything to me. You will know how much I love you once I am at your side, totally and forever......' (7th December 1942); in the further two letters Borary also makes reference to a dispute in which she was involved with the labour office in Berlin and her words turn a little hostile towards Hitler in the third letter, although she still demands that he calls her to his side, 'Then you'll have peace in your heart. If you have that, you have everything, my great beloved military leader and victor...'. Together with a small original 2 x 3 photograph of Borary, signed and inscribed to the verso 'To my beloved Fuhrer, Emma'. An unusual group of letters. Some light creasing and a few small tears to the edges, G to VG, 4
ROUNDTREE RICHARD: (1942- ) American actor, considered 'the first black action hero' for his portrayal of John Shaft in Shaft (1971). Signed and inscribed 10 x 8 photograph of Roundtree standing outdoors, in costume as private detective John Shaft, on a New York street in a scene from the crime action film Shaft (1971). Signed by the actor in bold black ink to a light area of the image and dated 1986 in his hand. EX
SELYE HANS: (1907-1982) Hungarian-Canadian endocrinologist, considered the first to demonstrate the existence of biological stress. T.L.S., Hans Selye, one page, 4to, Montreal, 8th January 1953, to Henri Corbiere, on the printed stationery of the University of Montreal, in French. Selye responds to his correspondent's letter and provides his answers to their questions in three numbered paragraphs, in part, '1. My scientific beginnings were not very difficult, because I represent the fourth generation of doctors in our family and it was my father who prepared the way for me. 2. Until my first doctorate (the one in medicine), it was still my father who paid for the expenses of my education but, after that, I lived exclusively on my own income…..books I have written are added to these emoluments but; since this depends on my laboratory research, I think I can say that I live exclusively from my research. 3. The discovery of the general adaptation syndrome (the concept of “stress”) which I described at the age of 29, is in my opinion, my only contribution to medicine worth mentioning…..I have written several books on this subject, the most important of which is the one entitled “Stress”……'. Some very light, minor age wear to the edges and an ink annotation in the hand of the recipient to the lower left corner, otherwise VG
NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. An excellent military content L.S., `Nap´, three pages, 4to, gilt edges, Trianon, 10th August 1810, to the Duke de Feltre, in French. The letter is dictated to and in the hand of Meneval. Napoleon demonstrates in this letter his skills on military strategy, planning and reorganizing his troops intending to reinforce his battalions in Spain, stating in part `Monsieur le duc de Feltre, faites-moi connaitre si l´on pourrait former à Turin un regiment de marche pour l´armée de Catalogne qui serait composé de 200 hommes du 1er regiment d´infanterie légère - de 300 hommes du 3º idem - de 200 hommes du 2eme de ligne….´ (Translation: ` Monsieur le duc de Feltre, let me know if we could form in Turin a march regiment for the Catalonia army which would be composed by 200 men from the first light infantry regiment - by 300 men of the third idem, by 200 men of the second…´) further adding `Le 16º qui est à Toulon pourrait envoyer 500 hommes à son 4º bataillon à l´armée de Catalogne, ce qui ferait pour cette armée un secours de 2000 hommes. Envoyez-moi un projet d´organisation de ce regiment et faites-moi connaitre quand il sera prêt´ (Translation: `The 16th regiment at Toulon could supply 500 men to the 4th battalion of the Catalonia army, which would give a grant of 2000 men for this army. Send me an organization project for this regiment and let me know when it will be ready´) Napoleon further suggests several ways of reinforcing the army in Catalonia and in Spain, stating in part `On complèterait ces battaillons avec ce qu´il y aurait de disponible aux 4º bataillons dont les dépôts sont en France et qui ont leurs bataillons de guerre en Hollande, en Allemagne et sur les côtes; et si l´on parvenait à les completer ce serait une force de 3 à 4000 hommes qui, avec les bataillons de marche ci-dessus demandés, formerait une division de 8000 hommes…´ (Translation: `We would complete these battalions with what would be available in the 4th battalions which warehouses are in France and which war battalions are in Holland, in Germany and on the coasts; and if we manage to complete them it will be a military presence of 3 to 4000 men who, together with the requested march battalions mentioned above, would make all together a division of 8000 men…) Before concluding Napoleon explains to the Duke de Feltre the advantages of such changes, saying `Cela aura l´avantage 1º de fournir 4000 hommes de renfort pour l´armée de Catalogne et 8000 hommes pour l´armée d´Espagne; 2º de diminuer le nombre des hommes presents sous les armes des regiments qui sont sur le pied de paix, c´est à dire des régiments qui sont sur les côtes de France, en Allemagne, en Hollande, etc.., ce qui diminuera la dépense´ (Translation: `This will have the advantage 1º of providing 4000 reinforcements for the army of Catalonia and 8000 men for the army of Spain; 2º to reduce the number of men present under the arms of regiments which are under peace status, that is to say regiments which are on the coasts of France, in Germany, in Holland, etc., which will reduce the expenses´) A letter of very interesting military content. Accompanied by a small 12mo holograph receipt, with traces of having been pinned to the bottom left corner. VG Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke (1765-1818) Duc de Feltre and Minister of War under Napoleon. Later Marshal of France in 1816, one of six created under King Louis XVIII from 1815-24Claude François de Méneval (1778-1850) Baron of the Empire. Memoirist of the 19th century. Napoleon´s private secretary and his closest collaborator.
JANNINGS EMIL: (1884-1950) Swiss-born German actor, the first Academy Award winner for Best Actor. Vintage signed sepia postcard photograph, a striking image of the actor in a profile head and shoulders pose. Photograph by Melbourne Spurr of Hollywood and published by Ross. Signed by Jannings in bold black fountain pen ink with his name alone to a light area at the base of the image. One minor surface crease, otherwise VG
FERDINAND VII: (1784-1833) King of Spain 1808 & 1813-33. D.S., `Yo el Rey´, with small flourish, one page, folio, Madrid, 22nd August 1816, in Spanish. The printed heading states "Don Fernando, by the grace of God, King f Castile, Leon, Aragon, the Two Sicilies, Jerusalem, Granada, Toledo, Valence, Galicie, Majorque, Algarve, Gibraltar, Canaries Islands, Oriental Indias, Archduke of Austria, Duque of Borgogne, Brabant, and Milan, Flanders, Tyrol and Barcelona…". The partially printed document is the appointment of Colonel Ignacio Ramirez Estenor, Commandant of the first Battalion of the Bourbon infantry regiment, who is additionally appointed as Commandant of the first Battalion of the infantry regiment of Navarre. Countersigned at the base of the front page by Francisco Bernardo. Bearing to the left bottom corner a paper seal affixed, partially damaged. Countersignatures to the verso, dated in Cadiz the 6th September 1816. With blank integral leaf. Overall age wear, mostly to edges, with a very small water stain at the base of the document, not affecting the text or signature. About G
SCHILLER FRIEDRICH: (1759-1805) German Poet, Philosopher and Playwright. An extremely rare fragment of an autograph manuscript, unsigned, two pages, slim oblong 12mo, n.p., n.d. (1804-05), in German. The text, apparently unpublished and with several corrections, is from Schiller's translation of Phedre and states, `O wird mir solcher Dank für meine Liebe? Verdammliches Verwegenes Erkühnen Freche That! Verdammliches Erkühnen! Und seiner frevelhaften wilden Lust zu büßen genug zu thun, Erlaubte sich der Freche gar Gewalt!´ further writing, to the verso, `Think of my Queen's complaints - O Lord! From a wicked love - all her hate arisen - Theseus´. Some light overall age wear and with very slightly irregularly trimmed edges, about G In the winter of 1804-05 Schiller was suffering from pain and spasms of pneumonia and the only literary work he could undertake was a translation of Jean Racine's dramatic tragedy Phedre, which had first been performed in 1677. The present fragment was one of a number excised from the original manuscript shorty after Schiller's death and presented to admirers as a keepsake of the poet.
TIBBETS PAUL: (1915-2007) American Brigadier General in the United States Air Force, pilot of the Enola Gay, the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6th August 1945. Book signed, being a hardback edition of Enola Gay - Mission to Hiroshima by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts, First Edition published by White Owl Press Ltd., Loughborough, 1995. Signed by Tibbets in bold blue ink to the title page, 'Paul Tibbets, B/Gen USAF (Ret), Commander, 509th Composite Group and Pilot, B29 Enola Gay 6 Aug. 1945'. Accompanied by the dust jacket. About EX
CAROL II OF ROMANIA: (1893-1953) King of Romania 1930-40 until his abdication. An excellent vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 (20 x 25 cm) photograph by Carol II, the studio image depicting the King in a head and shoulders pose. Signed `Carolo´, and inscribed in bold green pencil `To Mr. Russell Birdwill´ to a clear area of the image. Also dated `Mexico, 1943´ in his hand. Carol II went into exile in 1940, first to Mexico and later in Portugal where he settled. Very small overall minor age wear with extremely small creases to the corners, otherwise VG
MOUNTBATTEN LOUIS: (1900-1979) British Admiral of World War II, later serving as the last Viceroy of India of British India (1947) and as the first Governor-General of the Dominion of India (1947-48). T.L.S., Mountbatten of Burma, with holograph salutation and subscription, one page, small 4to, Broadlands, Romsey, Hampshire, 3rd March 1966, to Michael Harrison. Mountbatten thanks his correspondent for their letter and adds that [Graham] Clifford has informed him that they had met 'and had been most stimulated by your conversation', also remarking that Clifford is currently on a world tour on behalf of the Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers and also the National Electronic Research Council and that 'I shall be meeting him in Canada in April when we shall have a chance of talking over your letter'. Mountbatten further writes 'I see from your letter that you wrote the English version of the pamphlet you enclosed. I am astonished to note that no effort has been made to translate your English into French, for the French version appears to be entirely different in layout and phrases. I also regret to see that no attempt has been made to produce the diagrammatic figures with French titling in the French text. In fact anybody who understands both languages would be thoroughly lost trying to compare one version with the other. I wonder what the explanation is.' Accompanied by the original envelope. VG Michael Harrison (1907-1991) Maurice Desmond Rohan. English detective fiction and fantasy author, a noted Sherlock Holmes scholar.
ALI MUHAMMAD: (1942-2016) American boxer, World Heavyweight Champion. An excellent vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph of Cassius Clay in a full-length boxing pose sparring with his brother at the Territorial Army Centre Gymnasium in White City, London, on 29th May 1963, ahead of his heavyweight fight against Henry Cooper on 18th June 1963. The press photograph bears the original printed caption lightly affixed to the verso which states, in part, 'Louisville's confident Cassius Clay, who says he will beat British heavyweight Henry Cooper in the fifth round of their fight at Wembley Stadium….lands a powerful right-hander on his brother, Rudolf Valentino Clay, during the former's first gymnasium training session…..'. Signed by Clay in blue fountain pen ink to a light area at the base of the image, 'To Peter from Cassius Clay', adding the words 'Next World Champ' in his hand beneath his signature. Vintage signed photographs of Clay of this quality are rare and highly desirable. A couple of very light, extremely minor corner creases, otherwise about EX Clay's first bout against Cooper took place at Wembley Stadium on 18th June 1963 and is particularly remembered for Cooper felling Clay in the fourth round with an upward angled version of his trademark left hook to the jaw. Despite suffering this set back Clay started the fifth round aggressively, attempting to make good his prediction of a fifth-round knockout and opened a severe cut under Cooper's eye. Clay hit Cooper with a succession of hard rights knocking out his gumshield and Cooper's corner threw in the towel. The referee stopped the contest and thus Clay defeated Cooper by a technical knockout.
‘For more than a generation I have struggled with opposition to psychoanalysis’ FREUD SIGMUND: (1856-1939) Austrian neurologist, the founder of psychoanalysis. An important A.L.S., Freud, two pages, large 4to, Vienna, 9th October 1932, to a colleague in America, in German. Freud commences his letter by stating, 'I would like to assume that you are a friend of the psychoanalytic movement. We seem to have very different opinions about the ways and means of serving her. You find Stern and Alexander's draft for the announcement of the new psychoanalytic institute too harshly polemical; I found it timid and unsatisfactory' and continues to defend his viewpoint, 'For more than a generation I have struggled with opposition to psychoanalysis, both within and outside of academia. I think I can judge this correctly. You must understand this and prepare yourself to stand up for it. This fight cannot be appeased without a full overview of the programme and content of the analysis. If one thinks one has won friends through such diplomatic insincerity, then there are only two options: either you learn what the analysis wants and you turn into enemies, or you dare not to do what the analysis dictates, out of respect for these precarious friends, and then you do not deserve the name of a psychoanalyst', further explaining 'Psychoanalysis and opportunism are not compatible. In analysis one seeks to uncover a piece of the truth veiled by conventions. The first truth to face is that a large part of humanity rejects these theories and this resistance cannot be reduced. If the universities want nothing to do with analysis, then analysis must develop independently of the universities. She can await her official recognition with a light heart. In Europe it is currently well on the way. I fear that excessive reverence for the prejudices of the crowd will remain a serious enemy of scientific progress in America for a long time to come'. A letter of excellent content in which Freud demonstrates his struggles for the recognition of psychoanalysis, and also provides his views on psychoanalysis in America, whilst also bringing into play some fundamental questions: doctrinal intransigence against wide dissemination, Europe versus the United States, and revolutionary force against conservatism. Some light age wear and a few minor, neat splits at the folds, only very slightly affecting a few words of text. About VGIn the present letter Freud makes reference to William Stern (1871-1938) German psychologist and philosopher, known for the development of personalistic psychology, and Franz Alexander (1891-1964) Hungarian-American psychoanalyst and physician, considered one of the founders of psychosomatic medicine and psychoanalytic criminology. In 1930 Alexander had been invited to be the Visiting Professor of Psychoanalysis at the University of Chicago and in October 1932 founded the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute (the second oldest such institute in America, preceded by New York five months earlier), becoming its first Director.
![[DREYFUS AFFAIR]: ZOLA EMILE: (1840-1902) French novelist. A.L.S., Emile Zola, one page, 8vo, Paris, 24th February 1880, to a](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/490e7209-4b7e-4aa3-9ba4-afab011e768f/ee2a3d2b-91a5-4a79-84af-afac00d8a6d8/468x382.jpg)
[DREYFUS AFFAIR]: ZOLA EMILE: (1840-1902) French novelist. A.L.S., Emile Zola, one page, 8vo, Paris, 24th February 1880, to a colleague, most likely Aurelien Scholl, in French. Zola thanks his correspondent for the two journals which he had sent him and continues to ask that should any further articles appear they be placed on one side for him, further writing 'Voici une note dont un ami me demande l'insertion dans le Voltaire. Je pense qu'on peut lui accorder cette satisfaction sans difficulte' (Translation: 'Here is a note which a friend asks me to insert in the Voltaire. I think we can grant him this satisfaction without difficulty') and concluding by asking what has become of his own study on Sainte-Beuve. With blank integral leaf. Some very light, minor age wear, otherwise VG Aurelien Scholl (1833-1902) French author and journalist who was the founding editor of Le Voltaire, a French daily newspaper which first appeared in July 1878 and ceased publication in the 1930s. Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve (1804-1869) French literary critic.
LANZA DEL VASTO: (1901-1981) Italian Philosopher, Poet and nonviolent activist. A western disciple of Mohandas Gandhi. A very fine and attractiveA.L.S., with an artistic signature, four pages, folio, in purple ink, n.p., June 1955, in French. Lanza del Vasto with his usual large writing makes a resume of his life path, referring to his youth, his experiences, his travels and philosophical thoughts, stating in part `J´ai toujours écrit, depuis l´enfance, et j´ai toujours trouvé quelqu´un pour me lire… Puis je quittai la maison et vécu au hazard de mille petits métiers, cultivant la pauvreté, expérience pour moi nouvelle et pleine d´enseignement. Puis vinrent mes années de vagabondage qui me conduisirent en Orient… J´avais dépassé la maturité quand je fis paraitre en France les premieres poésies, qui dataient quelques fois de vingt ans, c´était pendant la guerre… Quand éclata le succés inopiné du Pélerinage, les millions se mirent à pleuvoir sur le pélerin, mais j´avais fait voeu de pauvreté et de travail des mains et cette pluie pasa sur moi sans me mouiller…´ (Translation: `I have always written, since childhood, and I have always found someone to read me… Then I left home and lived at random in a thousand small jobs, cultivating poverty, a new and instructive experience for me… Then came my years of wandering which led me to the East… I had exceeded maturity when I published in France the first poems, which sometimes dated back twenty years, it was during the war… When the unexpected success of Pilgrimage broke out , the millions began to rain on the pilgrim, but I had taken a vow of poverty and hand work and this rain passed over me without getting wet…´) Before concluding Lanza del Vasto writes two maxims of life, saying `Notre vie est l´oeuvre qu´il nous faut mener à bonne fin. Le reste est vanité. Les principes et préceptes du retour à l´évidence sont peut-être mon écrit le plus étroitement lié à ma vie et à mon salut´ (Translation: `Our life is the work that we must carry out. The rest is vanity. The principles and precepts of the return to evidence are perhaps my writing most closely related to my life and my salvation´) and above his signature `Maxime: Celui qui ne meurt pas pour quelque chose, meurt pour rien, c´est pourquoi je tiens qu´il est plus sage d´oser´ (Translation: `Maxim: the person who doesn't die for something, dies for nothing, that's why I think it's wiser to dare´) VG
CHENAL MARTHE: (1881-1947) French soprano, noted for her rendition of La Marseillaise. An excellent, large vintage signed and inscribed Imperial cabinet photograph (8 x 12.5) of Chenal standing in an elegant full-length pose wearing a wide-brimmed hat and holding a parasol in one hand. Photograph by Reutlinger of Paris and bearing their imprint to the lower mount and verso. Signed by Chenal in fountain pen ink to a largely clear area at the base of the image, with an inscription in French to Jeanne Paquin, and dated 1911 in Chenal's hand. A fine signed photograph with an interesting association. A few minor bumps to the corners and with some very slight traces of former mounting to the edges of the verso, otherwise VG Jeanne Paquin (1869-1936) French fashion designer, the first major female couturier and one of the pioneers of the modern fashion business, recognised for her resolutely modern and innovative designs.
WAIN LOUIS: (1860-1939) English artist, remembered for his drawings featuring anthropomorphized large-eyed cats and kittens. A good pair of A.Ls.S., Louis Wain, four pages (total), 8vo, Bendigo, Westgate on Sea, 26th August and 1st September 1907, each to [Peter] Keary. In the first letter Wain asks his correspondent not to forget about an article for his annual and continues 'By the bye I am sending tonight to Mr. Everett an article on Canada which may interest you as you have I think been that way. The facts were given by a Canadian farmer whose an old friend of mine & worse than I have painted them. The official facts are very bad too'. With blank integral leaf. In the second letter Wain thanks his correspondent for their manuscript, remarking 'it is quite unconventional & out of the ruck if you don't mind me saying so, & just what I strive for for my annual', and further writing 'I am writing a bit of imaginative fancy myself for the annual & I hope to make the whole thing quite out of the way. I touch politics in a very satirical manner too in some drawings. But it is only the upper classes who are satirical in our days, the mass of the people take umbrage at anything which hits them'. Rare. VG, 2 Peter Keary (1865-1915) British editor of TitBits from 1884-90, when, in conjunction with C. Arthur Pearson, he started Pearson's Weekly. The Louis Wain Annual was published between 1901 and 1915.
LISZT FRANZ: (1811-1886) Austrian-Hungarian composer. Rare Autograph Musical Manuscript Signed, F. Liszt, one page, oblong 8vo manuscript paper, n.p., n.d. (probably post 1850). Liszt has boldly and neatly penned three different musical quotations with elaborate annotations, identifying them individually as from three different sections, each with a different system number, measure number and page number. In an autograph note the composer requests that the markings of 'f.p., >, ', -, and Pedal' be shown in the Polonaise manuscript. Some very light age toning, and minor traces of former mounting to the verso, otherwise VGLiszt states that the corrections pertain to a Polonaise manuscript, although the passages he pens do not appear in the published scores of either of his famous Polonaises. However, one of the musical passages is similar to the first transition in Chopin's Op.53 Polonaise (just before the principal theme rises an octave) and it is well known that Liszt ventured into Chopin's genres only after the latter had died, in 1849, although whether this was out of respect or rivalry remains unclear.
PICCARD JACQUES: (1922-2008) Swiss Oceanographer and Engineer. Known for developing underwater submarines for studying ocean currents. Piccard and Don Walsh were the first to explore the deepest known part of the world´s ocean on board of the Challenger Deep. Signed and inscribed 4 x 6 postcard photograph, the image showing Jacques Piccard standing alongside his father Auguste Piccard on the deck of the bathyscaphe “Trieste”, in a full-length pose. The photograph was taken in September 1955 at Castellammare. Signed and inscribed in blue ink to the upper clear area of the image `…avec mon bon souvenir, Jacques Piccard´, dated in his hand in January 1964. Accompanied by the original envelope postmarked and stamped, also to the verso with Piccard´s ink stamp. VG Auguste Antoine Piccard (1884-1962) Swiss Physicist and Inventor, well-known for his record-breaking hydrogen balloon flights and for his invention of the first bathyscaphe
Loading...-
596780 item(s)/page