LAPLACE PIERRE SIMON: (1749-1827) Marquis de Laplace. French Scholar and Scientist whose works developed mathematics, physics and astronomy. Laplace formulated the equation named after him and was one of the first scientists to postulate the existence of black holes. His five volume work Celestial Mechanics has been a guide for many leading scientists. He is widely considered one of the greatest scientists of all time, and often referred to as the “French Newton”. A good D.S., `C[om]te Laplace´, one page, oblong 4to, Paris, 24th December 1808, in French. The partially printed document, completed in Laplace´s hand, is a receipt confirming the payment Laplace gets obliged to pay a year after according to the decree aproved by the Emperor related to the nobility title granted to him, as Count, by the Emperor. The partially printed document states, with Laplace´s annotations in cursive, `Décret du 17 Mars 1808 - Le vingt-quatre Décembre mil huit cent neuf, je payerai à la grande Trésorerie de la Légion d´honneur la somme de Deux cent vingt francs... que je suis tenu de verser en exécution du statut Impérial du 1er Mars 1808, pour l´emploi qu´il prescrit, à cause du Majorat relatif au Titre de Comte que Sa Majesté Impériale et Royale a bien voulu me conférer. Pour le payement de la présente, j´élis domicile à Paris, à La Chancellerie du Sénat. Fait à Paris, le vingt quatre Décembre mil huit cent huit . Cte Laplace´ (Translation: "Decree of March 17, 1808 - On December twenty-four of the year one thousand eight hundred and nine, I will pay to the great Treasury of the Legion of Honor the sum of Two hundred and twenty francs... which I am required to pay in execution of the Imperial statute of March 1st 1808, for the employment it prescribes, because of the Majorat relating to the Title of Count that His Imperial and Royal Majesty was kind enough to confer on me. For the payment of this, I take up residence in Paris, at the Chancellery of the Senate. Done in Paris, December twenty-fourth, one thousand eight hundred and eight. Cte Laplace´. The document bears a revolutionary blind embossed seal to the front and a tax ink stamp to the verso, bearing also to the verso a three lines handwritten annotation signed by the responsible of the Legion d´honneur Treasury Dubois. Very small minor age wear, otherwise G to VG
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ISRAELI POLITICS: Golda Meir (1898-1978) Prime Minister of Israel 1969-74. Signed 4.5 x 7 photograph of Meir in a head and shoulders pose. Signed in black ink with her name alone to the lower white border (one small ink smudge at the conclusion of the signature). Together with a black ink signature (´Golda Meir´) on a 12mo card and a further pair of blue ink signatures (´Golda Meir´, and also in Hebrew) on 12mo piece with a typed annotation to the upper edge; Menachem Begin (1913-1992) Prime Minister of Israel 1977-83, Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1978. Signed First Day of Issue cover commemorating Peace and Progress and honoring the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations, post marked at San Francisco, 26th June 1970. Signed by Begin in blue ink with his name alone to a clear area; Abba Eban (1915-2002) Israeli diplomat and politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Israel 1963-66. Vintage signed postcard photograph of Eban in a half-length pose seated at his desk. Signed in blue ink with his name alone to the lower white border; Ya´akov Tsur (1937- ) Israeli politician. Blue ink signature (´Y Tsur´) to his official State of Israel printed oblong 12mo Visiting Card as Minister of Immigrant Absorption (a ministerial post he held between 1984-88); Zevulun Hammer (1936-1998) Israeli politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister 1996-98. Signed 5 x 7 photograph of Hammer in a close-up head and shoulders pose. Signed in black ink with his name alone to the verso. Generally VG, 7
FREUD SIGMUND: (1856-1939) Austrian neurologist, the founder of psychoanalysis. An exceptional A.L.S., Freud, two pages, large 4to, Vienna, 22nd January 1937, to Doctor Benjamin Mendelsohn, in German. Freud writes in response to an enquiry from Mendelsohn in which he had sought Freud´s advice regarding the case of a hunchbacked teacher accused of homosexual acts against two of his pupils, Freud explaining that he will answer ´as well as this is possible from a distance´ and continuing to offer his thoughts in five numbered paragraphs (translated) ´I) Curvature of the spine: a) significant for sexual abstinence in so far as the deformity will deter his courage to woo and will minimise his chances with women. b) As for homosexuality: no direct effect except, possibly, where a disposition to disease is present. II) Even though it is obvious that the psychological disorder is a direct result of a neglected structural defect of a person, it is questionable how much suffering could have been prevented by an early treatment. III) Ascending alcoholism - no proven effect as far as homosexuality is concerned. IV) The tender bonding between mother and child is a regularly-found and characteristic trait in the most common types of homosexuality. V) It is entirely possible that young people with sufficient talent and strong character development can achieve normal social behaviour and adequate accomplishments despite adverse conditions and functional defects, as manifested in this case. A well-known example is the philosopher of the 18th century, Moses Mendelsohn (sic) whose name is also yours´. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Freud. Together with a T.L.S., Prof L Lattes, by the Italian scientist Leon Lattes, one page, large 4to, Pavia, 25th January 1937, also to Benjamin Mendelsohn, on the printed stationery of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Pavia, in French. Latte responds to the same questions Mendelsohn had posed to Freud, also answering in five numbered paragraphs, in part, (translated) ´I. It is evident that a serious deformity of the spinal column may, in the case of individuals of timid temperament, cause a condition of apprehensive fear with regard to sexual relations, consequently inhibiting all attempts at amorous advances, even toward a prostitute. II. The sexual life having been thus warped at the time of puberty, there may result a psycho-sexual deviation toward platonic homosexuality. But I could not, from the strictly medical-legal point of view, attribute this as being caused by the spinal deformity; since the constitutional predisposition and the psychogenic development influenced by stimulations of the environment predominate in such a rigid manner, it is not legally justifiable to consider the deformity as other than an occasional condition that may be favourable to, but not causative of the psychopathic deviation......III. The question of the influence of a background of alcoholism is one that is very much discussed from the scientific point of view. It is generally admitted that it may figure among the causes of psycho-pathological predispositions, when considered in general, but certainly not in any specific manner a cause of sexual inversion. IV. I do not have a thorough grounding in psycho-analysis; it seems to me however, that the well known Oedipus complex of Freud, which forms a part of the normal hetrosexual psychology, is in perfect conformity with a pronounced attachment to the mother; in other words, I do not see here any indication of homosexual tendencies. V. As for your last request, I find it quite vague. Everyone has known individuals who have succeeded, under difficult circumstances, in repressing their bad tendencies, especially if they have found support and effective assistance; others, on the contrary, with a naturally weak will, who have not had the corrective influence of a good and steadying education, become the victims of their passions, even if they are highly abnormal. But alas! Many men have been able to resist their temptations, yet on a given occasion, as a result of momentary weakness or an unusual convergence of circumstances, they have yielded, in contradiction to their past behaviours of honour and rectitude. It must be said, as did Jesus: Let him who is without sin cast the first stone´. A remarkable pair of letters for their discussion of homosexuality in relation to human deformity, Freud´s letter particularly desirable and not least for his reference to his classical psychoanalytic theory, the Oedipus complex, first introduced in 1910. Each of the letters with two file holes to the left edges and some light age wear, minor creasing and a few small tears to the edges, the latter more noticeable in the letter of Lattes. Both letters, and Freud´s envelope, are lightly hinged at the left edges and professionally bound together within a handsome hardcover presentation folder with grey cloth boards, a gilt stamped leather panel to the front, and a frontispiece illustration of Freud. Contained within a handsome clamshell box of quarter leather and attractive marbled boards and also with a gilt stamped leather panel to the lid. G to about VG, 2Benjamin Mendelsohn (1900-1998) Romanian-born Israeli criminologist, considered one of the two fathers of the study of victimology in criminal law.Leone Lattes (1887-1954) Italian scientist and physicist with an interest in criminal anthropology. Lattes invented the idea of forensic paternity (the identification of a corpse based on blood from relatives). Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) German-Jewish philosopher and theologian who developed curvature of the spine in his boyhood.
NADAR: (1820-1910) Gaspard-Felix Tournachon. French photographer, caricaturist and balloonist, the first person to take aerial photographs (1858). The personal Album Amicorum belonging to Nadar, and later presented to his son, containing over sixty signatures by a wide variety of famous individuals, some of whom sat for the photographer, many of the entries accompanied by sentiments of appreciation for Nadar, and some with original drawings, paintings, or musical and literary quotations. The large oblong folio album commences with an entry signed by Nadar, gifting the album to his son, Paul, ´En accord plus que parfait, a tous points de vues avec mon adoree Sainte, et en toute reconnaissance emue, je legue cet album a l´admirable enfant, qui de nous deux, nous donna toujours tout sans jamais rien recevoir, Nadar´ (Translation: ´In more than perfect agreement, from every point of view, with my beloved Saint, and with deep gratitude, I bequeath this album to the admirable child who, between the two of us, always gave us everything without ever receiving anything, Nadar´), further adding the words ´A la connaissance et reconnaissance de tous ceux qui nous ont approches´ (Translation: ´To the knowledge and gratitude of all those who have approached us´) beneath his signature. The album continues with entries by various luminaries including (in order of their appearance within the album) Anatole France (1844-1924) French poet and novelist, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1921, a warm appreciation, ´Nadar est le meilleur des hommes, le plus inventif et le plus courageux, le plus tendre, le plus fier, et le plus charmant. Si nous avions garde la puissance de creer des personnages mythiques. Nadar serait en France ce que Didale [Daedalus] fut chez les grecs antiques´ (Translation: ´Nadar is the best of men, the most inventive and courageous, the most tender, proud and charming. If only we had kept the power to create mythical characters. Nadar would be to France what Didale [Daedalus] was to the ancient Greeks´), dated at Paris, 14th December 1903; Elie Metchnikoff (1845-1916) Russian zoologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize winner for Physiology or Medicine in 1908, ´Hommage bien devouee a Monsieur Nadar a qui je souhaite une bonne et heureuse nouvelle annee´ (Translation: ´A well-deserved tribute to Monsieur Nadar, to whom I wish a happy new year´) dated 31st December 1909; Jules Arsene Arnaud Claretie (1840-1913) French journalist, drama critic and director of the Théâtre-Français, ´A Nadar la Bonte, Vieille affection devouee, On parle tant des "professeurs d´energie" Nadar, mon ami de toujours, ne professa pas, il prouva et il agit-il agirait encore´ (Translation: ´To Nadar the Good, Old devoted affection, We talk so much about "professors of energy" Nadar, my lifelong friend, did not profess, he proved and he acted - he would act again´); his son Georges Claretie (1875-1936) French lawyer and man of letters, ´A Monsieur Nadar, que j´ai aime depuis que mon pere m´a parle de sa bonte, de son courage, de son energie, c´est a dire depuis toujours, et que j´aime encore plus depuis que je le connais davantage´ (Translation: ´To Monsieur Nadar, whom I have loved ever since my father told me about his kindness, courage and energy, in other words since I can remember, and whom I love even more now that I know him better´);Paul Rolier (1844-1918) French engineer and aeronaut, pilot of the balloon La Ville d´Orleans which inadvertently made the first flight across the North Sea from France to Norway on 24th November 1870 during the Siege of Paris,´Souvenir reconnaissant d´un aeronaute du Siege a son illustre collegue, le fondateur des Ballons de Paris....´ (Translation: ´A grateful souvenir from a Siege aeronaut to his illustrious colleague, the founder of the Ballons de Paris....´); and his fellow aeronaut Henri Bergeron, ´Deux mots d´admiration a mon maitre, Nadar! qui est pour moi l´eternel ideal que je ne saurai jamais attiendre´ (Translation: ´Two words of admiration for my master, Nadar! who is for me the eternal ideal that I will never be able to attain´); Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French novelist, poet and dramatist, ´Et s´il n´en reste qu´un, je serai celui-la´ (Translation: ´And if there's only one left, I'll be the one´); Charles Garnier (1825-1898) French architect of the Opera de Monte Carlo, the Palais Garnier in Paris, and other buildings, three amusing passages of text signed by Garnier, adding a simple ink drawing of a house and trees beneath his signature, 27th August 1877; Aime Laussedat (1819-1907) French scientist, astronomer and photographer, ´J´ai connu, au cours de ma longue existence beaucoup de braves gars. Je n´en ai connu nide meilleur nide plus charmante que mon vieil ami Nadar´ (Translation: ´I've known a lot of good guys in my long life. I have known none better or more charming than my old friend Nadar´), the same page also featuring an entry by Nadar himself, signed with his initial N, being a Rime batelée, and at the foot writing 'Je transcris de memoire, par a peu pres, cet exercice prosodique en souvenir de son auteur, notre bon et modeste Eug. [Ernest] Prarond, poete Abbevillois.....´ (Translation: ´I am transcribing this prosodic exercise from memory, more or less, in memory of its author, our good and modest Eug. [Ernest] Prarond, poet from Abbevillois.....´); Theophile Steinlen (1859-1923) Swiss-born French Art Nouveau painter and printmaker, a wonderful original pencil drawing of a happy, content black cat, lying in profile, signed by Steinlen in pencil and further inscribed ´A mon cher grand et bon Nadar, Beaux - indifferents - egoistes et tranquilles il y a des jours on l´on se prend a desirer - presque - d´etre comme eux´ (Translation; ´To my dear great and good Nadar, Beautiful - indifferent - egotistical and quiet, there are days when you find yourself wishing - almost - that you were like them´); and others. A remarkable album containing an impressive selection of signatures by a fascinating range of individuals, all of whom held Nadar in high esteem. All of the signatures are to the rectos of the pages (which measure approximately 50 x 36 cm each, and are paginated 1-44, 46-51, and 53-65, including some blank pages and an incomplete table of contents) and a number of pages bear multiple entries. The album is attractively bound in half-red shagreen with Nadar´s decorative gilt stamped initial N to the front board and spine, the latter of which is also gilt stamped Album., also featuring silk moire endpapers (some dampstaining to the edges) and all edges gilt. Contained in the attractive original dark red decorative slipcase. A few minor tears to the edges of some of the pages and with light overall age wear, generally about VGOWING TO LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE SALEROOM THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED - PLEASE CONTACT IAA EUROPE DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
![[HUGO VICTOR]: (1802-1885) French Poet and Novelist. A.N. in the hand of Hugo to the heading of the front page of a letter ad](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/e7cffcd7-440f-486d-9683-b22600c0cba1/d9ff91ce-43a1-4bdc-afcb-b226013070a8/468x382.jpg)
[HUGO VICTOR]: (1802-1885) French Poet and Novelist. A.N. in the hand of Hugo to the heading of the front page of a letter addressed to him by Pauline de Melin, three pages, 8vo, Paris, 11th April, n.y. [1867/1868], in French. Hugo responds in bold black ink `R[éponse] - Oui. Lire si elle veut Les Pauvres Gens´ (Translation: "R[esponse] - Yes. read if she wants The Poor People"). Pauline de Merlin sends the letter to Hugo asking for his authorization allowing her to perform in the Cercles Plébéiens ("Plebeian Circles") Hugo´s works, stating in part `J´ose vous adresser une prière. Engagée pour jouer dans les cercles plébéiens des scènes du répertoire, je viens solliciter votre autorisation de dire quelques fragments tirés de vos puissants chefs d´oeuvre. Sans doute je serai dans les premiers jours une interprète insuffisante, mais inspirée par le souffle électrisant de votre génie, j´espère monter peu à peu mes cordes à un diapason qui satisfera votre bienveillante indulgence´ (Translation: "I dare to address a prayer to you. I have been asked to play in plebeian circles scenes from the repertoire, I come to ask your permission to perform some fragments taken from your powerful masterpieces. No doubt I will be an inadequate interpreter in the first days, but inspired by the electrifying breath of your genius, I hope to raise my strings little by little to a pitch that will satisfy your benevolent indulgence.") To the third page the letter includes two recommendations to Hugo in favour of Oauline de Melin, written and signed by Philibert Audebrand and by Jules Lermina. Small overall minor creasing and age wear, otherwise GPhilibert Audebrand (1815-1906) French Writer, Journalist and Author.Jules Lermina (1839–1915) was a French writer.Les Pauvres Gens ("The Poor People") is a short story by Hugo, included in his work La Légende des Siècles, 1854. The work would later be rewritten by Leo Tolstoy in Russian (1908)
O´HARA DEE: (1935- ) American nurse who served as the first aerospace nurse to NASA´s first astronauts in the Mercury Seven programme, later supporting the Gemini programme, Apollo and Skylab. Two identical signed colour 8 x 10 photographs of O´Hara seated in a half-length pose, wearing her white nurse´s uniform, at her desk, with a pen in one hand and a telephone at her side. Both are signed in bold black ink to light areas of the images, also adding the words Astronauts´ Nurse, Mercury thru ASTP in her hand beneath her signatures. Together with a small selection of unsigned commemorative covers, photographs, mission patches (2) and other printed ephemera relating to various missions including Apollo XI, Apollo XIII, Apollo XIV, Apollo XV, Apollo XVII etc. Generally VG to EX, 22
ROSSINI GIOACCHINO: (1792-1868) Italian Composer. A prolific composer, known as 'The Italian Mozart', who until his retirement in 1829 had been the most popular opera composer in history. An excellent Autograph Musical score signed `G. Rossini´, two pages, written to the front pages only, folio, 10 x 13 (25 x 33cm), Passy, 1863, inscribed to Madame Bouland. Rossini has cleanly penned thirty-eight bars of music on two staves, in bold black ink. The Italian composer annotates to the heading and before the first bar of music `Piano´, and above the musical tempo `Andantino mosso´. The musical work is a piano composition taken from Péchés de vieillesse, ("Sins of Old Age"), 11 double musical staves, and contains multiple annotations in Rossini´s hand. At the conclusion to the base of the second page, Rossini annotates `Un Rien offert à Madame Bouland, par son ami et admirateur G. Rossini´ (Translation: "A little something offered to Madame Bouland, from his friend and admirer, G. Rossini"), also dated beneath in his hand. Bearing a statement to the verso of the second page by Camille (?) stating `Naguère, à Pesaro, contemplant la statue, je me disais: Les Arts ont aussi leur autel; et Rossini, du haut de ce bronze immortel, voit la postérité qui passe et qui salue´ (Translation: "Not long ago, in Pesaro, contemplating the statue, I said to myself: The Arts also have their altar; and Rossini, from the height of this immortal bronze, sees posterity passing and saluting") Small age toning to the edges, with a very small tear to the lower edge of the front page, not affecting the musical quote, otherwise VG
BEAN ALAN: (1932-2018) American astronaut, Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo XII (1969), the fourth man to walk on the moon. A printed folio edition of the Daily Mirror newspaper of Friday, 28th November 1969, with the headline First Visitor above an image of Alan Bean standing in a full-length pose on the surface of the moon alongside Surveyor III, the NASA lunar lander spacecraft which was sent to explore the surface of the moon in 1967. Signed by Bean in blue ink to a light area of the image, also adding Apollo 12 in his hand beneath his signature. Some light age wear, otherwise about VG
CHAR RENE: (1907-1988) French poet and a member of the French Resistance during World War II. A good war date manuscript D.S., Rene Char, Alexandre, one page, 4to, Avignon, 15th February 1945, on the attractive printed stationery of the Forces Francaises Combattantes, in French. The document, entirely in Char´s hand, is an attestation issued in his capacity as Deputy Regional Head of the Parachute Landing Section Region 2 (1943-1944) and Departmental Inspector of the United Resistance Movements, and certfies that Andre and Henriette Gomes ´ont des octobre 1940 participe avec le plus grand courage et un total desinteressement a la premiere resistance contre les Allemands et les Italiens´ (Translation: ´have since October 1940 participated with the greatest courage and total dedication in the first resistance against the Germans and Italians´) and that ´Durant quatre ans ils n´ont jamais cesse de se rendre utiles et de servir la cause de la Liberation. Dans les conditions parfois les plus difficiles, ils ont rempli au mieux les missions qui leur ont ete confiees´ (Translation: ´For four years they never ceased to be useful and to serve the cause of the Liberation. Sometimes in the most difficult conditions, they carried out the missions entrusted to them to the best of their ability´). Signed by Char at the conclusion, also adding his alias (´Alexandre´) beneath his signature, alongside an official circular rubber stamp. Some light age wear, a few minor tears to the edges, and a couple of extremely small holes at the intersection of two folds, about VGAndre Gomes, a photographer, and his wife Henriette, were close friends of many prominent artists during the 1930s, including Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp and Joan Miro. Henriette opened an art gallery in Paris in 1938, however, being Jewish they were forced to flee Paris during the Nazi occupation, and her gallery was seized as Jewish property. They ended up in Marseille in 1940, where they joined the Surrealists at the Villa Air-Bel, and both Andre and Henriette became active in the French Resistance. The Galerie Henriette was re-opened at 6 rue du Cirque, Paris, in 1949-50.
COSTES DIEUDONNE: (1892-1973) French fighter ace of World War I, and later a distance records-breaking aviator. Vintage signed and inscribed 5 x 7 photograph of Costes standing outdoors in a three-quarter length pose, smoking a pipe. Signed in bold black fountain pen ink to the image with an inscription in French, ´à l’homme à la pipe, en tenue.....des soins apportés au grand raid´ (Translation: ´To the man with the pipe, in his outfit.....the care given to the great raid´) and dated 31st May 1927 in his hand. Together with Maurice Bellonte (1896-1983) French pioneer aviator who, with Dieudonne Costes, completed the first westbound crossing of the North Atlantic from Paris to New York, September 1930. Autograph draft of a letter, unsigned, one page, 4to, n.p., 6th August 1937, to Louis Couhe, in French. The retained draft is written on feint squared graph paper and contains various corrections, stating that he is forwarding a copy of a letter which he had sent to the Minister for Air and further remarking ´Je profite de l´occasion pour vous remercier de la lettre me concernant que vous avez recemment adressee a Monsieur [Jean] Moulin et du point de vue que vous y avez expose a mon egard´ (Translation: ´I take this opportunity to thank you for the letter concerning me that you recently sent to Mr [Jean] Moulin and for the point of view you expressed about me in it´). Some very light, extremely minor age wear, and two small traces of former mounting to the verso of the photograph, otherwise VG, 2Louis Couhe (1889-1979) French politician who flew as a Lieutenant during World War I and later served as Secretary General of the Air Ministry as well as Director of Air France Transatlantique.Jean Moulin (1899-1943) French civil servant who served as the first President of the National Council of the Resistance during World War II and is remembered as one of the main heroes of the French Resistance. At the time of the present letter Moulin was employed at the Air Ministry under Pierre Cot.
RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS: A good multiple signed 6 x 4 photograph by the first four Russian cosmonauts to make spaceflights, comprising Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968; the first human to journey into outer space, travelling on Vostok 1, 12th April 1961), Gherman Titov (1935-2000; Vostok 2, 6th – 7th August 1961), Andriyan Nikolayev (1929-2004; Vostok 3, 11th – 15th August 1962), Pavel Popovich (1930-2009; Vostok 4, 12th -15th August 1962). The image depicts the four cosmonauts standing in a row together, in head and shoulders poses, and each wearing their uniforms and medals. Signed by each in fountain pen inks with their names alone to the lower white border. A couple of very minor, light smudges to Titov´s signature. VG
LISZT FRANZ: (1811-1886) Hungarian composer and pianist of the Romantic period. A good, large vintage signed and inscribed sepia 14.5 x 13 photograph (including card mount) of Liszt seated in a full-length pose at his desk within his study at Weimar, surrounded by various tables and chairs and with a piano visible to the left of the image. Photograph by Louis Held of Weimar (1884) and bearing his blindstamp to the lower right corner of the image. Signed and inscribed by Liszt in fountain pen ink to the lower photographer´s mount, in German, ´Meinem liebster "Badedecker" (Frau Carrie Lachmund) herzlich ergebend, F Liszt´ (Translation; ´Sincerely yielding to my dearest ‘Badedecker’ (Mrs Carrie Lachmund), F Liszt ´) and dated at Weimar, July 1884, in his hand. Matted in cream with a decorative gold edge and framed and glazed to an overall size of 21.5 x 19.5. Signed photographs of Liszt of this size are scarce, and the present example has a good association. The signature is a touch light, although remains legible. Some light staining and minor age wear, about VGLouis Held (1851-1927) German photographer and a pioneer of photojournalism. Held opened his first studio in Liegnitz in 1876 and six years later located himself in Weimar where he became a protege of Liszt and was appointed court photographer to Carl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1888.Caroline ´Carrie´ Lachmund (1854-1889) was a harpist and the first wife of Carl Lachmund (1853-1928) American pianist who studied under Liszt at Weimar from 1882-84.
MONET CLAUDE: (1840-1926) French Impressionist painter. A.L.S., Claude Monet, two pages (written to the first and third sides of the bifolium), 8vo, n.p. (en route to Dieppe), n.d. (´Samedi 6 pm´; c. 1882-83), to [Alice Hoschedé] (´Chere Madame´), in pencil. Monet writes regarding an impending move to Giverny, ´comme je vous le disais hier il est plus prudent de profiter de cette bonne occasion de quitter Poissy, je viens d’écrire aussi à Mr Masset pour le prévenir. Si de votre côté vous voyez ces personnes il est bien entendu qu’ils doivent nous tenir compte des dix mois payés d’avance de cette façon nous n’aurions rien ou à peu près à payer´ (Translation: ´as I told you yesterday, it is wiser to take this good opportunity to leave Poissy, I have also just written to Mr Masset to warn him. If you see these people on your side, it goes without saying that they must give us an account for the ten months paid in advance, so that we would have nothing or almost nothing to pay´) and also refers to the weather and his work, ´Il fait ici un temps affreux du brouillard à n’y rien voir et cependant j’ai travaillé quand même, mais c’est du soleil que je voudrais, et il est bien rare´ (Translation: ´The weather here is dreadful, foggy beyond belief, and yet I have worked all the same, but it is sunshine that I would like, and it is very rare´), adding that he has almost reached Dieppe, where he will meet his brother, and concluding by remarking that he is thinking of Hoschede and the children, to whom he sends a thousand kisses. In a postscript Monet also adds that he has ´reçu une lettre de Duret qui est à Paris. Il est dans l’enchantement de mon exposition´ (Translation: ´received a letter from Duret who is in Paris. He is delighted with my exhibition´). VGAlice Hoschede Monet (1844-1911) French artists' model, wife of the art collector Ernest Hoschede and later of the Impressionist painter Claude Monet (from 1892).Although married to Camille Doncieux (1847-1879), the adulterous affair between Claude Monet and Alice Hoschedé began in 1876. After the death of Camille Doncieux, Monet and Alice Hoschedé (with all their eight children) moved first to Poissy in 1881, then to Giverny from 1883. Monet often left the family home for long periods in order to be able to paint at leisure, leaving Alice in charge of the household and eight children. The artist left Poissy from mid-February to mid-April 1882, to go to Dieppe, and then to Normandy, and the present letter may date from this period. Monet alludes to their final move to their famous home at Giverny, near Vernon in the Eure department, where he would produce some of his finest paintings.
NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS: Selection of signed pieces, cards, signed photographs (2) etc., by various Nobel Peace Prize winners comprising Willy Brandt (1971), Menachem Begin (1978; black ink signature on an official compliments slip of the Israeli Prime Minister), Lech Walesa (1983; two examples, one being a signed newspaper photograph, neatly laid down), Desmond Tutu (1984; signed colour 4 x 6 photograph), Oscar Arias (1987), F. W. de Klerk (1993), and Jimmy Carter (2002; signed and inscribed colour 8 x 10 photograph, also signed by his wife, First Lady Rosalynn Carter). G to generally VG, 8
APOLLO-SOYUZ: A rare multiple signed official NASA colour 10 x 8 photograph issued in 1973 to announce the planned Apollo Soyuz Test Project, the image featuring artist Raymond Bruneau´s rendering of an Apollo spacecraft preparing to dock with a Soviet spacecraft above the earth, individually signed by thirteen American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts, representing members of the prime, back-up and support crew, comprising Tom Stafford (Apollo Commander), Vance Brand (Apollo Command Module Pilot), Alan Bean (Apollo Back-Up crew Commander), Ron Evans (Apollo Back-Up crew Command Module Pilot), Jack Lousma (Apollo Back-Up crew Docking Module Pilot), Karol J. Bobko (Support crew), Bob Overmyer (Support crew), Alexei Leonov (Soyuz Commander), Valery Kubasov (Soyuz Flight Engineer), Anatoly Filipchenko (Soyuz Back-Up crew Commander), Nikolai Rukavishnikov (Soyuz Back-Up crew Flight Engineer), Yuri Romanenko (Support crew) and Vladimir Dzhanibekov (Support crew). All have signed with their names alone in blue, black or red inks, a few of the signatures across slightly darker areas and with poorer contrast. With printed explanatory text in English and Russian to the verso. VGApollo-Soyuz was the first crewed international space mission, carried out jointly by the United States of America and the Soviet Union in July 1975.
MORISOT BERTHE: (1841-1895) French Painter. Morisot was married to Eugene Manet, brother of her close friend and colleague Edouard Manet. She was a member of the circle of painters in Paris who became known as the Impressionists. In 1874, she joined the "rejected" Impressionists by the Academie des beaux-arts in the first of their own exhibitions, which included Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir and Sisley, which was held at the studio of the photographer Nadar. A rare and lengthy A.L.S., `B.M.´, with her initials, four pages, 8vo, n.p., n.d., to her niece Paulette, in French. Morisot, in her late years, thanks her correspondent for her letter and explains what is her husband and her own updated health situation, stating in part `Ma chère petite Paulette, je suis bien touchée de ta lettre, j´ai toujours su que tu avais du coeur et que tu répondais à l´affection que ton oncle et moi avons pour toi. Il est beaucoup mieux...mon esprit inquiet va au devant des complications de l´avenir. Ta mère comprendra ici mieux que toi, nous sommes à un âge où une fois touchés par le malheur nous pourrions ne devoir jamais nous relever´ (Translation: "My dear little Paulette, I am very touched by your letter, I always knew that you had a heart and that you responded to the affection that your uncle and I have for you. He is much better...my worried mind goes ahead of the complications of the future. Your mother will understand better than you, we are at an age where once touched by misfortune we may never have to get up again") Further Morisot refers to writing and painting and gives her advice to her niece, saying `J´ai lu ta lettre à ton oncle, elle lui a fait grand plaisir, il a visité l´Auvergne dans sa jeunesse... et a trouvé que tu décrivais parfaitement le pays. Nous sommes deux à te reconnaitre un petit talent littéraire que tu devrais cultiver, tu ne ferais pas tort à la peinture, au contraire, je crois que l´un aide l´autre et je pressens que dans quelques années d´ici, la mode sera aux femmes écrivains. Si on reçoit le Figaro là-bas, demande à ta mère de te laisser lire les fragments de Mémoires par les Goncourt. ils contiennent quelques fois de jolies choses´ (Translation: "I read your letter to your uncle, it gave him great pleasure, he visited Auvergne in his youth... and found that you described the country perfectly. We are the two of us recognizing in you a little literary talent that you should cultivate, you would not do any harm to painting, on the contrary, I believe that one helps the other and I sense that in a few years from now, fashion will be for women writers. If you receive Le Figaro there, ask your mother to let you read the fragments of Memoirs by the Goncourt, they sometimes contain pretty things") Further again Morisot refers to her brother-in-law and to her own day by day, saying `J´ai vu l´oncle Adolphe toujours bavard, se mettant franchement à ma disposition avec un fleuve de paroles assourdissant... en somme je ne suis pas abandonnée, que ta mère se rassure et qu´elle jouisse en paix de son séjour à la campagne, vous devez y avoir de bien belles journées, quelle mine a-t-elle? Elle me disait dans une de ses lettres qu´elle avait été souffrante´ (Translation: "I saw Uncle Adolphe, always talkative, frankly putting himself at my disposal with a deafening river of words... in short I am not abandoned, may your mother be reassured and may she enjoy her stay in peace in the countryside, you must have some very nice days there, how is she feeling? She told me in one of her letters that she had been unwell") VGPaule Marie Gobillard (1867-1945) Niece of Berthe Morisot. She was the elder daughter of Theodore Gobillard (1833-1883) and Berthe´s elder sister Yves Elisabeth Morisot (1838-1893)Eugene Manet (1833-1892) Younger brother of Edouard Manet. Berthe and Edouard were not only colleagues but very close friends. Edouard remained with his wife and Eugene married Berthe Morisot in 1874, in what has often been described as a marriage of convenience. Adolphe Pontillon (1832-1894) Brother-in-law to Berthe Morisot. He was the husband of Berthe´s sister Marie Caroline Morisot (1839-1921)
SPARK MURIEL: (1918-2006) Scottish novelist. Vintage signed 7 x 9 photograph of Spark standing in a half-length pose in a doorway. Photograph by Jerry Bauer of Rome and bearing his credit stamp to the verso. Signed in blue ink by Spark to the base of the image. The novelist evidently experienced some pen trouble when initially signing the photograph and the indentations of her first signature, using a different pen, can be seen beneath her second, more successful attempt. A couple of very light, minor surface and corner creases, otherwise about VGJerry Bauer (1934-2010) American photographer of writers, whose portraits of Samuel Beckett are particularly highly regarded.
DUMAS ALEXANDRE: Fils (1824-1895) French Author and Dramatist. Rare autograph poem in the hand of Dumas, A.L.S., `A. Dumas fils´, one page, 8vo, Nohant, 2nd August 1861, to Madame Gressin, in French. Dumas cleanly pens a twenty-four verse poem in alexandrines, with an octosyllable one on the second verse of each strophe. The theme is the figure of the inaccessible poet, like the gazelle, like the tree on a mountain, or "the aged heart where no flower can bloom". Dumas writes his poem without title, although few years later he published it for the first time under the title "Vers écrits sur un album" ("Verses written on an album"). The poem states in part `...Je calcine les monts et j´aveugle et je tue - Et je dépasse tout; Je suis lancé par Dieu! - Eh bien, je te trompais, je suis l´arbre élevé - sur une si haute montagne - qu´hélas la solitude est ma seule compagne - et que jamais à moi, l´oiseau n´est arrivé - Que m´importe! Je vais où ne va pas l´oiseau... Je suis la triste nuit qui n´aura point d´aurore - Et je n´attends plus rien de l´avenir pali - Aussi je ne viens pas vers toi de l´avenir - Je suis cette douce pensée - Que le coeur le plus dur n´a jamais repoussée - Ouvre moi donc tes bras - Je suis le souvenir´. The poem is incribed by Dumas to the lower left corner, stating `autographe donné à Mme Gressin à Nohant, on August 2nd 1861´. With blank integal leaf. VGThe present poem was first published in 1866, five years later than the poem was written on the present document, on the journal Le Moniteur de la Mode, and it was published under the title "Vers écrits sur un album" ("Verses written on an album"). Much later, in 1893, it was published again, in the Magazine La Lecture, but this time under the title Le Souvenir ("The Souvenir")
DUCHAMP MARCEL: (1887-1968) French painter and sculptor. A.L.S., Marcel Duchamp, two pages, 8vo, New York, 30th January 1964, to Georges Veron, in French. Duchamp states that Arman had provided Veron’s address and suggested that he write to him ‘Pour vous demander si vous pourez faire une transparence Ekta on Kodakchrome en couleur de 35mm d'un tableau a l'huile de Leger qui se trouve chez Dr. Robert Jullien’ (Translation: ‘To ask if you can make a 35mm colour Ekta on Kodakchrome transparency of an oil painting by Leger which is at Dr. Robert Jullien’s home’), further remarking ‘J'ai demande a Maurice Lefebvre-Foinet…..de vous faire la meme demande et de se charger de vous mettre en rapport avec Dr. Jullien ainsi que de vous regler le prix et tous les frais de deplacement’ (Translation: ‘I asked Maurice Lefebvre-Foinet…..to make the same request to you and to take charge of putting you in contact with Dr. Jullien as well as paying you the price and all travel expenses’) and concluding by adding that Lefebvre-Foinet will send the finished transparency to New York via air mail. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Duchamp and signed (‘Duchamp’; one tear slightly affecting the signature) by him in the return address to the verso. One small stain to the lower edge of the letter, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG Arman (1928-2005) French-born American artist who first met Duchamp in New York in the early 1960s. Fernand Leger (1881-1955) French painter, sculptor and filmmaker. Maurice Lefebvre-Foinet – French art collector and manager of a renowned family-owned shop in Paris which supplied brushes, canvasses and hand-ground oil paints to artists over several generations.
OUIS PHILIPPE I & MARIA AMALIA: Louis Philippe I (1773-1850) King of France 1830-48, & Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily (1782-1866) Queen of the French by marriage to Louis Philippe I. She was the last Queen of France. À good and unusual multiple signed D.S., `Bon pour autorisation - Louis Philippe D´Orléans´, and `Bon pour pouvoir - Marie Amélie´, one page, 4to, Royal Palace, April 1830, in French. The document being a power of attorney given by Louis Philippe and his wife, only few months before acceeding to the throne of France, for the purchase of an important and large property, the forest of Montauban. The document states in part `Nous soussignés Marie Amélie, Princesse des Deux Sicilies, épouse de S.A.R. Louis Philippe D´Orléans, Duc D´Orleans, Premier Prince de Sang, Pair de France, Colonel Général des Hussards, mariés sous le régime dotal, autorisés par S.A.R. Monsiegneur le Duc D´Orleans... Donnons pouvoir à Mr. Denormandie, avoué près le tribunal cicil de Paris, pour en notre nom, se rendre adjudicataire pour la somme qui sera par nous indiquée... clauses et conditions de l´enchère de la forêt de Montauban, située au terroir de Montauban, arrondissement de Montfort sur Meu, département de l´ile & Vilaine, cidevant Bretagne...´ (Translation: "We, the undersigned Marie Amélie, Princess of the Two Sicilies, wife of HRH Louis Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Orléans, First Prince of Blood, Peer of France, Colonel General of the Hussars, married under the dotal regime, authorized by HRH Monsiegneur the Duke of Orléans... Give power to Mr. Denormandie, attorney at the civil court of Paris, to become the successful bidder in our name for the sum that will be indicated by us... clauses and conditions of the auction of the forest of Montauban, located in the territory of Montauban, district of Montfort sur Meu, department of Ile & Vilaine, formerly Brittany...") Countersigned by the Secretary of their command. The document bears a blind embossed royal seal to the front. Very small minor age wear, otherwise G to VG
MIRO JOAN: (1893-1983) Spanish painter. An excellent, lengthy and early A.L.S., Miro, three pages, 4to, Barcelona, 7th April 1934, to [Christian] Zervos, in French. Miro states that he has received his correspondent's letter, article and photograph, explaining that he did not answer sooner 'parce que j'ai du me rendrer a Montrois pour verifier d'apres le dessins.....les dates exactes, et vous donner de la facon la plus exacte possible, les renseignments que vous m'aviez demande a Paris' (Translation: 'because I had to go to Montrois to check according to the drawings….the exact dates, and to give you in the most exact way possible, the information that you had asked me for in Paris') and continuing to write concerning Zervos's article, and offering some advice, 'Votre article est tres, tres bien, vous avez tres bien compris mes inquietudes, il est en meme temps ecrit avec un grand courage. Je l'ai lu maintes fois attentivement et en suis tres emu. Vous en remercie de tout Coeur. Il faudrait toutefois rectifer, quelques dates, il m'etait tres difficile de les preciser lors de notre entretien chez vous. J'estime que ces donnees doivent etre tres exacter, d'autant plus qu'elles seront repandues a l'etranger, ou l'on se servira de ce numero de "Cahiers d'Art" lorsque l'on voudra ecrire quelque chose d'important sur moi. a) J'ai commence l'etude de la peinture a l'age de 14 ans, mon premier professeur a ete Urgell, et plus tard Pasco. b) Je cesse de peindre de 1910 a 1912 - a partir de cette date je m'adonne entierement a la peinture et frequente a Barcelone certaines academies etc. et passe mes vacances a Montrois, je frequente les academies jusqu'a 1914, et desormais je travaillerai seul. c) arrive a Paris pour le premiere fois en mars 1919, et c'est a partir de cette date que je travaille tantot a Barcelone tantot a Montrois, tantot a Paris. d) qouique la plupart de reproductions n'auront pas de titre, il ne faudrait cependant pas negliger d'en mettre a celles que vous citez dans votre article et aux plus representatives pour mieux le comprendre. e) ces tableaux ont ete faits l'hiver et le printemps 1933. f) Je trouve aussi que c'est mieux que vous supprimiez ce passage. Comme vous voyez toutes les rectifications sont tres necessaires et tres importantes, je vous demande de faire l'impossible pour y etre a temps' (Translation: 'Your article is very, very good, you have understood my concerns very well, it is at the same time written with great courage. I have read it carefully many times and am very moved by it. Thank you wholeheartedly. However, it would be necessary to rectify a few dates, it was very difficult for me to specify them during our interview with you. I consider that this information must be very exact, especially since they will be spread abroad, where people will use this number of “Cahiers d'Art” when they want to write something important about me. a) I started studying painting at the age of 14, my first teacher was Urgell, and later Pasco. b) I stop painting from 1910 to 1912 - from this date I devote myself entirely to painting and attend certain academies etc. in Barcelona and spend my holidays in Montrois. I attended the academies until 1914 and from then on I would work alone. c) arrived in Paris for the first time in March 1919, and it was from this date that I worked sometimes in Barcelona, sometimes in Montrois, sometimes in Paris. d) although most of the reproductions will not have a title, you should not neglect to put one to those you quote in your article and to the most representative ones to better understand it. e) these paintings were made in the winter and spring of 1933. f) I also think it is better that you delete this passage. As you see all the corrections are very necessary and very important, I ask you to do the impossible to there in time'). Miro also asks his correspondent if they have decided to go ahead with an exhibition, and to let him know the exact date of the opening as soon as they know it, and further enquiring if invitations will be sent, in which case Miro will provide some addresses, additionally writing 'J'ai reflechi a ce que votre femme me demande d'apporter de nouveaux tableaux. Il me semble que cette nouvelle serie faudrait la montrer ensemble, ce serait une erreur que d'en exposer quelques specimens au prealable. Ce qui serait peut-etre tres bien, ce que, du moment ou "Cahiers d'Art" est consacre a toute mon oeuvre, vous exposiez aussi, dans une piece a part quelques toiles anciennes. En etant fait simultanement a l'apparition de "Cahiers d'Art" cela n'aura nullement l'air d'une retrospective, qu'il faut a tout prix eviter.......ca restera tres intime et n'aura pas l'air pretentieux d'une exposition rue de la Boetie. Et suivrait en meme temps la trajectoire qui se termine en 1933' (Translation: 'I thought about your wife asking me to bring new paintings. It seems to me that this new series should be shown together, it would be a mistake to exhibit a few specimens beforehand. What would perhaps be very good, since “Cahiers d'Art” is devoted to all my work, you also exhibit, in a separate room, a few old paintings. By being done simultaneously with the appearance of “Cahiers d'Art” it will in no way seem like a retrospective, which must be avoided at all costs….it will remain very intimate and will not have the pretentious air of an exhibition on rue de la Boetie. And at the same time it would follow the trajectory which ends in 1933'). Miro concludes by asking if Zervos has seen Pierre Matisse, explaining 'Je lui ai ecrit deux lettres en reponse a la sienne ou'il me faisait part de l'accord avec [Henri] Matisse et il ne m'a point repondu. Je lui demandais s'il m'autorisait a ecrire a Matisse pour lui demander de s'entendre avec lui pour les mensualites de maniere a ce que ce fut Pierre qui ces versat en toute sa totalite. Je crois que du moment ou Pierre est, pour ainsi dire, le marchand officiel, pourrait trouver des moyens pour regler les mensualites…..' (Translation: 'I wrote him two letters in response to his where he informed me of the agreement with [Henri] Matisse and he did not answer me. I asked him if he would authorise me to write to Matisse to ask him to come to an agreement with him for the monthly payments so that it was Pierre who would pay them in full. I believe that since Pierre is, so to speak, the official merchant, he could find ways to settle the monthly payments….'). A letter of fine content. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGChristian Zervos (1889-1970) Greek-French art historian, critic, collector, writer and publisher who founded the magazine Cahiers d'art and also ran an art gallery.Pierre Matisse (1900-1989) French-American art dealer, the youngest child of Henri Matisse. The Pierre Matisse Gallery was opened in New York in 1931 and represented many European artists including Miro, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti and Jean Dubuffet amongst others.
HUNT LINDA; (1945- ) American actress, Academy Award winner. A scarce signed colour 8 x 10 photograph of Hunt in a head and shoulders pose, holding a camera in her hands, in costume as the photo-journalist Billy Kwan from the romantic drama film The Year of Living Dangerously (1982). Signed by the actress in bold blue ink with her name alone to the image. It was for her performance in this role that Hunt won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar, becoming the first person to win an Academy Award for portraying a character of the opposite sex. About EX
SHELLEY MARY: (1797-1851) English novelist of the Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) and the editor and promoter of the works of her husband, the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. A fine, extremely rare A.L.S., Mary Shelley, three pages, 8vo, Somerset Street, Portman Square (London), n.d. (17th June 1829), to [Cyrus Redding]. Shelley commences her letter stating ´I am sorry to have it only in my power to reply that the portrait of Mr. Shelley to which you allude is by no means a good one´, and explains ´it is the size of life, in oils - but unfortunately very unfinished. There are however several very striking points of resemblance, and I indulge a hope that when I can afford it, a first rate engraver might succeed in making a good print from it´, further remarking ´I do not know anything so disagreeable or unjust as the too frequent custom of prefixing prints unworthy of the person meant to be represented - and in this case, there would be great danger, that even Mr. Heath could not succeed´ and also adding ´I should be averse therefore to having it done unless by him, & unless it were in my power to cancel it altogether if I did not approve of it. If it had been otherwise, if the picture had been one which would only have needed fidelity and care, I should have been very happy to have furnished you with the opportunity of making an engraving´. Shelley concludes by stating that it was not necessary for Redding to have apologised for his application on the subject, and briefly refers to two mutual acquaintances, including Leigh Hunt. A letter of fine content in which Mary Shelley serves to protect the image of her husband, who had not achieved fame in his lifetime, but whose recognition steadily grew following his death in 1822. Some very light, extremely minimal age wear and with one small, neat split at the base of the vertical fold in the bifolium, VGCyrus Redding (1785-1870) British journalist who effectively edited The New Monthly Magazine from 1821-30 and published Shipwrecks and disasters at sea (1833) amongst other titles, including a history of wine.Charles Heath (1785-1848) British engraver, book publisher and illustrator.Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) English critic, essayist and poet, a close friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley.
![[CATHOLIC CHURCH]: A fine, early Manuscript Document authorised by three notaries with their individual attractive devices (n](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/e7cffcd7-440f-486d-9683-b22600c0cba1/6b4e967c-721c-404e-a631-b22700cdd506/468x382.jpg)
[CATHOLIC CHURCH]: A fine, early Manuscript Document authorised by three notaries with their individual attractive devices (notarial marks) and subscriptions at the foot, one page (vellum), large folio (approx. 61 x 62.5 cm), given at the church of St. Mary´s in the Field, Florence, 23rd June 1326, in Latin. The document comprises some forty-five lines of bold, dark brown ink text in a very clear, uniform and calligraphic diplomatic charter hand characteristic of the papal chancery, and further incorporates four large uncial capitals, each with filigree decoration, being a certified and authorised manuscript copy of three papal bulls, In quibusdam locis [Clement IV; 29th June 1265], Inter ceteros ordines [Benedict XI; 2nd April 1304], and Super egenum nuper [also Benedict XI; 2nd April 1304], ordered by Thedisius d´Aliotti, Bishop of Fiesole, and authorised by Opizo, Albertus and Marsoppus, notaries of the bishop, all three of the bulls concerning privileges in favour of the Franciscan Order, the first restraining anyone from violating Franciscan churches or property, or exercising violence in them, under the pain of papal displeasure; the second renewing the exemption of the Franciscans from all ordinary ecclesiastical jurisdiction, declaring them to be subject to the papal see without any intermediary; and the third providing for the Franciscan brothers of the province of Tuscany and naming three bishops as conservators of the Franciscan privileges contained in their constitution, in part, ´To all and each to whom the presnt shall come, Tedicius [d´Aliotti] by divine mercy bishop of Fiesole, gives eternal greetings in the Lord. We make it known to you that we have seen, have read and diligently have examined the herein copied original prvileges of the Popes Clement IV and Benedict XI of which two retained their authentic pendant lead bulls on silk cords, and of which the third was sealed with pendant hemp, all of whose examples and contents are contained below, and that we have examined the seals and contents and because we have found these originals, with their true seals and which lacked all suspicion, to agree fully with the present copies, we have commanded these copies to be published through Marsoppus, formerly by imperial authority ordinary judge and notary public [the scribe of the document] of Lord Guidalotti Pintaccius and we have given our authority to this same publication, so that faith may be given to these copies as if they were originals; and to make their credibility and testimony more evident, we have commanded them to be guarded by the appending of our seal [now missing]. Clement, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved sons, the principal and all ministers, guardians and brothers of the order of brothers minor [i.e. Franciscans], greetings and apostolic benediction. In quibusdam locis......given at Perugia, 29th June, of our pontificate the first year [1265], Benedict, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved sons, the minister general, provincial ministers and all brothers of the order of brothers minor, greetings and apostolic benediction, Inter ceteros ordines.....given at Rome at St. Peter´s, 2nd April, in the first year of our pontificate [1304], Benedict, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the venerable brothers, the archbishop of Pisa [Giovanni dei Conti di Poli] and the bishops of Florence [Loterius della Tosa] and Sienna [Raynaldus di Uguccione Malavolti], greetings and apostolic benediction. Super egenum nuper.......given at Rome at St. Peter´s, 2nd April, in the first year of our pontificate.....These letters were given and enacted.....at Florence, at the church of St. Mary´s in the Field, in the year of the Lord from the incarnation 1326, in the ninth indiction, in the time of Our most Holy Lord Pope John XXII.....on the 23rd day of June in the presence of Bartholo, priest of the diocese of Fiesole; Cio, rector of the said church of St. Mary´s in the Field; Opizzo and Pipin, notaries of the said bishop; Tuccio, rector of the church of St. Stephan of the said diocese and chaplain of the said bishop; and other witnesses´. Manuscript docket to the verso. Lacking the seal (two small central holes to the plica indicating where it would originally have been attached). Some very light, extremely minor age wear, a few small insignificant stains, and a couple of very small, minor holes to the intersection of folds, only very slightly affecting a few words of text. About VGThedisius d´Aliotti (d.1336) Bishop of Fiesole, a Roman Catholic Diocese in Tuscany, from 1312-36.Giovanni dei Conti di Poli (d.1332) Italian nobleman and Dominican friar who served as the Archbishop of Pisa 1299-1312 and as Archbishop of Nicosia 1312-32.Loterius della Tosa (d.1309) Bishop of Florence 1303-09.Raynaldus di Uguccione Malavolti (d.1307) Bishop of Siena 1282-1307.The bull In quibusdem locis is listed in Les registres de Clement IV (Paris, 1893) edited by Edouard Jordan (no. 1742, p.499) and in Regesta pontificum Romanorum (Graz, 1957) edited by Potthast (Vol.II, no. 19240, p. 1558). The bull Inter ceteros ordines can be located in Le registre de Benoit XI (Paris, 1905) edited by Ch. Granjean (no. 1231, col. 759) and also in Potthast (no. 25414, p. 2035). The latter bull provides for the Franciscan privileges contained in their constitution, and this constitution is specified in another papal bull which begins Inter cunctas. Inter cunctas was promulgated by Benedict XI in February 1304, two months before Inter ceteros ordines. It revoked the previous constitution of the Franciscans, specified in the bull Super cathedram of Boniface VIII, and redefined the rights of both the Franciscans and the Dominicans, covering such areas as preaching, hearing confessions and burying the dead. The text of Inter cunctas is printed in Le registre be Benoit XI (no. 1170, cols. 724-720). Its importance led to the protection of its execution by at least six bulls, of which this is the one for Tuscany (listed in Le registre de Benoit XI, no. 1314, col. 822). Provenance: The present document was formerly in the collection of C. L. Ricketts of Chicago; see Seymour de Ricci, Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada, (New York, 1935) no. 272, p. 660.
BECQUEREL HENRI: (1852-1908) French physicist and engineer, the first person to discover radioactivity. Nobel Prize winner for Physics, 1903. A good autograph manuscript, unsigned, incorporating several explanatory drawings, two pages (written to the first and fourth sides of the bifolium), n.p., n.d. (circa 1895), in French. Becquerel's manuscript is entitled Historique des machines, and particularly concerns direct current dynamo-electric machines, and was most likely prepared as an aide-memoire for one of his first physics courses at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. Becquerel has listed the names of various famous inventors alongside the dates of their discoveries and summary notes, several with explanatory scientific drawings alongside, including Faraday ('1831 Anneaux de fer......d'une bobine'; Translation: '1831 Iron rings......a coil'), Pixii ('En 1832......aimants dans un disque bois mobile devant des bobines'; Translation: 'In 1832......magnets in a moveable wooden disk in front of coils'), Ritchie ('bobines mobiles'; Translation: 'moving coils'), Clarke, Nollet, Siemens, Wilde ('aimants et electro aimants'; Translation: 'magnets and electro magnets'), Ladd, Pacinotti, Gramme, Varley, Wheatstone, Alteneck and Edison. To the foot of the first page appear various scientific equations and drawings in pencil, most crossed through. A good manuscript featuring the names of many inventors and physicists who inspired and influenced Becquerel. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGMichael Faraday (1791-1867) English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry.Hippolyte Pixii (1808-1835) French instrument maker who built an early form of alternating current electrical generator based on the principle of electromagnetic induction discovered by Faraday.Edward Samuel Ritchie (1814-1895) American inventor and physicist who made important contributions to science and navigation.Hyde Clarke (1815-1895) English engineer, philologist and author.Floris Nollet (1794-1853) Belgian physicist, engineer and inventor who designed plans for large-scale generators.Werner von Siemens (1816-1892) German electrical engineer, inventor and industrialist.Henry Wilde (1833-1919) English electrical engineer who invented the dynamo-electric machine.William Ladd (1815-1885) English manufacturer of microscopes and other scientific instruments including the Dynamo-Magneto-Electric machine (1867).Antonio Pacinotti (1841-1912) Italian physicist, best known for inventing an improved form of direct-current electrical generator (1860).Zenobe Gramme (1826-1901) Belgian electrical engineer, inventor of the Gramme machine, a type of direct current dynamo capable of generating smoother and much higher voltages than the dynamos known to that point (1871).C. F. Varley (1828-1883) English engineer particularly associated with the development of the electric telegraph and the transatlantic telegraph cable.Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) English scientist and inventor who made many scientific breakthroughs during the Victorian era.Friedrich von Hefner-Alteneck (1845-1904) German electrical engineer, one of the closest aides of Werner von Siemens.Thomas Edison (1847-1931) American inventor of the electric light bulb among many other items.
HAMMETT DASHIELL: (1894-1961) American author of hardboiled detective fiction including The Maltese Falcon (1930). Hammett's novels had a large influence on films, particularly in the genres of detective fiction, mystery thrillers and film noir. D.S., Dashiell Hammett, three pages, 4to, New York, 23rd October 1934, The typed document takes the form of a letter to Hammett from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation and outlines an agreement between them in nine numbered clauses in which Hammett is to travel to Culver City and 'upon arrival at our Studios you will begin writing for us, under our supervision and in accordance with our suggestions, a full and complete original story, which will be a sequel to "The Thin Man" and its characters and action previously written by you', further explaining that Hammett will receive a salary of $2000 per week (although not to exceed ten weeks) and that the full rights, story and copyright will solely belong to M-G-M, and that Hammett undertakes 'that this story as written will be original with you and the material therein contained will not infringe the literary, dramatic or other rights of others'. Signed by Hammett at the conclusion, in acceptance of the agreement, and countersigned by J. Robert Rubin, Vice-President of M-G-M. Together with a second document, bearing a secretarial signature of Hammett, in pencil, six pages, 4to, n.p., 11th February 1937. The typed document takes the form of a letter to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation from Hammett in which the author agrees to grant M-G-M the complete rights 'so that you can, without further authority or license from me, or further employment of my services, create or have written further stories containing any or all of the characters that were in your said pictures "The Thin Man" and "After the Thin Man", including particularly but without limitation the characters "Nick" and "Nora" and the dog "Asta", and own these stories outright, and, among other things, produce motion pictures which are based upon such stories….' for which Hammett acknowledges having received a payment of $40,000. A significant pair of documents highlighting Hammett's involvement in the Thin Man film series, one of the most successful and enduring film franchises of the 1930s and 1940s. Two file holes to the upper edge of each page, none affecting the text or signatures, and with some very light, minimal age wear. VG, 2 The comedy-mystery film The Thin Man (1934) had premiered just five months before the first of the present contracts was signed by Hammett. The film, based on Hammett's novel of the same name, starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was such a box office success that it spawned five sequels, the first two of which, After the Thin Man (1936) and Another Thin Man (1939), were written by Hammett
BOUBAT EDOUARD: (1923-1999) French photojournalist and art photographer. A printed 8 x 8 invitation card issued by Le Laboratoire Kodiris de Lyon to the opening night of an exhibition of Boubat´s photographs entitled Plutot la Vie on 8th April 1997 (the exhibition running from 7th April - 30th September 1997), signed and inscribed to the verso by Edouard Boubat, with his first name, and additionally signed and inscribed by his son, Bernard Boubat, himself a photographer too, also with his first name. The recto features an image of one of Boubat´s photographs and the verso features French printed text relating to the exhibition and a small portrait image of the two photographers. A few very small, minor stains and light surface and corner creases, about VG
ALYN KIRK: (1910-1999) American actor, best known for being the first actor to portray Superman in live-action for the movie serial Superman (1948). Signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph of Alyn in a full-length pose, in costume as Superman, standing on some large rocky boulders. Signed by Alyn in black ink to a light area of the image, also adding his character name above his signature. About EX
DARWIN CHARLES: (1809-1882) English naturalist, famous for his theory of evolution published in On the Origin of Species (1859). A good A.L.S., Ch. Darwin, one page, 8vo, Down, Beckenham, Kent, 16th September n.y. (c.1870) to a gentleman, evidently a librarian. Darwin writes, in full, 'I want to consult soon two books of which I give titles below. Will you tell me on enclosed card, whether they are in Library, & how soon you could send them. I fear, however, you have them not´. The two books that Darwin lists at the foot of the letter are ´Lafitau´s Moeurs des [Sauvages] Americains´ and ´James narrative of Tanner´s 30 years, captivity among the N. American Indians´. With blank integral leaf. About EXJoseph-François Lafitau´s Moeurs des sauvages américains was first published in Paris in 1724. The French Jesuit missionary worked in Canada in the early part of the 18th century and during this time Lafitau lived with Mohawk (Kanien’keha:ka) at Sault Saint Louis (Kahnawake) on the southern shore of the St Lawrence River. While doing so he made notes on his observations of their customs, most notably recognising the importance of women in Iroquois society. Moeurs des sauvages américains provided an overview of Iroquois life, from religion and politics to occupations, games and medicine, with illustrations to aid European readers.John Tanner´s A Narrative of the Captivity and Advantures of John Tanner....During Thirty Years Residence Among the Indians in the Interior of North America was published in 1830. The autobiographical work provides an account of Tanner´s experiences as a captive among Native American tribes in North America during the early 19th century and remains an important historical record that offers a unique perspective on the complex and often tragic history of Native American-European interactions in North America.It seems very likely that Darwin wished to consult the two books whilst conducting research for The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, which was published in 1871. In the work Darwin makes reference to the North American Indians. John Tanner, the child kidnapped by Indians, and his book on the subject, is referred to by John Lubbock in a letter to Darwin of 27th February 1870 (see Darwin Correspondence Project, Letter no. 7118, accessed on 4 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7118.xml)
LAUREL STAN: (1890-1965) English film comedian. Signed colour 5.5 x 3 paperstock image, neatly excised from a dust jacket, depicting Laurel standing in a half-length pose opposite Oliver Hardy, the two comedians each wearing their trademark bowler hats Signed by Laurel in black fountain pen ink and dated 1963 in his hand. One stain to the upper edge, just affecting the first letter of Laurel's signature and a couple of small tears to the edges, G
BUSHMAN FRANCIS X.: (1883-1966) American actor who portrayed Messala in the American silent epic adventure-drama film Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), the first feature length adaptation of Lew Wallace´s novel. Vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph of Bushman, in later years, in a head and shoulders pose. Signed in bold blue fountain pen ink to a clear area of the background. A pencil annotation in the hand of a collector to the verso indicates that the photograph was signed on 15th December 1956. A few light surface and corner creases, otherwise about VG
DERAIN ANDRE: (1880-1954) French artist, painter and sculptor, a co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse. A.L.S., A Derain, one page, 4to (feint squared graph paper), Lisieux, 31st May 1915, to a gentleman, in French. Derain states that he was touched by the expressions of friendship contained in his correspondent´s letter although continues to write in a sober manner, ´depuis la guerre j’ai été très abandonné des milieux de peinture, je me demande même s’il m’arrivera jamais d’en refaire´ (Translation: ´since the war I have been very much abandoned by painting circles, and I wonder if I will ever paint again´) further displaying his disillusionment, ´Je serai aussi très reconnaissant si par une mission quelconque vous pouviez me tirer d’ici le plu tôt possible et me faire passer soit dans l’aviation soit dans l’automobile mais je crains que cela ne soit pour vous la source de multiples ennuis. Mais vous me rendriez un réel service si vous pouviez me faire partir d’ici par n’importe où même aux Dardanelles dans un emploi quelconque ou sur le front´ (Translation: ´I would also be very grateful if by some mission you could get me out of here as soon as possible and get me into either aviation or motoring, but I'm afraid that would be a source of a lot of trouble for you. But you would be doing me a real favour if you could get me out of here anywhere, even to the Dardanelles in some job or at the front´). Derain concludes by offering his gratitude and thanks his correspondent for the kindness that they have shown to the absent artist´s wife. Some very light, minor age wear and a couple of small tears to the edges of the folds, about VGAt the beginning of the World War I, Derain was mobilised in the artillery, in the Lisieux infantry regiment. He served in Champagne, the Somme, Verdun and the Chemin des Dames until 1917, then in the Aisne and the Vosges. The years immediately before the war are sometimes described as Derain´s gothic period and during the war itself the artist produced little work although did provide a set of illustrations for Andre Breton´s first book, Monte de Piete, in 1916.
TERESHKOVA VALENTINA: (1937- ) Soviet cosmonaut, the first woman ever to fly in space during her solo mission on Vostok 6 (1963). Signed colour 6 x 8 photograph of Tereshkova in a smiling head and shoulders pose wearing her spacesuit and helmet. Signed in blue ink with her name alone to a light area at the head of the image. Together with a vintage signed commemorative cover by Tereshkova featuring a printed design of several spacecraft in flight above the Soviet Union and with a postage stamp incorporating a portrait of Tereshkova. Signed by Tereshkova in black ink with her name alone to a light area of the cover. VG to EX, 2
WEDGWOOD JOSIAH: (1730-1795) English potter, entrepreneur and prominent slavery abolitionist. A rare L.S., Josiah Wedgwood, Chairman (of the General Chamber of Manufacturers of Great Britain), one page, folio, Great George Street (London), 6th June 1785, to James Hebden. Wedgwood writes, in full, ´I take the liberty of inclosing a copy of the Reolutions printed so as to shew what is omitted of the original ten Resolutions, and what has been added to them, & how they now stand in the House of Lords. From the first days debate in the house of Lords upon these Resolutions we may, according to appearances, promise ourselves a more impartial hearing than we have hitherto met with; and that their L[ordshi]ps will if applied to, modify some of the resolutions, which certainly bear too hard at present upon the British manufacturer. Indeed it is too evident, that whatever may be the object wished for by government in this treaty, the manufacturing interest is to be the sacrifice and price for that object. The committee will be glad to know if you wish them to continue their communications to you upon any future occasions. They will be glad to receive your instructions in this respect, as they would avoid being either troublesome or expensive where their correspondence may not be acceptable´. Accompanied by the (now detached) address leaf, incorporating a postscript to the verso by Wedgwood, and signed by him in the third person, ´Be so good to present this to Mr. Clapham with Mr. Wedgwood´s compliments´, and also dated at Great George Street, 6th June 1785, in his hand. The address panel to the recto appears to be in the hand of William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland, and signed (´Free, Wm. Eden´) by him to the lower left corner of the panel. Some light age wear and minor staining, most evident to the address leaf which also has a small area of paper loss caused by the original breaking of the seal. About VGIn January 1785 Thomas Walker, a cotton merchant and political radical, and one of his associates were brought before the Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations and questioned concerning Irish relations, in an effort to secure from them, without their knowledge of the object of the questioning, statements which would commit them to the policy later presented to the public in the form of the Irish Resolutions. Walker and his associate were later repeatedly confronted with quotations from their statements, and cross-examined, and treated in a manner which was characterised by a member of parliament as ´most scandalous´. By such methods the government defeated its own ends with respect to the Irish Resolutions as well as the cotton tax. Manchester manufacturers were needlessly embittered, and were forced to associate the government´s fiscal policy at home with its commercial policy toward Ireland. The Irish question, ever a thorn in the side, was rendered acutely piercing in the case of William Pitt´s government (1783-85). Pitt, recognising Ireland´s newly acquired legislative independence, was at once confronted with the problem of economic reorganisation. His policy, formulated in the so-called Irish Resolutions or Propositions, came from the Irish parliament for consideration in the English House of Commons in February 1785. According to Pitt´s own interpretation, his policy embraced two ´capital points´, namely, the admission of Ireland to participation in England´s colonial and foreign trade (with certain restrictions) and the mutual reduction of tariffs on manufactured goods to the rate in that kingdom where existing duties were the lower. The Irish Resolutions, like the cotton tax, encountered the fierce hostility of the newer manufacturers. Pitt himself, in his private letter of 6th January 1785, to the Duke of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, quite frankly admitted the probability of the shifting to Ireland of certain English industries in consequence of the Resolutions. The most important of the various arguments urged against the Irish Resolutions by the manufacturers was the contrast in the tax policies of the two kingdoms. Pitt himself admitted the force of the argument, first in private, and at length in consenting to the modification of the cotton tax. The vital connection between the Irish Resolutions and the question of taxation, particularly the excise laws, was set forth in the resolutions of Manchester manufacturers on 11th April 1785. Out of this situation, which gave to the manufacturers a feeling of common interest, arose the General Chamber of Manufacturers of Great Britain. This organisation was not limited to the new capitalistic manufacturers, but the initiative and the moving force were with them. The new capitalistic industries consisted in the main of three groups: Wedgwood´s Staffordshire potteries; the iron foundries and plants about Birmingham; and the manufacturing and printing of cotton centering at Manchester. The part played by Josiah Wedgwood seems to have been the result of his hostility to the Irish Resolutions. On 21st February 1785, he wrote to Matthew Boulton, saying that he intended to recommend the organisation of ´a Committee of Delegates from all the manufacturing places of England and Scotland to meet and sit in London all the time the Irish commercial affairs are pending´ and he was not without hope that such a body would be useful ´upon others as well as the present occasion´. Results were soon manifest. On 12th March, it was reported that ´manufacturers are assembling´ at London from various parts of the kingdom. A meeting had already been held in London, at the London Tavern, on 7th March. During the succeeding week, a committee was appointed, with Wedgwood as chairman. On 12th March this committee met and issued a call for another general meeting for 14th March. At the meeting convened on the 14th, there was organised a definite body to be called the Chamber of Manufacturers of Great Britain, and to consist of ´each member of a commercial committee, being a manufacturer´. It was resolved unanimously that the society ´do not cease with the present business´. At the various meetings of the Chamber, the chairmanship was held by different men. The chairman of the meeting of 14th March was Wedgwood, who, though not a member of the aristocracy, was nevertheless invested with a respectability denied to the more ´vulgar´ and less artistic textile manufacturers. The committee recommended that the Chamber promote, by means of circular letters and in other ways, the organisation of local bodies of manufacturers, whose common interests should find expression in the central body. To distinguish the local chambers from the national organisation, it was recommended that the word ´general´ be prefixed to the title of the Chamber (extracts from The Rise of the Great Manufacturers in England 1760-1790 by Witt Bowden, 1919).Provenance: Formerly part of the collection of Ray Rawlins, author of The Guinness Book of World Autographs (1977) and bearing his small circular Collection label neatly affixed to the lower corner of the address leaf. Indeed, the signature on the present letter was used as a facsimile in The Guinness Book of World Autographs. The letter was also offered by Sotheby´s in their sale of the Rawlins Collection on 2nd, 3rd & 4th June 1980 (lot 873).OWING TO LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE SALEROOM THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED - PLEASE CONTACT IAA EUROPE DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
MONET CLAUDE: (1840-1926) French Impressionist painter. A fine A.L.S., Ton vieux Monet, four pages, 8vo, Embankment Gardens, London, 11th March 1900, to Blanche Hoschede Monet, on the printed bifolium stationery of the Savoy Hotel, in French. Monet writes and affectionate letter to his stepdaughter (and daughter-in-law) and also sends news regarding the progress of his painting in London, commencing by stating ´C´est a toi, ma bonne petite Blanche que j´ecris qujourd´hui d´abord parce que je te dois une lettre et pour que ta mere ne soit pas sans nouvelles au cas ou elle resterait demain pres de vous, parce que, a tout hasard, je lui ecris aussi a Giverny´ (Translation: ´I am writing to you today, my dear little Blanche, firstly because I owe you a letter and secondly so that your mother will not be without news in case she stays near you tomorrow, because I am also writing to her in Giverny´) and continuing ´Il y a un instant j´ai commence ma cinquantieme toile, c´est te dire que je reste peu souvent sans peindre, que c´est a devenir fou tant ça change; tu peux lui dire que je me porte absolument bien, que je dors comme un sabot et que je trouve Londres chaque jour plus beau a peindre´ (Translation: ´A moment ago I started on my fiftieth canvas, which tells you that I don't often go without painting, that it's driving me mad, so much it changes; you can tell her that I am doing absolutely well, that I sleep like a clog and that I find London more beautiful to paint every day´) before tenderly concluding ´Je vous embrasse bien tendrement tous les deux comme je vous aime mes chers enfants, te priant de bien embrasser pour moi ta mere et Germaine si elles sont encore pres de vous....Je t´embrasse comme je t´aime´ (Translation: ´I kiss you both very tenderly as I love you my dear children, asking you to give my love to your mother and Germaine if they are still near you.... I kiss you as I love you´). A letter of wonderful content. VGBlanche Hoschede Monet (1865-1947) French painter, both the stepdaughter and daughter-in-law of Claude Monet. Blanche enjoyed a fond relationship with her father-in-law who trained and encouraged her as an artist.Monet visited London on several occasions throughout his life, the first time being in 1870 when he spent time with his friend Camille Pissarro, as well as the American painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler, and also befriended his first and primary art dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel, in what would prove to be a decisive encounter for Monet´s career. In 1900 Monet stayed at the Savoy Hotel in London, from where the present letter was written. He converted his room into a temporary studio from where he overlooked the Thames River and the buildings and bridges of Westminster. Captivated by the fog, the factory smoke, and the changing light effects, Monet painted many impressionist oil paintings during this time, including the famous series consisting of views of the Palace of Westninster, home of the British Parliament. In 1904, Monet exhibited thirty-seven views of the Thames with Durand-Ruel. In his preface to the catalogue, Octave Mirbeau described the prodigiousness of these achievements: "It's a miracle, almost a paradox, that one can, with paste on canvas, create impalpable matter, imprison sunlight, polarize it or diffuse it, infinitely reflected in what a city like London contains of thick breaths, fouled soot, and with these heavy breaths, these impenetrable soot, all these coal emanations, bring forth from this empyreumatic atmosphere such splendid enchantments of light".
BERNHARDT SARAH: (1844-1923) French stage Actress. The most prominent actress of her time. A very attractive signed and inscribed theater card program, `Sarah Bernhardt´, one page, 6.5 x 10, Paris, 15th December 1903, in French. The document being the printed programme issued for the dress rehearsal performance of the play La Sorciere, at the theater Sarah Bernhardt in Paris, with the performance of Sarah Bernhadt herself. Bernhardt annotates to the heading, in bold black ink, althought partially over printed text `représentée pour la premiere fois devant Madame Harnache, Sarah Bernhardt´ (Translation: "performed for the first time in presence of Madame Harnache, Sarah Bernhardt") VG
BROWNING ROBERT: (1812-1889) English poet and playwright. A.Q.S., Robert Browning, one page, small 8vo, n.p., 24th May 1889. In dark ink Browning has penned a brief quotation, ´When is man strong until he feels alone?´ which he identifies as being from Colombe´s Birthday. Signed and dated immediately above the quotation. Some light age wear and a few minor stains, otherwise VGBrowning´s quotation is a line spoken by Valence in Act III of the play Colombe´s Birthday (1844). The play was first performed in 1853.
HAYDN JOSEPH: (1732-1809) Austrian composer of the Classical period. A fine and rare printed musical score signed by Haydn, being the first British edition of Ariana a Naxos, Cantata a Voce Sola, accompagnata col Clavicembalo Forte-Piano, published by John Bland, London, n.d. (June 1791), the oblong folio score of eighteen pages ´printed for the Author & sold by him at No. 18 Great Pulteney Street, & at J. Blands Music Warehouse, 45 Holborn´. Signed (´Haydn´, with paraph manu propria) by the composer at the foot of the title page, which also bears the ownership signature of a Mrs. Rigby in the blank left margin. Handsomely and professionally bound in dark green cloth and quarter-morocco and with a gilt stamped title and four raised bands to the spine. Some very minor, light staining throughout, generally VGHaydn´s Arianna a Naxos (Hoboken Catalogue XXVIb:2), a composition for soprano and keyboard, was first performed in London by the mezzo-soprano castrato Gaspare Pacchierotti (1740-1821) in 1791 to the composer´s own piano accompaniment. The London engraver, printer, music seller and publisher John Bland first met Joseph Haydn during a visit to Vienna in November 1789 whilst in search of new works for publication. Legend has it that Bland, whilst in the company of Haydn during his grooming routine, overheard the composer complaining about his razors, Haydn declaring ´I would give my best quartet for a good razor!´ Bland subsequently hurried back to his quarters, quickly retrieved his new razors, made of fine English steel, and presented them to Haydn. The composer kept his word and in exchange presented Bland with the manuscript of his Quartet No. 46 in F Minor (Op. 55, No. 2; Hoboken Catalogue III:61) which is still known today as the ´Razor´ Quartet.This first encounter between Haydn and Bland led to what would become a long friendship as well as a profitable business relationship. Bland was instrumental in bringing Haydn to London and the composer stayed with his friend at Bland´s home on his first night in the city in January 1791, marking the beginning of what would prove to be a triumphant trip for Haydn. Audiences flocked to his concerts and as a result Haydn augmented his fame and became financially secure. Indeed, Haydn considered his two visits to London, in 1791-92 and 1794-95, as being the happiest days of his life.Haydn was a friend and mentor to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who he met around 1784. The two composers performed in string quartets together and Haydn, impressed with Mozart´s work, praised him unreservedly. For his part, Mozart returned the esteem and dedicated a set of six quartets to him, the ´Haydn´ Quartets (1785).
SPINOLA AMBROGIO: (1569-1630) 1st Marquess of Los Balbases. Also called and remembered as "Ambrosio" by Spanish. Italian condottiero and nobleman of Genoa who served as Captain-General of the army of Flanders under the Spanish Monarchy of Philip III. He is considered one of the greatest military commanders in the history of the Spanish army. Very rare L.S., `Ambrosio Spinola´, two pages, folio, Brussels, 11th May 1619, to Count de Bucquoy, in Spanish. The present letter is set in the starting period of the Thirty Years´ War. Ambrosio Spinola confirms to his correspondent the troops that are on its way to him, stating in part `...considerando que ya los mil caballos primeros los tendrá V.S a estas horas y que los otros mil y los 6 cuerpos de Infantes estarán prestos por allá, escribenme como ya habian pasado muestra, recibido las armas y la priumera paga, que toda la gente era muy buena, y el numero cumplido, y que va marchando sin perder tiempo, y asi despues de mañana será en Alsacia la caballería y la infanteria, y hago la cuenta que a mediado Junio estará todo en ese campo...´ (Translation: "...considering that Y[our].I[llustriousness]. will have the first thousand horses by now and that the other thousand and the 6 Infantry Corps should be ready over there, they write to me that they did the troops review, received the weapons and the first payment, that all the people were very good, and the number was sufficient, and that you are marching without losing time, and this way after tomorrow the cavalry and infantry will be in Alsace, and I calculate that by mid-June everything will be in place on those fields...") Further Spinola refers to additional troops on their way to reach the Count of Bucquoy, saying `El Conde Juan de Nasao se ha partido y ha asegurado que los 3 cuerpos Alemanes que han levantado estaran prontos para ir con la demas gente. También se levantan los 900 caballos del Duque de Florencia y los otros 900 del Barón de Lietistain, con todo lo cual me parece que tendrá V.I un razonable ejercito, para con él hacer los efectos que se esperan del valor y prudencia de V.I..´ (Translation: "Count John of Nassau has departed and has assured that the three German corps that have been raised will be ready to go with the rest of the troops. The 900 horses of the Duke of Florence and the other 900 of the Baron of Lichtenstein are also raised, with all of which it seems to me that Y.I will have a reasonable army, with which to carry out the effects that are expected from Y.I courage and prudence...") With address leaf, saying `Al Conde de Bucquoy Caballero de la orden del toison de oro, del consejo de guerra de Su Majestad...´ (Translation: "To the Count of Bucquoy, Knight of the Golden Fleece, and member of the war council of Hiss Majesty...") Bearing to the address leaf a paper seal affixed showing a coat of arms. Small professional repair to the verso and edges of the address leaf, not affecting the text or signature. VGCharles Bonaventure de Longueval, 2nd Count of Bucquoy (1561-1621) Spanish General. Military Commander who fought for the Spanish Netherlands during the Eight Years´War and for the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years´ War.The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (in Spanish, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Bruges by Philip the Good. Today, two branches of the order exist, namely the Spanish Fleece and the Austrian Fleece; the current grand masters are King Felipe VI of Spain and Karl von Habsburg respectively. The last appointed living member being Princess Leonor of Spain, heiress of the Spanish throne.
APOLLO XI: A good set of three signed colour 8 x 10 photographs (all official NASA images with brief printed biographical details to the versos) by each of the crew members of Apollo XI (1969), comprising Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) American astronaut, Commander of Apollo XI, the first man to walk on the moon, signed and inscribed colour 8 x 10 photograph of Armstrong standing in a three-quarter length pose wearing his white spacesuit and with a large image of the moon in the immediate background, signed in blue ink to a light area of the image. Accompanied by a T.L.S. by Elaine Moore, Armstrong´s secretary, one page, 4to, n.p., 30th May 1978, to Adolf Ezsol, stating, in part, ´Professor Armstrong has asked that I return your first day cover unsigned. For some years he has maintained a policy of declining to autograph those items which are comercially negotiable. He has asked that you accept the enclosed autograped (sic) picture as an acceptable substitute´ , and also including the cover referred to, issued to commemorate Man´s First Landing on the Moon, and postmarked at Washington DC, 9th September 1969; Buzz Aldrin (1930- ) American astronaut, Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo XI, the second man to walk on the moon, signed and inscribed colour 8 x 10 photograph of Aldrin standing in a three-quarter length pose wearing his white spacesuit and with a large image of the moon in the immediate background. Signed in bold black ink to a light area of the image; and Michael Collins (1930-2021) American astronaut, Command Module Pilot of Apollo XI, signed colour 8 x 10 photograph of Collins standing in a three-quarter length pose wearing his white spacesuit and with a large image of the moon in the background. Signed in black ink with his name alone to a light area at the centre of the image. A few very light, minimal surface creases to each of the photographs and with slight paperclip indentations to the upper edges, and the letter by Armstrong´s secrtary slightly irregularly trimmed to the upper edge. Generally VG, 3 + 2
![[CATHERINE DE' MEDICI]: (1519-1589) French and Italian noblewoman, Queen of France 1547-59 by her marriage to King Henry II.](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/e7cffcd7-440f-486d-9683-b22600c0cba1/84d80067-891b-46fb-b60e-b23d00aaff5f/468x382.jpg)
[CATHERINE DE' MEDICI]: (1519-1589) French and Italian noblewoman, Queen of France 1547-59 by her marriage to King Henry II. A good, historic A.L.S., Loise de bretaigne, by Louise de Bretagne (d.1602; Baroness of Castelnau and of Clermont-Lodeve, one of the ladies of honour who accompanied Elisabeth of Valois to Spain for the festivities following her marriage to King Philip II), three pages, folio, Toledo, Second Day of Lent [15th February?] 1561, to Catherine de' Medici, in French. Louise de Bretagne sends news to the Queen on a variety of events including Elisabeth of Valois's recovery from small-pox, the death of Francois II and Queen Mary's return to Scotland, in part, 'Madam, the health of the queen your daughter grows better and better since I wrote to you; because two days after I sent you the last despatch they made her take a little medicine to finish purging her, which has done her so much good that she has no ailment in the world since……It is now several days since she complained of anything; and the day before yesterday, which was Shrove Tuesday, she went to dine in the garden, by order of the doctors…..I fomented her with milk and saffron, and was obliged then and there to give her a clyster…..the doctors have bidden her to begin every meal with Prunes from Tours…..which makes me beg of you, Madam, to send us some of them by every courier. They have ordered her a bath today to make her menses come on, the date of passing we had noted, the ninth of this month…..Her face is quite free of crusts now, and we wash it every day with asses milk; and yesterday we began to anoint her nose with balm, where she has some pits. I hope the balm will make them disappear. The reason for these is that when she got the small-pox she had a cold and blew her nose so much that the pustules got broken. She is much freer of the migraine than she used to be, but I am in great need of marjoram seeds……the season for sowing them here has passed, and it is not possible to get any more. The King has not come to sleep with her yet, for which I am very glad for she is not quite well enough…..The Prince [Don Carlos] has his fever again rather badly, the cause being I think the great army which they say the Turks are preparing to bring this summer to Goletta [Tunis]……From the last couriers who came…..there is much comment here about the story that the funeral of the late King [Francis II] was conducted with one little candle, which is thought very strange. It is also said for about a fortnight, that Monsieur the Cardinal of Lorraine is going to Metz after Easter, and Queen Mary either to Joinville or to Scotland……Our Lenten services last five hours every morning, and they do not finish until between one and two, which makes fasting easier for us. The Queen your daughter is dispensed from it this Lent on account of her illness and eats meat. They make no difficulty about it. However, none of the Frenchwomen eat it except her and mademoiselle, who is very well. We are told here that she is soon to be married. They are very anxious to know the truth about it, for the King is resolved to make her a very handsome present…..You will be informed of everything. At present I know of nothing more except that all are very well at this court and very glad at the power you have, and greatly wish that it may last long…..' With the address panel to the verso of the final page, 'A La Raine, ma souveraine daime'. Loosely contained within a dark brown morocco presentation folder (slight wear and damage to the inside) with gilt decorations to the borders of the interior and exterior and with a gilt stamped title to the front Louise de Bretagne - Letter to Catherine de Medicis relative to the Queens of Spain & of Scotland 1561. Also included are a series of interesting typed research notes and a French transcript and English translation of the letter, apparently prepared for (or by) Frank Lester Pleadwell (1872-1957) American physician and autograph collector. A letter of fascinating content, including intimate details from within the Royal court. Neatly inlaid and with some minor slits and a small area of paper loss to the left edge as a result of the letter having originally been tied with ribbon. About VG A remarkable, intimate letter relating to Elisabeth of Valois, Queen of Spain, who was recovering from small-pox, the death of Francis II, and Queen Mary's return to Scotland. Elisabeth, the daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici, was born at Fontainebleau in 1545. Henry VIII was her Godfather and she was at first destined to be the wife of Edward VI, who had previously, by Treaty, been engaged to marry Mary, Queen of Scots. Edward's death, in 1553, put an end to this project, and a marriage was then arranged between her and Don Carlos, the son of Philip II of Spain. Philip's wife, Mary I, died in 1558, and in the year following he himself married Elisabeth, ignoring the engagement to his son, to whom Elisabeth appears to have been attached. The marriage was an unhappy one. The bride was not yet fifteen years of age and had been brought up with every care in a refined and luxurious Court. Philip, although only thirty-two years old, was morose and severe. The marriage took place (by proxy) in the Church of Notre Dame at Paris in June 1559, Philip being represented by Ferdinand de Toledo, Duke of Alba. Elisabeth first met her husband in the following year, on 2nd February 1560, at Guadalaxara, but the meeting was unfortunate. She died in October 1568, and the cause of her death was not without suspicion, especially as her former lover, Don Carlos, had died under very suspicious circumstances just a few months earlier. Francis II, whose funeral is mentioned in the present letter, had died on 5th December 1560, and the occasion was perhaps the most important event in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, when her power and prospects in France were shattered in one blow, and her life-long enemy Catherine de' Medici again placed in a position of authority. Hence forward the struggles between Catherine and the Guises went more in her favour since she possessed absolute power over her young son, Charles IX, who succeeded to the throne, and usurped complete control of the Kingdom. The forecast given in the present letter regarding Queen Mary's future movements proved correct. Mary, who had lived in complete seclusion since her husband's death, spent Easter at Rheims and then set out to Joinville to visit her grandmother, Antoinette de Bourbon, dowager Duchess of Guise. Thence she returned to Rheims and spent some weeks in seclusion in the Convent of St. Pierre with the Abbess, her aunt, Renee de Lorraine. Finally, she went to Paris where she stayed until July, when she set out for Scotland. At the time when the present letter was written, early in 1561, great endeavours were being made by Mary's relatives to bring about a marriage between her and Don Carlos, a scheme very nearly concluded, in which case she would have become a step-daughter-in-law of Elisabeth, Queen of Spain, who was still supposed to be in love with her stepson herself. This scheme was strongly opposed by Catherine de' Medici, who wanted Don Carlos to marry her younger daughter, Margaret, who is referred to in the present letter as 'Madame your little daughter' Louise de Bretagne was one of the maids-of-honour who accompanied Elisabeth to Spain. The 'mademoiselle' of the letter was another maid-of-honour, Anne de Bourbon Montpensier.
DOUGLAS LORD ALFRED: (1870-1945) English poet and journalist, and a lover of Oscar Wilde. A good A.L.S., Alfred Douglas, two pages, 4to, Hove, Sussex, 4th February 1934, to Samuel M. Steward. Douglas thanks his correspondent for their letter although asks not to be flattered too much ('except as a counterpoise to over abuse (of which nowadays I get very little) it is not good for me'). further agreeing to inscribe a copy of The True History of Shakespeare's Sonnets and explaining that he shall call in at Martin Secker's when next in London to do so, and at the same time correct some misprints, adding that he will ask Secker to send it with an invoice and remarking 'Please do not think me mean not to send you a copy as a present, but I have given away such a lot that I simply have had to stop. The sale of the book so far is very small (only about 500 copies out of an edition of 1000) though it was universally praised in the reviews & brought me a lot of kind appreciation from "eminent Shakespearean scholars" (much to my surprise, as I quite expected them to fall upon me in a mass attack). I am longing for a 2nd edition as I have now got almost conclusive evidence of the actual exsistence of Master Will Hughes to whom (as I think with Malone, Butler & Wilde) the sonnets were addressed'. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Douglas to Steward at the Ohio State University and bearing a good wax seal to the verso. Some very light, minimal creasing, VGSamuel Steward (1909-1993) American tattoo artist and pornographer. Steward taught English at Ohio State University in Columbus from 1932-34 and at the same time became close friends with Gertrude Stein, later paying her a visit at her country house in France during the summer of 1937. It was on this visit that Steward met Lord Alfred Douglas, as well as other literary figures including Thornton Wilder and Andre Gide.William Hughes is one potential candidate for the person on whom the 'Fair Youth' of Shakespeare's Sonnets is based. The identification was first proposed by Thomas Tyrwhitt in the 18th century and was endorsed by Edmond Malone in a 1790 edition of the sonnets. Samuel Butler also accepted some aspects of the theory, and Oscar Wilde explored the idea in greater detail in his short story The Portrait of Mr. W. H. (1889).
RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS: A good vintage multiple signed and inscribed 9.5 x 7 photograph by four early Russian cosmonauts individually, comprising Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968; the first human to journey into outer space, travelling on Vostok 1, 12th April 1961), Gherman Titov (1935-2000; Vostok 2, 6th – 7th August 1961), Andriyan Nikolayev (1929-2004; Vostok 3, 11th – 15th August 1962), and Valentina Tereshkova (1937- , the first woman ever to fly in space, travelling on Vostok 6, 16th – 19th June 1963). The image depicts the four cosmonauts, accompanied by Valery Bykovsky and Pavel Popovich, standing and seated together in an informal group pose. Signed by the four in fountain pen inks to the verso, Tereshkova adding an inscription in her hand, in Cyrillic, (translated) ´To Yevgeny Nikolayevich, wishing success in difficult but necessary and noble work, happiness and health´. Some surface creasing and a few tears to the edges, and with two small areas of loss to the lower corners, about G
GAGARIN YURI: (1934-1968) Soviet cosmonaut, the first human to journey into outer space, travelling on Vostok 1, 12th April 1961. A good signed 6 x 8.5 photograph of Gagarin in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform. Signed in fountain pen ink to the image and dated 4th August 1961 in his hand, just a few months after his historic spaceflight. Some light, minor surface and corner creasing, about VG
BARTHOLDI FREDERIC AUGUSTE: (1834-1904) French sculptor, best known for designing the Statue of Liberty (‘Liberty Enlightening the World’). A wonderful illustrated A.L.S., Bartholdi, two pages, 8vo, Paris, 6th January 1885, to [Edouard Millaud] (´Cher et excellent ami´), on Bartholdi´s red monogrammed stationery, in French. Bartholdi states ´Je vous remercie bien de tout l´interet que vous avez pris a l´affaire de Gayet; necessairement la lecture du journal n´a pas pu arreter la longueur des nez; mais M. Gayet a appris de cotes et d´autres combien vous vous etes interesse a lui et il y a ete tres sensible, je dois meme dire que cela lui a adouci considerablement ses impressions. Il viendra probablement vous en remercier car cela lui a fait grand plaisir´ (Translation: ´I thank you very much for all the interest you have taken in Gayet's case; necessarily reading the newspaper has not been able to stop the length of noses; but M. Gayet has learned from one side or another how much you are interested in him and he has been very sensitive to this, I must even say that it has softened his impressions considerably. He will probably come to thank you for it, as it gave him great pleasure´) and further remarks ´Je pense du reste que la situation n´est pas mauvaise pour lui, peut-etre au moment du depart de la statue a la fin d´avril le comite pourrait faire une nouvelle lettre. J´ai deja vu de ces nominations faites dans le courant de l´annee et les minstres sont alors moins traques qu´aux echeances fatales de juillet ou jabvier. Vous me direz votre avis quand il y aura lieu, n´est pas?´ (Translation: ´I think that the situation is not bad for him, perhaps when the statue leaves at the end of April the committee could write another letter. I have already seen these appointments made in the course of the year and the ministers are then less hounded than at the fatal expiries of July or January. You'll let me know what you think when the time comes, won't you?´). To the centre left of the first page Bartholdi has added an amusing pen and ink sketch, possibly a self-caricature, depicting a gentleman reading a newspaper, and with a long, thin nose that is so sharp it pierces the centre of the newspaper. With blank integral leaf. A letter of good association and content, not least due to its references to Gayet and the Statue of Liberty. VGEdouard Millaud (1834-1912) French politician and lawyer who served as Minister of Public Works 1886-87.The Statue of Liberty had been completed in 1884, however it was to remain in Paris, at the Gayet foundry, until sufficient work had been carried out in America on its pedestal. By January 1885 this had occurred and the statue was disassembled and crated for its ocean voyage. On 17th June 1885 the French steamer Isere arrived in New York with its precious cargo, although it was not until October 1886 that the Statue of Liberty was finally unveiled.
PENIAKOFF VLADIMIR ´POPSKI´: (1897-1951) Belgian Lieutenant-Colonel, the founder and commanding officer of No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA (´Popski´s Private Army´) during World War II. A fine and extremely rare book signed and inscribed, being a hardback edition of Private Army by Peniakoff, First Edition published by Jonathan Cape, London, 1950. The book, an account of the Lieutenant-Colonel´s daring exploits with his highly successful special forces unit during World War II, is complete with four fold-out maps and numerous black and white photographs. Signed (´Popski´) by Peniakoff to the front free endpaper with a remarkable presentation inscription, ´For Menina, who has done much more work on this book than I have, very gratefully, Popski´, and dated London, 13th February 1950, in his hand. Bound in the publisher´s original brown cloth with gilt title to the spine and gilt emblem (featuring an astrolabe) of the No. 1 Demolition Squadron to the front board. Accompanied by the dust jacket (some very light, minor age wear and a little faded to the spine). A unique presentation copy. VGMenina Mesquita - secretary to the British publisher Jonathan Cape who was tasked with the responsibility of typing the manuscript of Popski´s Private Army.The present copy is probably the only surviving presentation copy in existence. We are aware of only one other signed copy (without a presentation inscription, and dated May 1950) and the Auction and Book Sales Archive (ABSA), which incorporates the records of American Book Prices Current (ABPC), do not record any other signed copies of Private Army by Popski as ever having appeared at auction.
HITLER ADOLF: (1889-1945) Fuhrer of the Third Reich 1933-45. A rare A.L.S., A Hitler, one page, oblong 8vo, Munich, 19th November 1935, to [Gerdy Troost] (´Dear and revered gracious Madam´), on Hitler´s personal printed stationery featuring the emblem of the Nazi Eagle and Swastika, in German. The Fuhrer writes, in full, (translated) ´Please accept with these flowers also my most heartfelt wishes for your recovery in your convalescence. Your most devoted.....´. Autograph letters of Hitler are rare and desirable and the present example has an excellent association linking the Fuhrer, who had a lifelong passion for architecture, with one of his earliest master builders, the architect Paul Troost. A series of heavy vertical creases run across the entire page, although only very slightly affect the text and signature, and with one small tear to the right edge. About GGerdy Troost (1904-2003) German architect, interior designer and interior decorator, the wife of Paul Troost. Gerdy Troost remained an architectural and design adviser to Hitler and his circle up to the end of World War II.Paul Troost (1878-1934) German architect. Troost and Hitler first met in 1929 and the master builder would soon become Hitler's foremost architect. For a time Troost´s neo-classical style became the official architecture of the Third Reich. Hitler´s enthusiasm for Troost´s work never waned and his relationship to the architect was that of a pupil to an admired teacher.
RICHET CHARLES: (1850-1935) French physiologist, Nobel Prize winner for Physiology or Medicine, 1913. A.L.S., Charles Richet, one page, 4to, in purple ink, n.p., n.d., [1922], on his black-bordered printed stationery, Ile Ribaud, Giens - Hyeres -Var, to his colleague Marcel Prevost ('Cher confrère et ami'), in French. To the upper right corner Richet annotates "Confidential". Richet wishes to be appointed member of the French Academy, and promotes his candidacy asking his correspondent to vote in his favour and explaining who are the other members of the Academy that will vote in his favour, including Henri Bergson, and states in part `Les nouvelles relatives à mon élection sont rarissimes, mais bonnes... Je suis certain que le Maréchal Fox et le Maréchal Joffre me donneront leur appui... J´ose espérer qu´au second tour quoi qu´il arrive... Mr. de Flers et Mr. Nolhac, me donneront leur voix... Vous voyez que si vous votez pour moi au premier tour, mon élection est assurée. Merci d’avance´ (Translation "News about my election are very rare, but good... I am certain that Marshal Fox and Marshal Joffre will give me their support... I dare to hope that in the second round, whatever happens... Mr. de Flers and Mr. Nolhac, will give me their votes... You see that if you vote for me in the first round, my election is assured. Thank you in advance.") Georges de Porto-Riche, Novelist and Dramatist, will be elected academician the following year. For 1922, it will be Pierre de Nolhac, Historian and Poet, who was chosen with 16 votes, against 9 for Richet who will never obtain the coveted seat. VGHenri Bergson (1859-1941) French philosopher, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1927.Ferdinand Foch (1851-1929) French General, Supreme Allied Commander during World War I.Joseph Joffre (1852-1931) French General and Marshal of France. Served as Commander in Chief of French forces in WWI, known for defeating the German at the decisive battle of The Marne.
VOISIN GABRIEL: (1880-1973) French aviation Pioneer and the creator of Europe's first manned, engine-powered, aircraft capable of a sustained circular, controlled flight, which was made by Henry Farman in January 1908. During World War one, the company founded by Voisin became a major producer of military aircraft. Voisin would later switch to the design and production of luxury automobiles under the name "Avions Voisin". A fine A.L.S., `Gabriel Voisin´, two pages, 4to, Villefranche-sur-mer, 4th December 1960, on his personal printed stationery, to "My dear President´, in French. Voisin refers to an invitation received from his correspondent for a charity journey, stating in part `Où puisez-vous votre influence? Le télégramme a réussi au-delà de mes espérances - je serai les 10, 11 et 12 Décembre à cette fête de charité, et s´il se trouve des amateurs de mon "ouvrage", je signerai avec dédicace...´ (Translation: "Where do you draw your influence? The telegram has succeeded beyond my hopes - I will be at this charity event on December 10th, 11th and 12th, and if there are any fans of my "work", I will sign with inscriptions...") Further Voisin lists what he will require, saying `1) Entrer en contact avec mon éditeur..., 2) Me préparer, sur une estrade (14 marches) la table Louis XV qui, vous le savez, se trouve au Louvre, 3) Empiler les 10.000 cerf volants...´ (Translation: "1) Get in touch with my publisher..., 2) Prepare, on a platform (14 steps) the Louis XV table which, as you know, is in the Louvre, 3) Stack the 10,000 kites...") Before concluding, Voisin writes a lengthy joke relating to a monkey´s graft. VG
APOLLO-SOYUZ: An official NASA colour 10 x 8 photograph issued in 1974 to announce the planned Apollo Soyuz Test Project, the image featuring artist Raymond Bruneau´s rendering of an Apollo spacecraft preparing to dock with a Soviet spacecraft above the earth, with inset portraits of the three American crew members and two Russian crew members, individually signed by Tom Stafford (Commander) and Donald 'Deke' Slayton (Docking Module Pilot). Both astronauts have signed in red inks with their names alone to the image, directly beneath their portraits. With printed explanatory text in English and Russian to the verso. VGApollo-Soyuz was the first crewed international space mission, carried out jointly by the United States of America and the Soviet Union in July 1975.
![[MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS]: (1756-1791) Austrian composer of the Classical period. FIRMIAN KARL JOSEPH VON: (1716-1782) Austri](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/e7cffcd7-440f-486d-9683-b22600c0cba1/2871236d-2ad4-4a6f-a019-b23d01109962/468x382.jpg)
[MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS]: (1756-1791) Austrian composer of the Classical period. FIRMIAN KARL JOSEPH VON: (1716-1782) Austrian nobleman who served as Plenipotentiary Minister of Lombardy to the Habsburg Monarchy from 1756. Firmian was an avid promoter of the arts and sciences and was one of Mozart´s most important aristocratic patrons, and a key figure in his early career as a composer of Italian opera. L.S., Carlo C di Firmian, with holograph subscription (´Devmo. Umilmo. Serv[itor]e´), one page, folio, Mantua, 30th May 1769, to a Viscount in Casalmaggiore, in Italian. Firmian informs his correspondent that Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, will depart from Mantua the following Friday and, after spending a few hours at Bozzolo, will perhaps go to the coast to spend the evening, further instructing ´Sara per tanto di lei cura il far allestire alcune stanze per la M. I. proprie bensi, ma senza gran apparato, ed alcune altre per le persone del suo seguito. Esiccome arriveranno prima i Cuochi di S. M. e qualche altra persona del suo servigio, cosi non manchera V.S. Illma di far loro dare tutta quella assistenza che abbisognera´ (Translation: ´It will therefore be your care to arrange for some rooms to be prepared for Her Majesty herself, but without much pomp and circumstance, and some others for the people in her retinue. And as Her Majesty's cooks and some other persons in her service will arrive first, Your Excellency will not fail to provide them with all the assistance they may require´). With blank integral leaf. A few small, minor creases and tears to the edges and with some light damp staining to the head of the page, only very slightly affecting the salutation. About VGMaria Theresa (1717-1780) Empress Consort of the Holy Roman Empire 1745-65. Mother of Marie Antoinette.The young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his father, Leopold, left Salzburg for their first tour of Italy in December 1769, the same year as the present letter. After staying in Verona, they arrived in Mantua on 10th January 1770 and remained in the city until 19th January. The Mozarts arrived in Milan on 23rd January and, after a short delay owing to an illness Firmian was suffering from, they finally met with the Count and dined together on 7th February. Firmian welcomed the young composer and his father with generous hospitality and friendship, the minister also hosting a series of concerts attended by many of the city´s notables, including Archduke Ferdinand (the third surviving son of Maria Theresa) who it was hoped would be a future patron of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.On 15th October 1771 the lavish wedding of Archduke Ferdinand to Maria Beatrice d´Este took place in Milan. Festivities arranged for this occasion included a performance of Mozart´s opera Ascanio in Alba (K.111) which had been commissioned by Maria Theresa, although the Empress is known to have left the responsibility of selecting the author and composer of the wedding serenata firmly at the feet of Firmian. In a letter of February 1771, Firmian was to write of his choice of composer, ´For the music I would think completely suitable the young Maestro di Cappella Mozart of Salzburg, already known to the Court, who wrote the music here for the first opera of this carnival, which pleased very much……His music has been examined by the best masters, both of this city and abroad, and all have praised him most highly……I am convinced that he will employ all his talent to do himself honour on this occasion´
DEAN JAMES: (1931-1955) American actor, an Academy Award nominee (the only actor to have been nominated posthumously twice). An excellent A.L.S., Jim (twice), two pages, slim 4to, n.p. (Burbank, California), n.d. (19th May 1954), to his girlfriend Miss. Barbara Glenn (´Darling´). Dean commences his letter with potentially heart-breaking lines, ´I haven´t written because I have fallen in love. It had to happen sooner or later´, although immediately reveals the subject of his affection, ´It´s not a very good picture of him, but that´s "Cisco the Kid", the new member of the family´ and explains ´He gives me confidence. He makes my hands and my heart strong. He´s a very spirited horse but well trained. That´s my trainer in the picture. Throughbred (sic) Palomino (black main (sic) and tail)......He shakes hands and everything. May use him in the movie´, Dean continues to write in a more personal vein, ´I´m very lonely. Your card smelled so good, please don´t do that (dirty tricks, I´m still a Calif-virgen. I hate this place. [Elia] Kazan and everybody but Cisco can go fuck themselves. Don´t call because I haven´t got a place of my own yet. Just keep writting (sic) Honey those are the nicest, sweetest letters in the world. Oh, the terrible doubts an artist is given to!´ and also reveals ´I miss the souls of good men and bad men´, before concluding by inviting Glenn to come and see him sometime and remarking ´There´s not much we can say on the phone´. In a signed postscript Dean asks to have the photograph returned, adding ´By that time I will have had some good ones taken´. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Dean. Together with the original 3 x 5 photograph of Cisco the Kid referred to by Dean in his letter, the image depicting the handsome horse standing in a field with his trainer crouched alongside. A wonderful, personal love letter from Dean to his girlfriend, displaying a number of the actor´s personality traits and emotions from his tongue in cheek sense of humour to his tenderness and loneliness, although also demonstrating his youthful, rebellious nature, particularly towards the director Elia Kazan. Autograph letters of Dean are of the utmost rarity and the present example is written at a particularly significant moment in the actor's brief career. A few very light, extremely minor creases to the letter and the photograph with a couple of vertical surface creases and some minor staining to the white borders. G to VG, 2Dean´s letter is written just over a month after the actor left New York City for California, having been cast by Elia Kazan in his lead film debut as Cal Trask in East of Eden, an adaptation of John Steinbeck´s novel of the same title. East of Eden was the only film starring Dean released in his lifetime and the actor was nominated posthumously for the 1956 Academy Awards as Best Actor in a Leading Role of 1955, the first official posthumous acting nomination in Academy Awards history.It is understood that Barbara Glenn was first introduced to Dean in New York by their mutual friend the actor Martin Landau in late 1940s/early 1950s. Dean and Glenn's romantic relationship was believed to be an intense one involving multiple break-ups and reconciliations, and represented Glenn's first serious, mature relationship.
PISSARRO CAMILLE: (1830-1903) French Impressionist painter. A.L.S., C. Pissarro, two pages (written to the first and fourth sides of the bifolium), Eragny-par-Gisors, Eure, 2nd September 1897, to ´Mon cher Jean´, in French. Pissarro writes to ask a small favour of his friend, whom he presumes is settled in Rouen, although firstly apologises for not having attended his friend´s wedding, remarking ´tu as du apprendre combien nous avons ete ennuiyes avec la maladie de Lucien en convalescence ici en ce moment j´espere qui tu ne nous en as pas trop voulu, un jour ou l´autre j´aurai peut-etre l´occasion d´aller a Rouen te serrer la main ainsi qu´a ta femme´ (Translation: ´you must have heard how much we were bothered with Lucien's illness, he is convalescing here at the moment, I hope you did not blame us too much, one of these days I may have the opportunity to go to Rouen to shake hands with you and your wife´) and continuing ´Voici ce dont il s´agit. Un des amis de Lucien Monsieur Ricketts artiste et patron de la maison Hacon & Ricketts editeurs a Londres......nous demande si tu ne pourrais pas recommender une maison qui voudrait se charger d´imprimer des cottons pour la reliure dans le genre de l´echantillon ci-inclus qui est imprime sur papier?´ (Translation: ´This is what it is all about. One of Lucien's friends, Mr Ricketts, artist and proprietor of the firm of Hacon & Ricketts editeurs in London......asks us if you could not recommend a firm that would like to print cottons for bookbinding in the style of the sample enclosed, which is printed on paper?´). Some very light, extremely minor staining to the edges, otherwise VG
RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS: An excellent set of twelve vintage signed colour postcard photographs by each of the first eleven Russian cosmonauts in space comprising Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968; the first human to journey into outer space, travelling on Vostok 1, 12th April 1961, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals), Gherman Titov (1935-2000; Vostok 2, 6th – 7th August 1961, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals), Andriyan Nikolayev (1929-2004; Vostok 3, 11th – 15th August 1962, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals), Pavel Popovich (1930-2009; Vostok 4, 12th -15th August 1962, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals), Valery Bykovsky (1934-2019; Vostok 5, 14th – 19th June 1963, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals), Valentina Tereshkova (1937- , the first woman ever to fly in space, travelling on Vostok 6, 16th – 19th June 1963, the image depicting her in a head and shoulders pose wearing two medals), Konstantin Feoktistov (1926-2009; Voskhod 1, 12th October 1964, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing a suit and two medals, accompanied by his fellow Voskhod 1 crew members), Vladimir Komarov (1927-1967; Voskhod 1, 12th October 1964, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals), a second signed postcard photograph by Konstantin Feoktistov (the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing a suit and two medals), Boris Yegorov (1937-1994; Voskhod 1, 12th October 1964, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing a suit and two medals), Pavel Belyayev (1925-1970; Voskhod 2, 18th March 1965, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals) and Alexei Leonov (1934-2019; the first person to conduct a spacewalk, Voskhod 2, 18th March 1965, the image depicting him in a head and shoulders pose wearing his uniform and medals). Each of the photographs are signed by the cosmonauts in blue, red or black inks with their names alone, largely to lighter areas of the images. Komarov´s signature is a little light in places. All of the postcard photographs are bound together in the original presentation booklet with decorative paper wrappers, and one additional unsigned postcard photograph is included in the set, the image depicting Belyayev and Leonov seated together in half-length poses and engaged in conversation as they review some documents on the table before them. It is unusual to find such sets of postcards in their original bound form as the majority of similar signed postcard photographs which are encountered today have been separated from the booklets at their perforated edges. VG
ALYN KIRK: (1910-1999) American actor, best known for being the first actor to portray Superman in live-action for the movie serial Superman (1948). A good signed and inscribed 10 x 8 photograph, the dramatic image depicting Alyn in a full-length pose, in costume as Superman, clinging on to the back of a car with all his might in order to prevent it speeding away. Signed by the actor in black ink to a light area at the base of the image, ´To Fred:- Best wishes always, "Superman", Kirk Alyn´. About EX
MOZAFFAR AD-DIN SHAH QAJAR: (1853-1907) Shah of Iran 1896-1907. L.S., in Persian, as Shah, within a boteh motif, one page, 8vo, n.p., Dhu al-Hijjah 1317 (April/May 1900), to His Excellency the Prime Minister, in Persian. The manuscript text is written within a number of clouds set against a highly decorative gold and polychrome illuminated background featuring flowers and foliage and with a circular seal and crown at the head, and asks that Amir Bahadur-Jeng be summoned and provided with an additional five hundred tumans so that he can immediately compensate people for any damage done to their land, and that he is instructed ´to ensure that when the front of the procession moves, ten horsemen accompany it and strictly prohibit anyone from causing any harm to the crops and agriculture of the people´, adding that ten horsemen should also ride at the rear of the procession, and also explaining that ´anyone who sets up tents and unloads their belongings on the crops and lands of the people, their compensation should be immediately taken from the tent and luggage owners and given to the landowners, ensuring the comfort and ease of the people in all respects´. With blank integral leaf. A rare and most attractive letter. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGMizra Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan (1858-1907) Premier of Iran 1887-96, 1898-1904 and the first Prime Minister of Iran May - August 1907. Assassinated.
SCOTT RIDLEY: (1937- ) English film director. Signed colour 8 x 12 photograph, the image featuring the head of a deadly extraterrestrial creature and designed to promote Scott´s science fiction horror film Alien (1979). Signed by the director with his name alone to the image, the first two letters a little indistinct and written in silver ink, and the remaining part of the signature penned in a bolder gold ink. VG
ERNST MAX: (1891-1976) German painter, sculptor, printmaker and graphic artist, a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism in Europe. A.L.S., Max Ernst, one page, 4to, Paris, 6th October 1966, to Varian [Fry]. Ernst thanks his correspondent for some affidavits, remarking ´They are first class documents, and even of there are no more coming, these two will be plenty´, adding that he is pleased to know that Fry is in better health, ´I must say, I was quite worried, when I first heard the news.....But as I myself have been through the same experience not long ago, I knew, that after the first shock it was only a question of patience. You had it! From now on it will be easy. Very likely that you´ll feel better, much better than before´ and also briefly referring to the artists Pablo Picasso and Otto Dix, ´I did not get any answer from Picasso......to hell with Dix´, before concluding ´take good care of yourself, and do not forget that you have a good friend named´, adding his signature beneath. VGVarian Fry (1907-1967) American journalist who operated a rescue network in Vichy France during World War II, helping thousands of anti-Nazi and Jewish refugees to escape Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Among the artists he offered aid to at this time were Jean Arp, Hans Bellmer, Marc Chagall, Marcel Duchamp, Wifredo Lam, Hans Namuth, and Max Ernst.
![[CHINESE EXPEDITIONARY CORPS]: L.S. by an officer of the Chinese Expeditionary Corps, one page, 8vo, Shanghai (´Hopital tempo](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/e7cffcd7-440f-486d-9683-b22600c0cba1/e6eaf869-19dc-40c6-82d3-b2260135a92e/468x382.jpg)
[CHINESE EXPEDITIONARY CORPS]: L.S. by an officer of the Chinese Expeditionary Corps, one page, 8vo, Shanghai (´Hopital temporaire´), 1st February 1861, to the Mayor of the town of Langue in the French department of Maine et Loire, in French. The officer writes following the death of a French soldier, Louis Guerin, a rifleman in the Regiment of Line, enclosing a ´l´extrait mortuaire´ (Translation: ´mortuary extract´) and asking the Mayor ´de vouloir bien en informer la famille´ (Translation: ´to kindly inform the family´). In the left margin of the letter a further note states ´Ci-joint un certificat et une procuration a remplir par les heritiers, et a retourner, ce militaire ayant laisse la somme de 10 F 74 et deux lingots mentionnes dans l´inventaire ci-joint´ (Translation: ´Attached are a certificate and a power of attorney to be completed by the heirs and returned, this soldier having left the sum of 10 F 74 and two ingots mentioned in the attached inventory´). With blank integral leaf. Some very light, minor age wear, VGThe Chinese Expeditionary Corps played a key role in the ‘forced’ opening up of China: a period which began in the south with the boarding of a ship and ended in the north with the invasion of Beijing, but which used Shanghai and its region as an important support base, at one point bringing the number of soldiers stationed there - English and French together - to 7000! In June 1860, a Taiping army of 20,000 men led by Lai Wenguang had attacked Shanghai and reoccupied it for twenty months before withdrawing. By early 1861, Li Xiucheng controlled the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, commanding more than 600,000 Taiping soldiers. His objective was to capture the large isolated city, one of the most important cities under the Qing government and home to an international port. At Li Xiucheng's request, Great Britain and France promised to maintain neutrality. Just a few months after the present letter was written, the Battle of Shanghai, a major engagement of the Taiping Rebellion, commenced. During the battle, which lasted from July 1861 until the November of the following year, British and French troops used modern artillery on a large scale for the first time in China. Cannon fire inflicted heavy casualties on the Taiping forces, whose commander, Li Xiucheng, was wounded in the left leg by a shot fired from a cannon.
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