Collection of 119 original drawings by Hubert de Givenchy being costume designs for the 1997 Bolshoi Ballet production of Giselle, together with 2 original costumes from the production and supporting documents. Provenance: Gifted by the designer to Valérie Golovitser, who represented the Bolshoi in New York and was liason for the designer in Russia. Their connections are further recorded in the biography of the designer Hubert de Givenchy: Entre Vies et Legendes, by Jean-Noël Liaut, p. 288. Most measuring approximately 8 x 11.5 inches (20.3 x 29.3 cm) and generally in very fine condition. Read More...
Autograph signature "JS Bach / 1733" on a page measuring 74 x 27 mm, known to have been clipped from one of the composer's three copies of Elias Nicolaus Ammerbach's Orgel oder Instrument Tabulatur. Provenance: Georg Kinsky; Gehard Herz; private collection, by descent, not previously offered on the market until now. Together with a half-length portrait lithograph, ca. 1840 (Artist unknown. Neumann: Bilddokumente B24). Read More...
An important group of ten original fashion drawings from the important designer, ca. 1980's, each with Saint Laurent's autograph notes on the verso describing the fabrics and colors of each ensemble and the accessories to be worn with it on particular occasions (e.g., day, evening, or "by the sea.") The outfits include women's blazers, trousers, and skirts, often worn with large belts or flowing scarves and ties. Drawings in black marker, accentuated in colored pencil. Notes on the verso of each sheet in pencil (in French.) One drawing is unfinished. On sheets of notebook paper with some light toning, rough edges, and some slightly curled, but overall in fine condition. 11.75 x 15.5 inches (30 x 40 cm) and 10.5 x 13.5 inches (27 x 34 cm). Read More...
5684. [Photography]. The Meserve Collection of Photography
An extraordinary and important collection of approximately 800 period albumen portrait photographs, composed of the bulk of Volumes 1-3 of the Frederick H. Meserve photography collection and including portraits of artists, writers, scientists, educators, musicians and others, among which are included rare photographs of Brahms, Dickens, Dumas, Darwin, Barton, Nightingale, Whitman, Poe, Sand, Hugo, Daguerre, Tchaikovsky and many, many more. A complete listing of included figures, organized by profession, is included below. Read More...
11401. Chopin, Frédéric. (1810–1849). Signed French Copyright Agreement for the Publication of his Op. 60 Barcarolle, Op. 61 Polonaise-Fantaisie and Op. 62 Nocturnes
A very rare signed document from the Polish composer and pianist, recording the sale of the French copyright to the Parisian publisher Brandus & Cie for some of his most celebrated works: the Barcarolle in F major, op. 60, the Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat major, op. 61, and the two Nocturnes op. 62. Read More...
21516. Dylan, Bob. (b. 1941). "Long-distance Operator" - Original Drawings and Autograph Lyrics from the recording of the Basement Tapes
Important and extremely rare early original drawings by the legendary singer-songwriter, who has penned a series of three captioned drawings on the blank side of a Columbia Records Handelok record bag during the historic "Basement Tapes" recording sessions at Big Pink, and including a variation of the opening of the song "Long Distance Operator." Obtained by Bonnie Diamond, then girlfriend of Levon Helm (drummer and vocalist of The Band), West Saugerties, NY, Summer 1967, and with her autograph shopping list to the verso of the bag. 8 x 10.5 inches. Rear Columbia logo panel with some rears, a few small stains, overall in very fine condition. We have not located any examples of original Dylan drawings having appeared on the market in over 30 years of records. Read More...
Costume design for a wood spirit, identified "silvain" upper right corner, depicting a male figure, probably masked, carrying a walking stick. Ink and watercolor on paper, chiefly incarnadine in colour, with yellow leaves for the ruff and head-band. Notes on the drawing indicating different colors: "vert naissant," "jaune doré" (light green, golden yellow). Sheet size 12 3/4 x 8 in. (32.4 x 20.3 cm), framed. In fine condition with subtle rippling, staining and foxing, backed to sheet from original binding. Provenance: Wheelock Whitney Collection, New York. Literature: Margaret M. McGowan, The Court Ballet of Louis XIII: A Collection of Working Designs for Costumes, 1615-33 (London:Victoria and Albert Museum, 1986), this image illustrated as plate no. 120. Read More...
11400. Chopin, Frédéric. (1810–1849). Signed French Copyright Agreement for the Publication of his Op. 20 Scherzo , Op. 21 Piano Concerto, Op. 22 Grand Polonaise and the Mazurkas Op. 24
Very rare signed document from the Polish composer and pianist, recording the sale of the French copyright to the Parisian publisher Maurice Schlesinger for some of his most celebrated works: the Scherzo No. 1 in B minor Op. 20, the Piano Concerto in F minor Op. 21, the Grand Polonaise in E-flat major Op. 22, and the four Op. 24 Mazurkas. 1 page. Paris, August, 1835. 20.5 x 22.5 cm. The handwritten document in French, prepared by a representative of the publishing company, signed by the composer in full "F.F. Chopin." "Je reconnais avoir vendu a Mr. Maur. Sch..ger la propriete pour la France des oeuvres suivants de ma Composition et j'ai recu de lui pour les dits ouvrages la somme de Douze cent francs...les ouvrages sont // 1. Scerzo op. // 2. 4. Mazurka op. // 3. Concerto. op. // 4. Polonaise op. // Paris le 7 Aout / 1835." On laid paper, the verso with a later note from the Publisher "7 Août 1835 Chopin." Upper margin stained, various creases and some small losses along the right edge, affecting two words, else fine. A great rarity. Read More...
Large original watercolour and gouache painting over a pochoir and graphite outline on brown paper, depicting Mikhail Fokine and Vera Fokina in the Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes "Carnaval" set to music of R. Schumann and with costumes by Leon Bakst. Signed and dated in graphite [M. Bobyshov 1916.] (lower left in the image), stamped with a library stamp [Library of the Sadovsky club of the Transport Workers Union Konyushennaya Square, 2] [Saint Petersburg] (lower margin), stamped [Checked 1936] (left margin), inscribed in Cyrillic [Checked 1943] (lower margin), inscribed [year 45] and '46' (?) (lower margin). Image size 52 x 32 cm., sumptuously framed under UV-plexi in a hand-gilted and handcarved frame. Some small stains on paper, overall fine. Read More...
Striking and fanciful original large-format jacket and skirt suit design in the hand of the French fashion designer regarded as one of the greatest names in fashion history. Accomplished in colored pencil and markers, accentuated with two blue and red lines crossing the drawing, a bold title of "PARIS," and signed at the lower right in red marker. Approx. 18 x 21 inches, archivally framed to 19 x 23 inches. A very rare authentic example, seldom encountered on the market and with extraordinary provenance. Read More...
Atlas folio, 17 x 22 inches [42 x 55 cm], including 95 double-page maps, some folding, by Delisle dated between 1700-1745, most hand-colored in outline and with watercolor detailing. Without any preliminaries, title, or index (as issued), this atlas having been made to individual order from stocks of maps held by the publisher. With the maps numbered sequentially and titled in a contemporary hand on the front-facing right blanks, lacking numbers 14,17, 34 and 49 (not present in hand-numbered sequence). The maps from no. 1 to 83 make up a regular atlas of the contemporary (i.e. 18th-century) world, while the maps of the last section are of a historical nature (e.g. no. 84 "Table of the Earth as known to the ancients"). In generally fine condition, with printing and colors generally clean and fresh throughout. Plates folded and tipped down on stubs, with sewing generally strong. Moderate staining on some plates, creases along folds, some with tears or old paper reinforcement to versos of creasefolds, a few maps with edges defective and frayed, edges uneven with some plates overhanging slightly, occasional light soiling and spotting. Bound in rich brown calf-skin mottled with black, beautifully rebacked, built up and restored, spine with eight raised bands, original gilt-tooled compartments (some losses to head and tail and first panels) and later leather title label in red goatskin. Read More...
Original silver gelatin photograph of the iconic singer and actress, as captured by the 25-year-old Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar, 1948 around the time of the filming of The Foreign Affair, and depicting the actress with her famous and very problematic African lenci doll. On the original photographer's mount, signed "Avedon" in black ink beneath the photograph and with the photographer's stamp to mount verso. A few areas of expert restoration and retouching, overall in very fine condition. Print 10 7/16" x 11 7/16" ; mount 11 11/16" x 14 7/8". Framed to 26 x 19 inches (66.5 x 49 cm); 24 x 17 (61 x 43cm) overall. Read More...
10477. Cody, William F., "Buffalo Bill". (1846–1917). Archive Including Cody Family Memorial Scrapbook, Signed Photograph, Signed Book, Original Photographs, Cody's Personal Grooming Kit & Meerschaum Pipe, and two newly discovered photographs, one being one of the earliest recorded photographs of Cody
A remarkable archive of photographs and ephemera owned by and relating to the legendary Wild West scout, bison hunter, and showman. The collection includes Buffalo Bill's personal shaving kit, an impressive rosewood and brass case complete with razors, combs, brushes and other grooming tools; his meerschaum pipe with a carving of a dog; three extremely rare photographs of Cody, including two previously unknown very early photographs; a signed first edition of his autobiography; an envelope of crumbled leaves from Buffalo Bill's grave on Lookout Mountain; and an album of clippings and photographs relating to his death and burial, compiled by Cody's nephew George Cody and his wife Anna Bond Goodman for their daughter. Most items in very good to fine condition; an important archive from the celebrated frontiersman and entertainer, a central figure in the history of the American West. Read More...
Three Theatrical Costumes by Alexandre Golovine from the first production of Firebird. Russia, ca. 1910. Formerly the property of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, previously sold by Sotheby's "Costumes and Curtains from Diaghilev & De Basil Ballets," 19 December, 1969, these three all pictured and described in the catalogue lot 16, p. 17-19 (original descriptions in quotations below, for each). All in fine condition with expected wear. Read More...
An extraordinary collection of five Japanese pressed LPs, each signed by the primary artist while on tour in Japan 1973-78, and including an especially rare signed copy of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue." Read More...
A very fine original work depicting a Vanitas still life with pochette violin, skull, book, recorder, and overturned glass. Oil on canvas, unsigned, attributed to Jan Fris or a nearly contemporary follower, most probably second half of the 17th century, possibly early 18th. 66 x 63 cm, in a later frame measuring 80 x 78 cm. Read More...
22315. Wagner, Richard. (1813–1883). Large Signed Photograph with Autograph Musical Quotation incorporating the Composer's Name
Impressive and unusually large inscribed three-quarter-length photograph of the German composer, later "Master of Bayreuth," from his sojourn in Vienna in 1861, credited to Ludwig Angerer (1827–1879), imperial court photographer in Vienna. Autograph musical quotation to lower margin—an excerpt from an unidentified composition, one staff, four measures, 3/4, without key signature; dedication as text underlay and amusingly incorporating the composer's name: "Seinem Seraphinenpüppchen [to Seraphine, his little doll)] Richard Wagner." The printed header, "Album der Zeitgenossen" [Album of contemporaries], identifies this issue of the mounted photograph as from the series of the same name that Franz Hanfstaengl (1804–1877), court photographer in Munich, compiled over the second half of the 1850s. 17 x 13.25 inches (43 x 33.5 cm). In very fine condition. Framed. An extremely rare document, particularly noteworthy for the musical quotation. Read More...
An antique gold vessel and cover presented to the great dancer and choreographer after the premiere of Debussy's Jeux in 1913. Designed as a stylized urn, the vessel bears the presentation engraving: "Vaslav Nijinsky/Jeux/Theatre des Champs-Elysees/le 15 mai, 1913" above a pair of crossed tennis rackets and a tennis ball. Solid 14K gold with maker's mark. 9 inches (23 cm) high. Deaccessioned from the collection of the Metropolitan Opera Guild, for whom it was purchased by Mrs. John E. Long, in memory of Lily O. Pforzheimer. Read More...
Bound collection of 6 concertinos for 4 violins, viola, cello, and basso continuo in score, copied from a manuscript at the Conservatoire de Paris, as prepared for and subsequently inscribed by Sergei Diaghilev. Long attributed to Italian Baroque composer Pergolesi, these pieces are a famous case of reattribution within the canon of classical music, having been identified in recent decades as the work of the Dutch composer and statesman Count Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer. Half a century before this musicological consensus had been established, Diaghilev wrote his opinion in an inscription on the cover of the present manuscript (translated as follows from the French): Read More...
Original artwork in watercolors and ink, signed center "Benito." 39 x 29 cm. A preliminary or related design for the pochoir published in the Gazette du Bon Ton, March, 1920. A client wearing a hat stands at the bar and is attended by a black bartender, "LE BOEUF SUR LE TOIT" is inscribed at the left in various alternating bright colors. Tipped at corners to another sheet, archivally matted and framed under UV-Plexi. Fine. Read More...