Hilarious photograph of the iconic beauty posed in costume as a blunderbuss-toting Pilgrim with a turkey standing in the tree overhead. 8 x 10 inches, Culver Pictures stamps on verso, edges lighly nicked, overall fine.
New York: Pantheon Books. 1950. First. Oblong 8vo. 128 pp. Hardcover. Collection of Christmas songs from around the world decorated with woodcut-style illustrations. Signed by Franz Wasner, editor/arranger of this volume and music director for the Trapp Family Singers, Baroness Maria Augusta von Trapp (Signed "Maria A. Trapp"), the inspiration for the character portrayed by Julia Andrews in The Sound of Music and author of the present volume's introduction, and Agathe von Trapp, eldest of the von Trapp children and illustrator of the present volume. In illustrated boards, in very fine condition, lacking fragile outer dust jacket which reproduced the same cover design. Read More...
Impressive large bust portrait of the great Italian Opera composer, ca. 1950, with incised inscription on the left side by the sculptor to the Italian operatic bass, often regarded as the greatest buffo artist of the 20th century: "A Salvatore Baccaloni / grande amico della commedia lirica / Enzo Serafini." Mounted to a marble base, in very fine condition. 22.75 inches (57.8 cm.). Read More...
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[Great Gifts!]
[Violin]. Instrument-Shaped Calendar and Thermometer
Charming 19th Century calendar and thermometer in the shape of a miniature violin on a hinged stand, in leather and brass and other materials, with temperature markings running up the neck while the day, date, and month - visible through windows in the body - are printed on rollers that are manually rotated using brass knobs that extend out through the sides of the violin. Provenance unknown, but assumed to be Continental. Cracks in leather, no thermometer present, else fine. Approx. 5w x 9h x 1d inches (12.7w x 22.9h x 2.5d cm.).
Souvenir 1911 postcard for the vaudeville musician amusingly known as the "The Violinist with a Soul", who popularized the song "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland". So associated was Berliner with her signature tune that the lyrics to the chorus are printed to verso, this example stamped in red "Majestic Theatre" and evidently distributed there for promotional purposes. Light wear to edges, crease to lower right corner, mild toning to front, else fine. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.8 x 13.5 cm).
46.
[Great Gifts!]
[Violinist]. Wooden Nutcracker in Form of Violinist, 18th Century
Antique hand-carved screw-type nutcracker in the form of an expressive man in a skull cap and with long hair holding a violin, dating from the late 18th C. or earlier. The present nutcracker remains functional, and works by inserting the nut into an opening in the man's back and rotating his upper body, causing a carved wooden screw mounted to his lower torso to press into the shell. Substantial losses to base, lower half of the face, right hand, and left edge of the instrument, else good. 8 inches tall (20.3 cm.). Read More...
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[Great Gifts!]
[Violin]. Luthier Trade Sign, early 20th century
An early 20th century painted metal violin with wooden pegs. 60 cm in length, iron bracket included. In attractive and characterful worn condition, lacking the bridge, with peelings, dents, wear due to age and use.
48.
[Great Gifts!]
Wegener, Gerda. (1886–1940). "2000 Lilas" (Amor and Young Woman) – Designs for a perfume advertisement, 1919
Three variations of an illustration by the Danish artist, known for her progressive feminist portraiture, all showing a cherub spritzing a young woman with perfume. The original work accomplished in ink and paint, shown as the middle-sized example of the three pieces, in which a flowering tree can be seen behind the cherub. The artist has signed lower left beneath the cherub's bow, but her signature has been later obscured in the process of reworking the piece towards publication. A few notations surround the design, possibly in the hand of the artist who appears to have designated the original version "Mauvais" ("bad") in the upper left, adding the date 19/4/19 and what appears to be the initial "G." The verso bears a small label "2000 Lilas" ("2000 Lilacs"), likely the work's title and/or a reference to an earlier version of the perfume that the artworks were intended to promote. The smallest iteration of the design is a hand-retouched and altered photograph of the work, adapted to a heart-shaped background. Likewise, the largest iteration is a photographic reproduction with different alterations in ink and paint, adapting the illustration in varied ways. The two reworkings both mounted to slightly larger rigid backings, some small holes and dirt, yellowing to the smaller piece, else fine. Sketch is approx. 15.5 x 18.5 inches (39 x 48 cm.), the others approximately 12.25 x 13 inches (31 x 32.5 cm) and 15.5 x 19 inches (39 x 49 cm). Read More...
Beautiful novelty whistle spoon, c.1911, made from horn and silver, with a faded and unidentified hallmark. The horn, from an unknown animal, has been carved so thin as to become translucent. Slight dents and marks to silver, else in remarkable condition given its age. Approx. 7 inches (18 cm.).
Unusual walking cane incorporating three different bronze corkscrews of varying sizes into the handle, with the knob and body carved out of olive wood. A striking piece in very fine condition, 35.625 inches tall (90.5 cm.).
Original Philharmonie-Concert-Zeitung dated 31 October 1889 for an all-Beethoven program, including the Trio in B-flat major, Piano Sonata in F minor, Op. 57, Sonata for Piano and Violin in A major, the Romances in G and F major for violin, and the Trio in D major, all performed by Heinrich Barth, Heinrich de Ahna, and Robert Hausmann, who had been performing subscription concerts as a trio since 1878. This Beethoven-Abend was part of a new series of 'popular' (cheap) concerts they'd started at the Philharmonie earlier in the same year. The trio would continue performing together for another 20 years, with de Ahna replaced upon his death in 1892 by Emanuel Wirther. Most of the booklet is dedicated to advertisements for every sort of local business you can imagine, from chocolatiers to harmonium sellers and lamp oil providers to fan repairmen. Light wear and surface creases along spine, else fine, 20 pp., 5.5 x 8.75 inches (14 x 22.25 cm.). Read More...
Amusing autograph letter from the eminent American conductor and composer to Reneé Longy Miquelle (1897–1979), Bernstein's former teacher at Curtis where he studied score reading and ear training with her. Dated "Aug 13 '58," written on a postcard and in the form of an acrostic (the first letters of each line spelling "Too Lazy" when read top to bottom): Read More...
New York: K. Dehnhoff. [ca. 1890]. Upright folio. 4 pp. Lithograph. Composed by C.W. Nathan, dedicated to Miss Florence Clinton. Pages fully separated at spine, extensive wear to edges with losses, lower left corner separated but present, else good. 11 x 14 inches (27.9 x 35.6 cm.).
Glossy signed postcard photograph of the important composer and conductor, signed "P. Boulez" at the foot and dated "Paris 1992" on the verso in another hand. In very fine condition. 4 x 5.75 inches (10.5 x 14.7 cm).
Original Philharmonie-Concert-Zeitung all-Brahms program dated 23 November 1889, including the Trio in C minor, the Sonata for Piano and Violin in D minor, the Sonata for Piano and Violin in F major, and the String Quartet in G minor, all performed by Heinrich Barth, Heinrich de Ahna, Robert Hausmann, and Emanuel Wirth. Barth, de Ahna, and Hausmann had been performing subscription concerts as a trio since 1878, and this Brahms-Abend was part of a new series of 'popular' (cheap) concerts they'd started at the Philharmonie earlier in the same year. The trio would continue performing together for another 20 years, with Wirther replacing de Ahna upon his death in 1892. The booklet also includes advertisements for every sort of local business you can imagine, from chocolatiers to harmonium sellers and lamp oil providers to fan repairmen. Light wear along spine, else fine, 20 pp., 5.5 x 8.75 inches (14 x 22.25 cm.). Read More...
Attractive 1949 Naomi Savage photograph of the composer, published 1984 in postcard format and signed "John Cage," in blue ink to the lower blank margin, an ideal uninscribed example. In fine condition, 4.25 x 6 inches (10.8 x 15.2 cm.).
Baltimore: Carrs. [Ca. 1800]. 1 pp. Engraved. Edge wear, foxing, else in fine condition. 9.5 x 13.5 (24.1 x 34.2 cm.). An anonymous arrangement of the popular English country dance tune, possibly by the publisher himself. Read More...
Chicago: Art Music Co.. 1910. First Edition. Upright folio. Title, Publisher's note, 3-6 pp. printed music. Lithograph. Fantasie for piano written by a five-year old Bredshall, whose photograph is accompanied by the moniker "The Baby Pianist." Some edge wear, chipping at lower right corner, split along spine of outer wrapping, small piece of tape to left side, else fine. 10.5 x 14 (26.7 x 35.6 cm.). Read More...
Signed halftone photograph of the great composer, part of a an article covering cultural activities in the Tucson area for the upcoming fall season. Caption to photograph, an image of Copland conducting with brio, reads "Aaron Copland conducts the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra here Oct. 15," while the article notes "fans of Aaron Copland will have plenty to sustain themselves this fall - there's virtually an undeclared Copland festival in town... Copland himself will be here on Oct. 15 conducting the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in a program of four of his own works." Part of a full page taken from the Friday, September 28, 1979 issue of the Tucson Citizen. Horizontal and vertical creases, else fine, 14.5 x 23 inches (36.8 x 58.4 cm.).