A very rare autograph item from the legendary English actor considered the greatest Shakespearean actor of his day. An original 1819 Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane ticket to a performance of Shakespeare's Othello. Matted together with a fine original hand-colored lithograph portrait of the actor in the title role (drawn by E.F Lambert) Color Portrait: 14" x 11.5"; Signed Ticket: 2" x 4"; overall 18" x 14". Read More...
Oversize program photograph of Robeson in his celebrated portrayal of Othello, boldly signed in blue ink, "Kind wishes, Paul Robeson." 21 x 28 cm. Small tears to edges, else fine and sold together with an unsigned 1945 recital program presumably from when the photograph was signed. Read More...
2 Early Editions, bound together in quarter red morocco, raised gilt-stamped bands, and spine labeled "Musique de Piano." Gold-edged pages, silked end-papers. Containing the following works: Read More...
An original ink drawing of Verdi, signed and inscribed "A Salvini il grande interprete d'Otello / G. Verdi, Milano 5 Feb. 1887." The portrait by Savonglin, signed and dated July 14, 1885. 17.5 x 24 cm. Small chip from upper left corner, else fine. Read More...
In Fiorenza: Cosimo Giunti. 1600. First edition of the libretto. [4ff.], 16ff., 4to. Quarter calf, cloth boards. Some light foxing and water stains, title a little browned, but generally a very good copy. Bookplate on inner board identifying this volume as from the collection of Baron Horace De Landau (1824-1903). Read More...
A rare signed photograph of the celebrated French pianist, one of the true jazz greats who died tragically young. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disease that causes brittle bones and in his case, short stature, Petrucciani died of a pulmonary infection related to his condition at the age of 36. Sometimes compared to Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans, he performed with Wayne Shorter, Jim Hall, Charles Lloyd, Dizzy Gillespie and others and left some incredible recordings. He was inducted to the Légion d'honneur in Paris in 1994. Read More...
Fascinating autograph letter from the celebrated French Bass, Golden Age star and creator of leading roles in Massenet's "Le Cid," and "La Navarraise," Saint-Saens' "Ascanio," de Lara's "The Light of Asia," and others. He was a fixture at the Paris Opera and later at the Met, where he sang for 12 seasons. His polished and elegant voice can be heard on his many recordings. Read More...
Matted ensemble, including an original 1920 Metropolitan Opera program page humorously inscribed by Ponselle, together with an unsigned photograph of her in the role of Donna Leonora in the arms of Enrico Caruso (who is listed on this program). Ponselle debuted at the Metropolitan (also opposite Caruso) in this role two years earlier, and the photograph of their first famous collaboration is one of the most iconic of all opera photographs. The great soprano has jokingly inscribed the program "Slightly tardy [53 years later!], but very sincere. Best Always, Rosa Ponselle, 1973." Overall 25.5 x 36 cm.
Bold vintage autograph by the creator of Porgy, in Gershwin’s "Porgy and Bess" at the Alvin Theater in 1935, together with an original 8 x 10 inch photograph of Duncan from that production. Duncan was the first black member of the New York City Opera, where he first appeared as Tonio in 1935. Also active in musical theater, his performance in Weill’s "Lost in the Stars" (1949-50) won him the Donalson and New York Drama Critics Award in 1950.
October 1, 1942 program from the Cheryl Crawford production at the Chicago Erlanger Theater. Conducted by Alexander Smallens and featuring many of the original role creators from the first production, this re-fashioning of the opera had opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theater in January of 1942 and had just concluded its successful run there before moving to Chicago. If featured, among others, Todd Duncan, original creator of the role of Porgy. Read More...
New York: Gershwin Publishing Corporation. 1935. First edition, first issue. The Theatre Guild presents Porgy and Bess. Libretto by Du Bose Heyward Lyrics by Du Bose Heyward and Ira Gershwin Settings by Sergei Soudeikine Orchestra Conductor Alexander Smallens Production Directed by Rouben Mamoulian. [Piano-vocal score]. Small folio. Original publisher's stiff printed grey wrappers with black cloth spine. 4ff. (photographic portrait; r. title, v. woodcut illustration of donkey pulling a man in a cart; r. Index of Scenes, v. Cast of Characters; r. Story of Porgy and Bess, v. dedication), 559 (music), [i] (blank) pp. Fuld p. 539. First Edition, first issue without the index of songs and without the capitalization of "Negro," in the fourth line of the story. Spine somewhat cocked, otherwise crisp and very fine copy overall of this surprisingly rare score. Read More...
Vintage 1934 Art in America book signed and inscribed by Gershwin to his 'Porgy and Bess' collaborator during the period of their closest collaboration. Read More...
Vintage postcard with a silhouetted scene from the first historic revival of the Gershwin classic at the Majestic Theatre in 1942. The verso of the card suggests "Be your own critic. Write your opinion of the show and send it to a friend." No such opinion appears and the card is in very clean and fine condition.
New York: Gershwin Publishing Corporation. 1935. First edition. 5 pp. Illustrated front cover without price listing or key, back cover advertising the songs Summertime - My Man's Gone Now. All points as called for in Fuld (p. 538) for first separate editions of songs from this great opera. Inner pages toned, otherwise a very good copy overall.
Very rare signed photograph from the highly respected and influential American jazz pianist who was a pioneer in the development of the bebop style. Beginning in the late 1950s, Powell's musical powers suffered with his worsening schizophrenia and the onset of tuberculosis, and, after living in Paris for several years, he died in a New York hospital at the age of 41. Autograph material of any kind is very rare and signed photographs are virtually unobtainable. Read More...
Megalynodia Sionia, continens anticum B. Mariae Virginis, Magnificat, 5.6. & 8. voc.super Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La ,& quaedam madrigalia ac motectas (interpositis de Nativitate & Resurrectione Chrsti cantilenis quibusdam germanicus) accommodatum; cui insuper accesserunt duae compositions aliae, quae motectarum etiam loco non incommode usurpari possunt. [Tenor part.] Wolferbyti [the Author], 1611. First edition [34]ff. + [1] errata page. Bound with: Another liturgical work of sixty pieces, without title-page, which includes the composer’s ‘Puer natus in Bethlehem.’ The volume starts with ‘II. Bendicamus Domino’ above which is an ornate head-piece that is larger and certainly more prominent than the others throughout the volume, suggesting that it is possibly the first piece in the volume. It is interesting to note the colophon on the final leaf is set out and spelt differently: ‘Wulfferbyti, In Officina Typographica Principali Brunsvicens: Sumtibus Autoris,’ [ca. 1611]. 22ff.. Read More...
Signed undated San Francisco Community Concert Association recital program from the leading violist of his time, a member of the London String Quartet and the NBC Symphony under Toscanini before embarking on an unprecedented successful solo career as violist. Signed additionally by pianist, David Stimer. Two file holes, otherwise fine. Signed programs of Primrose are elusive.
An early item from the personal collection of the great fiddler. An advertisement card, including a small photograph, promoting Rabin's June 13 performance and his June 22nd appearance with Dimitri Mitropoulos. Anthony Feinstein in his "Michael Rabin: America's Virtuoso Violinist," notes that: "June 13 marks the day Michael first performed the Brahms Violin Concerto in public. He chose the third movement in what was a warmup for the full work, which he played nine days later at a summer concert in Lewisohn Stadium with Mitropoulos conducting." (p. 117) Read More...
Photograph of a Jack Goldsmith caricature of a wide array of musicians including a child Rabin, Bolognini, Heifetz, Charpentier, Moore (Grace), Curzon, Rubinstein (Arthur), Klemperer and others. Slightly creased, trimmed but overall fine.
From the collection of the great violinist who died tragically young. After his death, his 1736 Guarneri was renamed "the Rabin."