Signed photograph of the great dancer, looking upwards with his face darkly shadowed - perhaps in his role as the Moor in José Limón's The Moor's Pavane. He has signed boldly in gold marker across the bottom half of the image. Photographed by Beverley Gallegos, with the photographer's stamp on the verso. In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.2 x 25.3 cm).
Pair of signatures from the two great modern dance pioneers. On a single card, Shawn signing and inscribing in black ink "with all high greetings" and with St. Denis signing in blue ink. 8 x 13 cm.
Ted Shawn was a key figure in the founding period of modern dance. With his wife, Ruth St. Denis, he founded and performed in the "Denishawn" company, mentoring among other famous dancers, the great Martha Graham.
New York: E. P. Dutton. 1939. Stated First Edition. First Printing. Publisher's full blue cloth, black lettering on spine and cover, embossed medallion on cover, blue endpapers. Illustrated with 97 striking full-page photographs of depression era New York by Berenice Abbott, produced for the Works Progress Administration. Signed and Inscribed on the title-page: "To Karin / from / Berenice / 1954 / October." Lacking the scarce dust jacket, rebacked, corners nicked and boards somewhat soiled and stained. Read More...
Study of Figures, pen and ink on paper, 17.75 x 20.25 cm [7 x 8 in], ca. 1650. With the collection mark lower left of Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 - 1792), this work thought to be Castiglione's "A heathen sacrifice" listed as #55 in the second day of the Reynolds sale catalogue. With significant areas of paper loss and repairs, rebacked with areas of support sheet showing through. Archivally matted and set in a hand-gilted finished-corner frame under UV plexiglass. Read More...
Original etching engraved by Henri Guerard, with autograph edits for the publication of the print in brown ink by Corot, including the addition of his name "C. Corot " with a cancelation mark, and title beneath the image "Le Concert / appartient à M. Jules Dupré", and approved by him upper right corner "Bon à tirer " with his autograph paraph. 28 x 20 cm. Read More...
Study with small boat. Signed Einar Wegener. Oil on cardboard; painted on both sides. 23 x 28 cm. Provenance: Directly from the artist and hence by descent in the family of the previous owner. Read More...
209.
[Literature & Art]
[Frost, Robert. (1874 - 1963)]. Carved “Miles to go Before I sleep” Walking Stick from the collection of the Poet
Robert Frost’s personally-owned and -used knotty wooden walking stick, measuring approximately 39 inches long, carved along one side with “R. Frost” and along the other with a famous line from the poem ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,’ “Miles to go before I sleep.” In fine condition. Accompanied by a notarized letter of provenance, in part: “This walking stick was acquired by me from Robert Graham Chase’s Estate. Mr. Chase, was a personal friend of Robert Frost when he lived in Franconia and Vermont. According to him, Frost owned and used this walking stick when he lived in Vermont while at Dartmouth College.” Also includes photocopies of a book inscribed to Chase by Frost. Chase studied book design with Ray Nash at Dartmouth and was later a noted antiques dealer. While the maker of the cane is unknown, it was presumably created by one of his admirers and given as a tribute to the great poet. In Frost’s essay ‘The Figure a Poem Makes,’ published as an introduction to the 1939 edition of his Collected Poems, he comments, ‘We enjoy the straight crookedness of a good walking stick.’ A unique relic with an ideal relationship to Frost’s life and work.
Autograph note from the beloved American author of To Kill a Mockingbird, expressing her dissatisfaction with Charles Shields' 2006 biography, Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, from Scout to Go Set a Watchman. Dated 4 December [2007]. Lee writes: "Dear Mr. Meade: Thank you for your most kind letter & pictures. I did so enjoy them. As for the 'portrait,' it was so highly inaccurate as to be worthless. I was unrecognizable even to myself. They will do these things - Sincerely, Harper Lee." Written on both sides of her monogrammed card, with original transmissal envelope. In fine condition. Read More...
213.
[Literature & Art]
[New York]. Soldiers Spell out "New York" - Original 1937 Press Photograph
Striking original 1937 press photograph of men in uniform in a parade, holding large letters to spell out "New York." Press caption on the back reads, "The front row of the New York Delegation was unmistakeable with these large letters." Stamped with the date September 25, 1937. Excellent image quality with bends, dings, impressions caused by snipe on verso and fine crazing throughout. Small corner bends/creases. Approx. 7 x 9 inches.
Unusual and striking vintage photograph showing a seated nude half covered by a broken eggshell. In fine condition. 12.8 x 17.8 cm. Undated, possibly an earlier image printed ca. 1960.
Etching, a fine impression of the forth state of six, after being reworked by Claude-Henri Watelet (1718-1786). 6.75" x 3.25" [72 x 99 mm]. Bartsch 349; Biorklund 31-9; Hollstein (White and Boon) 349; New Hollstein 87 (IV./VI.). The etching itself laid down to another sheet with several areas of staining and foxing, the supporting sheet inscribed with an amusing note in an unknown 18th century hand: "No. 319 Rembrandt's Mother. She is seen almost in front, but both the head + the body are turned a little to the right, her Head dress is a black open veil, + her habit is deeply shadowed, the Eyes look downward, + and the left hand is place on the breast; it measures...The above extract from ...Catalogue of Rembrand't works may serve to shew that I have the pleasure of sending Mr. Bowles Rembrt's True Mumma. At leisure I shall be glad to hear that the Old Lady arrived safe + bore her journey well. I am, with best compts. to Mrs. Bowles, Mr. Bowles's New...Friend _ Serv't / Oxford, April 25th [17]78. J.C." With label from the Vincent Price Collection.
Autograph letter from the important French painter who left a legacy of 660 portraits and 200 landscapes, currently the subject of a major exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum. Dated "Thursday morning." She writes to her friend, Mme. Jacques de Reiset (translated from the French): "Forgive me, as you are so amiable and good, that I am not able to benefit from your kindness this evening; I caught a cold two days ago. I hoped that I would not be in any more pain today, but this dreadful cold has become worse! I do regret it, for I would have so enjoyed spending the evening with you and hearing good music..." She continues to invite Reiset to visit her and writes that she is always home on Saturdays. 1 p. on a bifolium of vivid green notepaper, addressed on the verso. A few small losses to the verso and folding creases; overall in fine condition. 7.75 x 5 inches (19.8 x 12.7 cm) unfolded. Scarce.
Original portrait photograph by Napoleon Sarony, large format albumen cabinet card, SIGNED BY WILDE (“Oscar Wilde June ’82 New York”), quarter length, turned to the left and half looking back towards but not at the camera, wearing his astrakhan coat. 7 1⁄4” x 12 3⁄4”, archivally matted and set in a fine hand-carved original Aesthetic Movement frame under UV plexi. The image has had some cleaning and restoration work to the surface, the edges and the bottom corners. There is a surface crack through the “e” of June and light damage to the surface just above the “c” in Oscar. Wilde is very scarce in signed photographs, and ones of this size are particularly rare. Reference: Merlin Holland, The Wilde Album, 1997 (number 22 in Holland's sequence); Richard Ellman, Oscar Wilde, 1987. Read More...
Oslo: H. Ashehoug. 1959. Norwegian edition of Lerner's classic play, adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, signed by the legendary American chef, author, and television personality. Text in Norwegian and with photos of cast members from a Norwegian production of the play. Signed by Julia Child on the front cover and further signed "P. And J. Child, Oslo, 19 Jan 60" on front free endpaper. This date corresponds with the time that the Childs lived in Oslo during Paul's waning years as an American diplomat. Amusingly, the dialogue entries for Henry Higgins and Eliza, pp. 49 - 58, have been "X"-marked in the margins, beginning with the line "En perfekt siggarett gir sollid appetit," which corresponds to and here replaces the famous line in which Eliza mispronounces her vowels, leading then to the celebrated song "Just you wait, Henry Higgins." It is charming to imagine the Childs together hamming it up in this scene, perhaps entertaining friends in their Norwegian home. Read More...
Paris: Masson & Cie. 1902. First edition. Tall 4to. VIII-363-(1) pp., frontispiece, illustrations and technical graphs in and out of text (folding) and a large color foldout map, bound in original publisher's stamped wine-colored percaline, gilt stamped title to spine and front board. Frontispiece gravure photograph by Neurdein/Dujardin illustrating the Tour Eiffel in 1900, an etched portrait of Eiffel (after Marzocchi, by Wittman) ; two gravure photographs take from the Tour Eiffel (of Notre-Dame and the Panthéon). A very fine copy, inscribed by Eiffel to Mr Bonton, "en remerciement de [sa] visite à la belle usine de[s automobiles] Dion-Bonton le 5 mai 1902' ["with thanks for the visit to the beautiful factory of Dion-Bonton..."]. Read More...
Rare penciled note in the hand of the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He pioneered resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, a philosophy firmly founded upon total nonviolence, which helped India to gain independence, and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is often referred to as Mahatma Gandhi ("Great Soul"), an honorific first applied to him by Rabindranath Tagore, and in India he is also referred to as Bapu ("Father"). Read More...
A fine relic, a mahogany veneer letter box purportedly owned and used by Hamilton. The very attractive box measures apprx. 12" x 8", and 5" deep. It bears two brass hinges supporting the lid and a bone keyhole (locking mechanism and key not present), and an scrolled bottom. The inside of the lid bears an ornate card holder, with a small drawer fitted at the lower left. The box has been carefully refinished and waxed, and bears just the smallest sign of restoration of two tiny chips at rear bottom. On the bottom of the box is a carefully-penned note of provenance ca. 1890: "Private letter box of Alexander Hamilton Heirloom Belonging to Helene Hamilton de Rohan Lineal Descendent 'VIRIDIS ET FRUCTIFERA". Worthy of genealogical research, a fine relic. Read More...
223.
[History & Culture]
[Kennedy, John F. (1917–1963)]. Golf Score Card and Original Photographs of the President golfing
From the Estate of Gen. Chester V. (Ted) Clifton, Jr., military aide to Presidents Kennedy & Johnson, a group of 32 chromogenic photographs (7 x 5 inches) of the President arriving by helicopter and golfing in Hyannisport with Clifton and others, as well as photographs of the secret service, press pool etc. With a filled-in Hyannisport Club scorecard, completed in an unidentified hand, listing Clifton as one of the players. Some of the images stamped on the verso "US Army Photographic Agency" or "Cecil W. Stoughton - Office of the Military Aide to the President." Several of the photos starting to warp & crease, overall fine.