New York: Allen, Towne & Heath, Inc.. 1947. First edition. Story of Louis Armstrong, inscribed by Armstrong on the front free endpage "To my life long Buddy Bill Davidson from Louis Armstrong." First edition in English, published in French, in Paris, in the same year. Hardcover, original blue cloth, title in gilt to spine, treble clef embossed to the upper board. Portrait frontispiece, 304 pp. Signed page heavily toned, half title with two small punched holes, spine rubbed with ends a bit frayed, somewhat shaken but solid. Read More...
Boston: Jean White. 1881. Method for the cornet and saxhorn, from the collection of Jack Bradley, personal photographer and close friend of Louis Armstrong. While we can't know if this method was used by Satchmo himself, the association is compelling. Volume shows signs of wear, with a few pencil markings on the first few pages of exercises. Shaken but tight binding; loose hinges; page discoloration and foxing; edge wear; bowing. 10 x 13 inches (25 x 32.5 cm). This edition is uncommon, with Worldcat listing no examples.
Interesting original press photograph of Satchmo being helped on with a baseball catcher's mask by his wife. Press caption on the verso, dated November 10, 1957, reads (translated from Spanish): "The trumpeter Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong is helped by his wife to put on a baseball mask before breaking through an enormous crowd of his fans in the Argentinian capitol." Some wrinkles, verso with soiling and stamps; overall very good. 7 x 8.75 inches (18.2 x 22.2 cm).
Original portrait sketch signed by the great jazz musician "Best wishes / Louis Armstrong" who adds also "A very good picture." Portrait drawn by well-known Danish autograph collector Carl Werner Skogholm, with the inscription to Armstrong on verso: "I know you are busy and I only shortly tell you: I admire you so much, still more after the concert yesterday, and I do hope you will kindly sign my sketch and return it to me. Yours truly, Carl Werner Skogholm." 5 × 8 inches (13 × 20 cm). Verso stamped with Skogholm's address, small loss to verso upper left corner, else in fine condition.
Original photograph of the great trumpeter, in the style of the distinctive "distorted" portrait photographs by Weegee. The original photograph showed Satchmo arriving at a Mexican airport; his recognizable smile has been stretched vertically as if to emphasize his legendary chops. Stamps and markings to the verso, with one stamp dated February 5, 1962. A few light edge nicks, else fine. 7.25 x 10 inches (18.7 x 25.8 cm). Read More...
London: Publisher unknown.. [c. 1780]. Engraved, each 1 p. trimmed and rebacked.. Two rare songs from the English composer, the most significant figure in 18th-century English theatre music. "Where the Bee Sucks" [from "The Tempest"]; "The Cuckow. Sung by Mrs. Jordan in As you like it." Read More...
Portfolio of ten black-and-white postcards displaying works of sculpture by Jean Arp, Aristide Maillol, Edgar Degas, Constantin Brancusi, Henri Laurens, Seymour Lipton, Alexandre Calder, Henry Moore, and Wilhelm Lehmbruck. Edited by Fernand Hazan, Paris, and distributed by Artext Prints, Connecticut. In a small folder with a further image of Jean Arp's Torse on the cover. Wear to the folder, but internally very fine. 4.5 x 6 inches (11 x 15 cm).
A signed photograph postcard of the Spanish child prodigy pianist, later to become a successful violinist. Arriola has signed across the right of his image as a rather sulky-looking teenage boy. Undated. In fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.7 x 13.8 cm). Read More...
An AMQS from the Spanish child prodigy pianist, later to become a successful violinist and the composer of several works for piano. On a postcard showing bullfighting in Madrid, Arriola has penned three measures, titled "Nocturno." Undated, ca. 1910-1920. The postcard is addressed on the verso to the Argentinian collector Ramona Imaz Otaño. In fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.7 x 13.8 cm). Read More...
An attractive original miniature collage of a bird, ca. 1850, executed in ink and feathers. The bird, carefully composed of real bird feathers, is shown perched on a miniature hill with trees. On a small sheet, mounted on a larger leaf. Slight rubbing and cracks; overall fine. 3.5 x 2.75 inches (9 x 7 cm), mounted to 8 x 7.5 inches (20.5 x 19.2 cm).
Group of 5 finely executed original pencil and watercolor drawings of birds, ca. 1850. The drawings, two in pencil and three in pencil with watercolors added, depict parrots and a pelican. Some light toning, but overall in fine condition. Two drawings ca. 5.5 x 7.5 inches (13.5 x 19 cm), three ca. 7 x 10.5 inches (18 x 27 cm).
Autograph postcard from the American painter, illustrator and sculptor. August 15, 1978. On a postcard of the illuminated castle in Heidelberg, he has penned: "Dear Steve, Not my work but I thought you might dig the picture. Happy days - Richard Artschwager." 5.75 x 4 inches (14.8 x 10.5 cm).
Signed program from the young pianist's Carnegie Hall debut on October 24, 1958. Ashkenazy has signed (in Cyrillic) over the first page of the program listing, which included Brahms' Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, as well as works by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev. In very fine condition, together with two newspaper clippings about the recital, a photocopied sheet of further press clippings, and a promotional flyer. The New York Times judged: "Mr. Ashkenazy is a young poet of the piano. He is no thunderer. He does not seek to overpower with speed or brilliance... And whatever music he undertakes he performs with individuality." Program 19 pp., 7.25 x 9.25 inches (18.5 x 24.8 cm).
Original press photograph of the great Russian pianist looking happy with his wife, Þórunn (Dody) Jóhannsdóttir. Original press caption reads: "25-year-old Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Russian concert pianist, has been granted permission to remain in Britain with his wife and baby son." The Ashkenazys left the USSR after many struggles with the authorities over permission to travel and remained in England for several years before moving to Iceland in 1968. In fine condition. 20.5 x 25 cm.
Signed photograph of the writer and scientist, who is shown holding his E. E. Smith Memorial Award for Imaginative Fiction (awarded to him in 1967) and has signed and inscribed over the center: "To Anita with hugs and kisses / Isaac Asimov." He has added a further note over his hand: "See my award!" Photographed by Jay K. Klein, with photographer's credit on the verso. Some light edge wear; overall fine. 8 x 10 inches (20.5 x 25.3 cm).
Vintage doubleweight photograph of the great dancer/singer/actor who is pictured in the legendary "Dancing on the Ceiling" number in "Royal Wedding." The photo is boldly hand signed by Astaire in green marker. 7 x 9.5 inches.
A superb signed doubleweight 8 x 10 inch black-and-white photograph of the legendary dancer in the role of Bake Baker in the 1936 film "Follow the Fleet," which included some of Irving Berlin's most popular tunes. Boldly signed in black ink.
Wonderful image of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in formal attire, boldly signed by both. The poster measures an impressive 40 x 28 inches and has been dry mounted to foam core board. The signature of Ginger Rogers measures 5.5 inches and the Fred Astaire signature measures 3.5 inches. Small tape damage and repair in the center just above one of the bows, some fold-lines from before the mounting, slight area of moisture damage to lower right corner, otherwise fine. Certainly the largest signed photograph of these two film and dance icons that we have ever encountered!
Original press photograph, ca. 1952, showing the great dancer and entertainer with one of the horses on his ranch. Press caption on the verso reads: "When Fred Astaire isn't in front of the cameras he can quickly be found at his Chatsworth ranch where the offspring of his famed horse Triplicate romp and roam..." One stain at the upper right; otherwise very fine. 8 x 10 inches (20 x 24.5 cm).