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).
Cover page from a program for a performance with the Spanish National Orchestra in April of 1959, signed to verso by the Dutch pianist and Spanish conductor. In fine condition. 6 x 8 inches (15.2 x 20.3 cm.).
New York: The Sackett & Willhelms Corporation. 1917. Souvenir program for a 1917 performance of Oscar Asche and Frederic Norton's 1916 musical comedy Chu Chin Chow. The program, which features striking gold-tinted and relief-printed illustrations on the front and back cover, includes several lushly printed full-color costume renderings by costume designer Percy Anderson, and a lengthy synopsis of the show. 32 pp. Middle sheet present but separated, else in fine condition. 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm.). Read More...
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press. 1969. First. The 1969 1st paperback edition, limited to only 750 copies. Light staining and soiling around the light-tan wrapper edges, small nick/bend to lower right edge which extends from front cover about halfway through the block, but internally very clean and overall an excellent, solid copy overall. 25 illustrations by the painter Alex Katz complementing John Ashbery's verse. This copy with the ownership signature to the ffe of the important American poet Frank Bidart, who received the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, the Griffin Poetry Prize Lifetime Recognition Award, and the 2017 National Book Award for Poetry for his book Half-light: Collected Poems 1965–2016.Read More...
Early recital program from a Sunday, October 17, 1965 performance at Symphony Hall in Boston. The Russian pianist has signed to the top of the program listing, which included works by Bach, Schumann, Ravel, and Scriabin. 8 pp. Very fine. 6 x 9 inches (15.2 x 22.9 cm).
Early signed photograph of the great pianist, ca. 1965, who has inscribed "To Paul / V. Ashkenazy" in black ink to the upper left. S. Hurok Presents stamp to verso. In very fine condition. 7.25 x 9.5 inches (18.4 x 24.1 cm.). Read More...
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 American dancer movie stars mid-dance in the 1951 musical comedy film Royal Wedding. Powell and Astaire have both signed to the lower portion of the image. In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
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).
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.
Glossy photograph still from the 1934 Hollywood film The Gay Divorcee,signed and inscribed in blue and black felt tip ink by co-stars Fred Astaire and Erik Rhodes to "Dana." Very fine. 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.3 cm.). Read More...
Glossy photograph of Astaire and Rogers on a ballroom dance floor in Swing Time, signed in brown felt tip by Fred Astaire and in black felt tip by Ginger Rogers. Unexamined out of frame, possibly laid down to backing, but in apparently fine condition. 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.3 cm.), framed to 13.5 x 11 inches (34.3 x 27.9 cm.) overall. Read More...
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!
4313. Astruc, Gabriel. (1864 - 1938). Important Typed Letter, defending the "French-ness" of the Théatre des Champs Elysées
A highly intersting letter from the influential French playwright, journalist, theatre director and impresario, who supervised many important Ballets Russes programs, including the premiere of "Le Sacre du Printemps." 8.5 x 10.5 inches (20.7 x 25.9 cm.). Read More...
Lively signed postcard photograph of the Trinidad-born English pianist who was wildly popular with her boogie woogie and ragtime hits. 10 x 15 cm. A few dings, overall fine.
Original carte de visite photograph of the important French opera composer, photographed later in life by E. Desmaisons, Paris. On the photographer's mount with stamp at the lower left. In fine condition. 2.5 x 4 inches (6.3 x 10.5 cm).
A rare circular tobacco box, [Germany?], ca. 1830, the cover depicting a scene identified at the illustration base as "Die Stume von Portici 3e Act 3e Scène," which 8.4 diameter, 2.2 cm high. La muette de Portici is an opera in five acts by Daniel Auber, with a libretto by Germain Delavigne, revised by Eugène Scribe. The work has an important place in musical history, as it is generally regarded as the earliest French grand opera. La muette was revived in Paris immediately after the French July Revolution of 1830. Later, at a performance of this opera at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels on 25 August 1830, a riot broke out during the patriotic and revolutionary duet "Amour sacré de la patrie" that became the signal for the Belgian Revolution, which led to Belgian independence. Richard Wagner remarked, in his 1871 Reminiscences of Auber, that the opera "whose very representation had brought [revolutions] about, was recognized as an obvious precursor of the July Revolution, and seldom has an artistic product stood in closer connection with a world-event." The scene depicted on the present item is the Finale of Act 3, in which Alphonse’s body-guard Selva tries to rearrest Fenella and Masaniello succeeds in getting the townspeople to revolt in order to stop him and free his sister.
A scarce AMQS from the important violinist and influential pedagogue, teacher of Elman, Heifetz, Milstein, Zimbalist, Parlow, Schumsky and many others. Auer has penned the first three measures of his Romance in F major for violin and piano (op. 4), which was recorded a few years later by the young Heifetz in 1911. Signed and inscribed to the British violinist and composer "Miss Eva Spalding" (1882 - 1969), and dated London, July 8, 1908. On a small calendar leaf dated May 29. Top edge folded under; tape remnant at the left edge and on the verso, otherwise in very good condition. 5 x 2.5 inches (12.9 x 6.1 cm). Read More...
A very rare early signed carte de visite photograph of the important violinist, dating from 1861, when the sixteen-year-old Auer was beginning his studies with Joseph Joachim. He has signed and inscribed on the verso to Linna Sternberg (a relative of Belgian violinist Hermann Sternberg) and dated Brussels, March 13, 1861. 6.3 x 9.4 cm. Small loss to lower right corner, a few small surface losses to verso, one just touching the first letter of the inscription, else fine. Undoubtedly one of, if not THE, earliest signed photograph of the violinist. Read More...
London: [c. 1780, based on publisher addresses]. Three 18th century publications of or related to the popular Scots ballad written by the poet Lady Anne Lindsay in 1772. Three folio pieces bound together, as follows: Read More...