Signed program from a February 5, 1955 all-Beethoven recital of the masterful pianist at Hunter College in New York. Backhaus has signed boldly over the program listing. Together with a promotional flyer advertising the concert. Paper clip mark; overall in fine condition. 7 x 10 inches (17.7 x 25.4 cm).
Signed program from a June 22, 1960 all-Beethoven recital by the important German pianist as part of the Wiener Festwochen. Backhaus has signed on the cover. 2 pp. Very light wear to the cover, but overall in fine condition, 6 x 8.25 inches (15 x 21 cm).
"Bacon: Galerie Maeght" color exhibition lithograph poster, depicting the artist's "Personnage Couche, " signed in sharpie ink lower right "Francis Bacon." Copyright Maeght Editeur, Arte Paris l.l., printed 1966. Unframed. 27 3/4" x 17 7/8" (66 x 45 cm). In fine condition.
An extraordinary and rare original photograph taken by the British artist known for his emotionally charged imagery, fixation on personal motifs, and experimentation. Dye diffusion transfer print, taken ca. 1975 by Francis Bacon at the celebrated Parisian bookstore Librairie Le Minotaure, the image depicts - in a slightly blurred and unsettling fashion reminiscent of Bacon's painted oeuvre - the store's owner Roger Cornaille engaging with a Frankenstein hand puppet. The location and photographer are identified by the subject himself, a friend of the artist, in a handwritten caption on the verso: "Au Minotaure / vu par Francis Bacon!" The photograph is identified with the code on the verso "G511232," possibly establishing the date of film manufacture as July (G), [197]5 according to the dating of Polaroid's 7-digit codes. Some surface wear; overall very good. 4.25 x 3.5 inches (10.9 x 8.5 cm). From the Collection of Denis Cholet, author of "Le Minotaure: souvenirs d'une librairie de Paris, 1948 - 1987." Archivally framed to an overall size of 11 x 14 inches. Read More...
Millbank, London: Tate Gallery Publications. 1985. Booklet "published to accompany the Francis Bacon exhibition held at the Tate Gallery 22 May—18 August 1985," signed and inscribed on the half-title page in blue ballpoint, "To Carl Barton/ with all best wishes/ Francis Bacon." The front cover features the artist's "Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion" (1944). Softcover, 32 pp. 8.25 x 5.75 inches (21 x 14.5 cm). In fine condition.
Signed photograph of the Supreme Court justice taking the oath of office on August 10, 1993. President Bill Clinton is seen standing behind the justice. Bader Ginsburg has signed at the head. 6 x 4 glossy photo print with some marks to the surface, upper left corner trimmed, overall fine. 15 x 10.2 cm.
Lengthy inscription and bold signature from the elegant Viennese pianist on the verso of the LP cover to his 1960 Schubert Impromtus recording. Dated May, 1964, he inscribes "To George --, one of the rare 'Schubert birds, in common admiration for this genius. Paul Badura Skoda." Fine.
Signed program from a January 7, 1959 piano-four-hands recital by the two Austrian pianists at Carnegie Hall. Both have signed boldly over the first page of the program listing, which included works by Mozart, Hindemith and Schubert. Demus' signature slightly smudged, but otherwise in very fine condition, together with a promotional flyer and two newspaper clippings about the concert. Program 23 pp., 7.25 x 9.75 inches (18.5 x 25 cm).
Carte de visite photograph of a Scottish piper, shown draped in his plaid. Photographed by J. Dryburgh of Dalkeith, Scotland. Rather heavily soiled; overall very good. 2.5 x 4 inches (6.3 x 10.4 cm).
Cabinet photograph, ca. 1910's, of Alistair MacWilkie, a Scotsman with an "eleven foot beard," signed and inscribed by MacWilkie in pencil on the verso: "World's Prize Whiskers / Yours truly Alistair MacWilkie, Perthshire, Scotland." Photographed by Frank Wendt of Boonton, N.J., MacWilkie is shown in his kilt, holding bagpipes and with his beard falling to the ground in front of him. Heavy vertical folding crease, with card split on the verso along the fold but intact on the surface of the photograph. Overall good. 4 x 6.5 inches (10.5 x 16.4 cm). Read More...
Madrid: Joachin Ibarra. 1775. First edition. 4to. [iv] 291 pp, lacking the folding plate of the keyboard, scattered foxing, but otherwise very good. Full leather binding, gilt stamped, title plate to spine partially cracked. Palau (21923) notes: "Es traduccion de la obra de Antonio Bemetzrieder y esta muy bien impresa" and the work is indeed beautifully printed, with musical examples throughout and including a charming engraving at the head of the first lesson, featuring three putti playing around a harpsichord. An interesting and unusual keyboard treatise written by a modestly important Spanish mathematician and architect.
Two signed photographs from the concert pianist, later the wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and an important philanthropist in the field of music. She is shown ca. 1920's and has inscribed one photograph to tenor Lawrence Strauss, dating London, July 11, 1928, and the other photograph to "my beloved Sally & Laurie," dating March 15, 1929. First photograph stamped on the verso by photographer Lenare of London, with some surface wear and corner creases, overall very good; second photograph fine. 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm).
Signed photograph of the Russian-American conductor, violist, composer and educator, shown during his period as the Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He has signed and inscribed at the lower right in Spanish, dating 1949. In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.2 x 25.2 cm).
An interesting collection of material relating to the American jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and flugelhornist, known for his early promise, swift fall into drug addiction, and career resurgence in the 1970's and 80's. From the collection of Jim Butler, a dedicated Chet Baker collector who became a friend to Baker and his family, the archive includes a copy of the 1989 publication Chet Baker in Concert and a brief correspondence with its German editor, Ingo Wulff; part of a screen treatment by Chet's friend, actor and writer Tom Baker, about Chet's life; three Christmas cards from Carol Baker, Chet's widow; and various assorted magazine clippings. Overall in very good to fine condition. Read More...
Vintage 8 x 10 inch doubleweight original photograph of the great singer/dancer "in a happy good mood when she arrives at London airport" in 1959. Fine.
Baker was most noted as a singer, while in her early career she was a celebrated dancer. She was given the nicknames the "Black Venus" or the "Black Pearl", as well as the "Créole Goddess" in anglophone nations, while in France she has always been known in the old theatrical tradition as "La Baker."
Pair of vintage glossy 3.5 x 5.5 postcard photos of Baker in ‘La Creole,’ each signed in fountain pen, “Josephine Baker, 1936.” Both are individually mounted and matted to overall sizes of 14 x 17. In overall fine condition. Read More...
Original evening gown and matching full-length cape in a bright red, orange, and yellow print, worn by the legendary entertainer to the Cannes Film Festival in 1973. Accompanied by two reproduction photographs showing La Baker in the eye-catching ensemble, together with a signed photographic letter of provenance from Lelia Scoto Abatino, niece of Pepito Abatino, Baker's original manager. Read More...
Paris: [Editions Isis]. 1931. 60 pp. promotional brochure, by her long-time manager and lover, celebrating the art of Josephine Baker during her years in Paris, including scores of excerpts and entire reviews of her art by a wide variety of cultural figures writing in myriad venues, an introductory text by Abatino (Josephine Baker vue par son Manager), a list by Baker (Josephine Baker vue par elle-même), profusely illustrated throughout after both photographs and drawings, including some full-page portraits. Sm. 4to. Orig. illustrated silver-foil wrapper, heavily worn, creased and chipped, attached at spine by only a small area else fully separated. An unnumbered copy aside from the deluxe issue of 50 copies with the same silver-foil presentation, separate from the edition with a paper wrapper, only one similar copy recorded in the US by Worldcat. Read More...
Signed postcard photograph of the legendary dancer and singer, who is shown in one of her trademark extravagant feathered costumes, and has signed across the image: "Souvenir de Josephine Baker / 1932." Fine. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.9 x 14 cm).
Autograph letter from the Russian painter and scene and costume designer, known for his extensive work for the Ballets Russes. 1 p. June 21, 1915. To architect and art critic Frantz Jourdain (1847–1935), Bakst writes (translated from the French): "Dear maître, I am very touched by your kind letter and thank you sincerely. I will act according to your advice. Until then, please believe my devoted and cordial sentiments. Leon Bakst." In very fine condition. 4.5 x 7 inches (11.3 x 17.3 cm).