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).
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."
Grenoble: B. Arthaud,. 1935. Softcover color illustrated wraps; 118 pp., plus 8 plates. Signed and inscribed in ink on the half title by Rivolet "A Madame Marcelle, l'amie, l'aide et le conseil des jours de toutes les couleurs..." and signed additionally by Josephine Baker herself. Wrappers heavily worn, spine half torn, edge reinforced with tape, separated from the block; stain to upper right corner which continues to decreasing degree through about page 8 but is also visible throughout on the upper fore-edge. A troubled copy but nevertheless uncommon when signed by the legendary dancer, singer, and actress.
A stunning original serigraph poster designed by William McCaffery presenting a special One-Night-Only Tribute to Josephine Baker at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center on November 7th, 1976. The show celebrated the legendary entertainer little more than a year after her death on April 12, 1975, and featured performances by a star-studded cast including the Alvin Ailey Company, Muhammad Ali, Jacques d'Amboise, Ingrid Bergman, Myrna Loy, Jeanne Moreau and others. The poster is printed in black and copper ink, presenting Baker with a decorative winged background, a reference to her many extravagant feathered showgirl costumes. A few tears along the edges, else fine. Measures 24 x 36 inches (60.9 x 91.4 centimeters). Read More...
Large format signed photograph of the American-born French entertainer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist who became a symbol of the decadent Jazz Age and played a leading role in the advancement of African Americans in the arts. A luminous image of the entertainer with her hands and arms artfully placed across her bare body, vintage glossy 6.5 x 8.5 photo by Studio Piaz of Paris, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, "A Monsieur Emile Dretinier, en souvenir de Josephine Baker, Paris, 1933.” In very good to fine condition, with trimmed edges, tack holes to the corners, light silvering, and mottled foxing. Baker's response to her own nudity: 'I wasn't really naked. I simply didn't have any clothes on.'
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).
Paris: Imprimerie Modern Style. P. Marmy. Oversize elaborate printed invitation to the 1911 Bal des Quat'z'Arts. The design by the French painter, illustrator and decorator H. Rapin, featuring a highly stylized illustration on Babylonian themes. 19 x 33 cm. Dampstained along the lower edge, left edge and upper margin chipped with a few small losses, else fine. Read More...
Grouping of three original ca. 1910 postcard photographs of ballet dancers in costume for various unidentified productions, issued in Florence, London, and Moscow. Minimal edge and corner wear, silvering to top half of one postcard, else fine. Approx.3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.8 x 13.5 cm.) each.
Original doubleweight Louis Peres photograph signed by the Canadian dancers and stamped by the photographer to verso. Light wear along edges and in corners, else fine. 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.3 cm.).
In the 1970's, Augustyn and Kain were principal dancers for the National Ballet of Canada, where Kain continues to serve today as artistic director.
A striking sepia-toned photo of Ballet Español Ximénez-Vargas, signed by all six members, including Roberto Ximénez and Manolo Vargas, the Flamenco dancers who founded the ensemble in 1955. A number of small creases and surface creases, particularly along the lower edge, otherwise fine. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm)
Hand-colored glossy Rotary Foulsham & Banfield of London postcard photograph signed by the great Russian dancers who are shown in a striking back-to-back pose. Unrelated message written to verso, dated 22 August 1913. In fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.9 x 14 cm.). Read More...
Watercolor on paper, signed 'George Alan Swanson' lower right, titled and inscribed 'Igor Youskevitch / Lubov Rostova' upper left, signed 'George Alan Swanson', titled, and inscribed 'Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo / Lubov Rostova / Igor Youskevitch' upper left. 16 x 12 3/4 in. (sight), 22 1/2 x 18 in. (frame). Beautifully framed. Read More...
15586. [Ballets Russes]. Original 1936–37 American Season Program
Original souvenir program from the 4th American season (1936–37) of Col. W. de Basil's Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo, featuring a striking color cover illustration of a knight by Natalia Gontcharova. The contents include photographs of stars and conductors including Leonine Massine, Lubov Tchernicheva, David Lichine, Antal Dorati, Efrem Kurts, and others; an 8-page color section with costume and set designs by Gontcharova, Cecil Beaton, Picasso, Leon Bakst, Raoul Dufy, and others; and a final 3-page section showing the dancers on tour—building sandcastles and engaging in various other more frivolous forms of entertainment. 64 pp. Wrapper detached from the block; edge wear to the cover; internally fine and overall in very good condition. 9.75 x 12.25 inches (24.5 x 31 cm). Read More...
15588. [Ballets Russes]. Souvenir Serge De Diaghileff's BALLET RUSSE - Original 1916 Tour Program
Original 1916 souvenir program from the first American tour of the Ballet Russe, featuring a cover illustration of Nijinsky in Scheherezade by Robert Montenegro and many full-color costume designs and other illustrations by Leon Bakst and others. The contents also include a photographs of Nijinsky in Spectre de la Rose, Bakst's Nijinsky as Faun, Adolf Bolm, Flore Revalles, and groups of dancers in Scheherezade, Prince Igor, and L'Après-Midi d'un Faune; ballet descriptions, an itinerary, and advertisements. Pages are of thick ivory uncoated paper, cover is thick mottled grey paper, with embossed gold art and letters. This is the more desirable variant of this program in that it features the superb illustration of Nijinsky in Scheherezade by Robert Montenegro on the cover; the tour program is more commonly found with a different cover illustration. Wrappers unfortunately mostly detached, with some losses to the cover; internal block intact with decorative cord binding; overall in good condition. 36 pp. 9.25 x 12.25 inches (23.2 x 31.2 cm).
Three Leon Bakst Satin and Rayon Hooded Capes from "Papillons," ca. 1914. In fine condition, formerly property of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Read More...
Striking original vintage sepia toned gelatin photograph of the important dancer, ca. 1912. Stamped "ADOLPH BOLM / 'THAMAR' / SERGE de DIAGHILEFF'S BALLET RUSSE" on the verso in violet ink. Right edge trimmed irregularly, small loss to upper left corner, light spotting, else in fine condition. 5.2 x 8 inches [13.2 x 20.3 cm] Read More...
Bound collection of 6 concertinos for 4 violins, viola, cello, and basso continuo in score, copied from a manuscript at the Conservatoire de Paris, as prepared for and subsequently inscribed by Sergei Diaghilev. Long attributed to Italian Baroque composer Pergolesi, these pieces are a famous case of reattribution within the canon of classical music, having been identified in recent decades as the work of the Dutch composer and statesman Count Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer. Half a century before this musicological consensus had been established, Diaghilev wrote his opinion in an inscription on the cover of the present manuscript (translated as follows from the French): Read More...