A small collection of interesting autograph letters in English from the first wife of the important Austrian novelist and biographer who was one of the most important writers in German in the inter-war period. One letter is addressed to a literary agent and written on the Zweigs' Salzburg letterhead, dated September 20, 1935. Four further letters, from 1944-1953, were written in New York after Friderike Zweig's emigration and are addressed to Shea Tennenbaum [also spelled Tenenbaum], a Yiddish writer and journalist who was evidently an admirer of Stefan Zweig's work. Also included is a newspaper clipping from the New York Post reporting on Zweig's suicide in 1942 and interviewing Friderike Zweig: "though she was overcome by grief she was not surprised by the news that he and his second wife had ended their lives yesterday." Read More...
Autograph letter from the Austrian writer who became one of the most highly regarded men of letters writing in German between the wars. Writing affectionately to the older German lyric poet and literary critic Carl Busse, Zweig sends tongue-in-cheek greetings to two friends, Lichtenstein (possibly expressionist writer Alfred Lichtenstein, killed in World War I) and Lilien (probably Jewish Art Nouveau artist Ephraim Moses Lilien) and copies the text of a poem in French, "Question," by Theophile Gautier, to be translated into German by Busse. He notes: "It is not only beautiful, but also profound: translate it freely, just make sure the last strophe keeps all its power." Ending the letter humorously, he writes, "Forgive me for not writing more, but I'm extremely lazy and just send you warm regards." He signs, "Stefan." Read More...
Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran, & Co.. 1928. First. Biography of the film mogul and founder of Paramount Pictures, Adolph Zukor, signed and inscribed by Zukor to Maurice Chevalier on a presentation leaf tipped to the half title. The biography gave its title to the 1931 compilation film made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Paramount. 293 pp. Blue cloth. Light edge wear, rear board slightly dented with a small tear to the final endpaper; otherwise overall in fine condition. Read More...
Evocative original photograph of the great violinist holding his instrument and bow, photographed ca. 1913 and signed at the lower left by the San Francisco photographer, Bianca Conti, an associate of Arnold Genthe. Affixed to a rigid mount (likely by the photographer), small nicks to edges and small hole to the lower right corner, mounting remnants on the verso. 7.95 x 9.75 inches.Carl Flesch called Ysaye "the most outstanding and individual violinist I have ever heard in my life," and he was the dedicatee of many major works from Debussy, Saint-Saens, Franck, Chausson and others.
AMQS from the great fiddler, boldly penned on a card and signed "Souvenir d'E. Ysaye / Geneve 25 Mars / 1907."
Carl Flesch called him "the most outstanding and individual violinist I have ever heard in my life," and he was the dedicatee of many major works from Debussy, Saint-Saens, Franck, Chausson and others.
A charming vintage colored lithograph caricature postcard of the great violinist, shown looking rather dumpy with coiled strings popping out of his instrument. The drawing by Josef Carl, printed in Austria, ca. 1905. Light mounting remnants on the verso; otherwise in fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.9 x 13.9 cm).
[Paris]: Editions Gallimard. 1974. The first volume of the important French novelist and essayist's three-part memoir Le Labyrinthe du monde, signed and inscribed on the front endpaper to Nancie Monteux [Barendse], daughter of Pierre Monteux and director of the Pierre Monteux School after his death. Yourcenar writes (translated from the French): "To Nancie Monteux, / this world of the end of the nineteenth century, where music played such a different role than it does for us." She signs boldly and dates August 11, 1979. Softcover with original dust jacket; one tear to the spine of the jacket, but overall in very good condition. 302 pp. 5.5 x 8 inches (14 x 20.5 cm). From the estate of Nancie Monteux Barendse. Read More...
Original signed photograph of the important cellist, a favorite of Brahms as a young prodigy and later the first musical director of the Berkshire Festival of Chamber Music. Shown with his instrument, Willeke has inscribed the photograph at the head to Siegfried Kahn and dated 1922. Photographed by Mishkin of New York. Slightly irregularly trimmed, overall in fine condition. 5.5 x 7.5 inches (13.9 x 19.1 cm). Read More...
Original doubleweight photograph of the celebrated American blues and jazz vocalist and actress, signed and inscribed in black ink. 8 x 10 inches. Tape remnant along the left edge, else in fine condition. A gorgeous image. Read More...
Exhibition poster signed by both artists, from the exhibition at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, September/October 1985. Color printed poster depicting Warhol and Basquiat wearing boxing gloves after the photo by Michael Halsband, signed in black by each artist above their portrait. 19 x 12 inches (49 x 31 cm). Folds, a few ink smudges likely from original signing. Nicely and archivally framed in red and yellow. Read More...
Original 8 x 10 photograph of the great conductor, inscribed to the impresario and Columbia Artists manager André Mertens "in friendship," signed, and dated New York, April 1960. Walter is shown studying a score with his baton in his hands, in a dramatically-lit image. In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.7 x 25.4 cm). Read More...
An autograph note from the great conductor to the impresario and Columbia Artists manager André Mertens, thanking him for his telegram on Walter's 85th birthday. Translated from the German: "Dear Mr. Mertens, I'm sorry that I am so late in thanking you for your telegram of kind thoughts on my 85th birthday. But countless congratulations are still lying unanswered on my desk. I send you all my good wishes for your health and all the best. Yours, Bruno Walter." He dates: Beverly Hills, October 14, 1961. In blue ink on a small white card, in very fine condition. 5.75 x 5 inches (14.5 x 12.4 cm). Read More...
A small collection of autograph signatures from six great Austrian and German conductors of the Wagnerian repertoire in the early twentieth century. Included are an autograph signature and a signed picture, dated July and August 1930, from Ernst Knoch; two signatures from Walter Damrosch, one clipped from a letter and the other on an envelope; and signatures from Felix Mottl (dated November 7, 1901), Artur Bodansky (dated March 1932), Frederick A. Stocky (dated December 9, 1936), and Fritz Stiedry (dated 1941), each on a small card. A few with light creasing and toning; overall in fine condition. Sizes ca. 4 x 1 inches to 5 x 3 inches.
Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel. [1860]. First Edition. Tristan und Isolde. Vollständiger Klavierauszug von Hans von Bülow. 2° (330 x 260 mm). Engraved throughout. [PN] 9942. Without the cast and index leaf after title as in some copies, title repaired and strengthened along margins, some leaves with repairs mostly to corners, occasional some spotting and soiling. Modern half morocco, matching blue marbled paper over boards. Provenance: Anton Seidl (1850-1898), Hungarian conductor, a protégé of Richard Wagner and participant in the first Bayreuth Festival, conductor of the New York Philharmonic (presentation inscription by Wagner, slightly trimmed). A historic example of the score. Read More...
Charming autograph letter from the important nineteenth-century singer to a female friend and pianist, organizing an evening of chamber music and reporting an amusing mistake made by her maid. Dated Thursday, March 29. Translated from the French: "Dear young friend, Will you be so kind as to bring the (simple) quartet version of the Bach Concerto? I cannot find my orchestra parts any more. Don't be late -- I have had a nice Pleyel brought for you. We will play in the Galerie -- it will be charming. [...] We'll begin with the beautiful Schumann string quartet. Can you imagine, my new maid, who brought your answer yesterday evening, said [...] that you would come this evening, but that you were too tired to play... Pantomime!!!! Isn't that lovely?" 3 pp. on a small bifolium with Viardot's monogram. In fine condition. 6 x 4 inches (15.4 x 10 cm). Read More...
Signed postcard photograph of the great prodigy violinist who toured with Bartok and who was later the dedicatee of the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Vecsey has signed across his image and dated Buenos Aires, 1913. On the verso, the postcard is addressed to the Argentinian collector Ramona Imaz Otaño, with the original stamp and postmark. Light wear to the edges; overall in fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.5 x 13.5 cm).
Striking 8 x 10 inch photograph, signed later in life in bold black ink by the English dancer/choreographer. Tudor is shown reviewing a document, seated and wearing a suit, with the reflection of two ballerinas seen in the mirror behind him. In fine condition.
Original invitation to a 1956 RCA dinner honoring David Sarnoff, hand-addressed to the great Italian conductor. Together with a telegram dated September 13, 1956 from Toscanini to Sarnoff, sending his regrets and best wishes. "Am deeply sorry that I cannot be with all the other people... but you know that with all my heart I will be near you and I wish you many more years of activity in that industry which you have practically created and brought into splendid blossom." Read More...
Large original photograph of the great Maestro. Signed and inscribed on the lower mount and dated 1928. Signed additionally on the mount by the photograph, R. Paganini of Milano. Scratch to the photograph at right, mount toned, else fine. 14 x 10 inches (26 x 26 cm).