A beautiful and finely wrought costume diadem, owned and worn in performances by the great 19th century actress. Gilted metal, imitation pearls and stones. Deaccessioned from the museum at Bernhardt's former residence, the collection of the Musée de la Citadelle Vauban, Belle-Île-en-Mer, France. An extraordinary item from perhaps the most famous actress the world has ever known. Read More...
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Engraved Diploma to Bernhardt from the French Republic, presenting her with high honor of the "Médaille de la Reconnaissance Française." Paris. 18 January, 1920. Large printed document with autograph sections and an engraved vignette by Ch. Coppier. 53 x 33 cm. Mounted to rigid backing, areas of toning and staining not detracting from this visually striking and historic diploma. Deaccessioned from the museum at Bernhardt's former residence, the collection of the Musée de la Citadelle Vauban, Belle-Île-en-Mer, France. Read More...
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Original unsigned three-page handwritten article in French, in pencil, entitled “Au Canada,” and numbered “123.” Article mentions Calgary, Vancouver, and Saskatchewan, probably referring to her American tour in the late 1880s and in particular her performance in Calgary on January 14 and 15, 1913. Article reads, in part: “I just crossed part of Canada from Winnipeg to Victoria going through Edmonton and Calgary. My God what an interesting country. I can see why people come in drove to to pitch a tent… I can see why one would come from Europe specially to make a wonderful and unforgettable trip and cross the Rocky mountains from Calgary to Vancouver. The diversity of nature cannot be described, we would leave Edmonton in 30 degree centigrade weather and would come back to Vancouver in 10 degree weather…It seemed like spring. Flowers everywhere, charming houses along side the bay, very luxurious cars. Read More...
Large original photograph, boldly signed in fountain pen and inscribed "A la Charmante Madame - . Souvenir plein de tendresse. Sarah Bernhardt, 1906." 8.5 x 11 inches overall. Lower right corner chipped,a few small stains not affecting and otherwise in fine condition. Uncommon, this size.
Remarkable relic, a sealed envelope dated 1886 in period ink containing a clipping of Sarah Bernhardt's hair. From an archive of letters from the period, we have no reason to question the apparent contents of this envelope!
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Fine original Freitas of Buenos Aires cabinet photograph, boldly signed in fountain pen and inscribed to the photographer, with thanks "pour vos tres adorables photographes, Sarah Bernhardt 1905." 11 x 17 cm, mounting traces on verso, some minor blemishes on the image and otherwise in fine condition.
Original unused postcard advertising "Cristal Mont-Pilat" mineral water and featuring four wonderful caricatures of Bernhardt, Mérode, Otéro and one other. 9 x 14 cm.
Sunday, 3 May, 1894. Original program from the celebrated French music hall, which featured on this day not only the Spanish born dancer, actress and courtesan, Carolina "La Belle" Otéro, but also the first gloved heavyweight boxing champion of the world who had beaten John L. Sullivan two years prior to this appearance. In the present program, he is advertised as "Champion du Monde" and performs an exhibition of his training, followed by three rounds of boxing with the "Professeur Américain John Donalson." The program with a few creases and tape strip along left outer margin, otherwise well-preserved, with a bright original gilt and color cover illustration by Gesmar "Misti" Péan. Read More...
Rare signed photograph of the first gloved heavyweight boxing champion of the world, 1892–1897, who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. Knockout oversize (approx. 10 x 13 inch) portrait of Corbett and Billy B. Van, prominent entertainer in the early decades of the 1900s who was a star, progressively, in minstrel shows, vaudeville, burlesque, the New York stage, and movies. Corbett and Van appeared together in a sketch called "Spirited Travesty" in 1922 as part of a variety show and together they toured the US and Europe. Read More...
Original postcard photograph, ca. 1910, of a woman mounted on another's back, dancing the "Pan-Pan." According to a contemporary note penned beneath the image on the album mount, this was a "danse obscéne" danced in the cabarets of Montmartre. 9 x 14 cm and in fine condition. Highly unusual.
Highly interesting collection of letters and cards spanning 42 years from the notorious demimondaine, the celebrated beautiful dancer who left the world of ballet for the Folies Bergère, was mistress to King Léopold II and was painted and celebrated by Lautrec, Muller and Klimt. Five autograph letters and two postcards addressed to the New York interior decorator and socialite Anna della Winslow, an intimate of actresses and opera singers worldwide who was a mentor (and landlord!) to Gypsy Rose Lee, among others. 6 of the letters together with their original transmissal envelopes, three of which signed additionally. The letters with various types of content, from the casual to the more personal to the final letter, looking back vividly on the "Belle Époque" itself. In French, as follows: Read More...
Visually striking single-sheet large program of March, 1891. Printed on surprisingly sturdy Chinese paper, the border with colorful woodblock scenes of Chinese life and entertainments. Inset mounted photograph of "Mlle. Noraly" within a printed laurel border, the program including her performance and "Une Noce a la Cour des Miracles" with narration and orchestra, the ballet "Pierrot Surpris," a "Pantomime Américian," and a ballet in 2 Acts, "La Tentation de Saint-Antoine." With a number of creases, but overall astonishingly well-preserved, bright, without tears or significant stains. Read More...
Original program from a performance of the famous shadow plays at the influential 19th-century cabaret in the bohemian Montmartre district of Paris. The performance included: Le Sphinx ("Épopée lyrique en 16 tableaux"), the shadows and drawings by Amédée Vignola, the poem and music by the poem and music by Georges Fragerolle; Plaisir d'Amour ("Idylle contemporaine en 2 tableaux"), by Georges Delaw. Read More...
Program of 24 February, 1893. 4 pp. The cover featuring a spectacular color lithograph after Bac (Ferdinand Sigismond Bach) of the modern dance and theatrical lighting pioneer who was the embodiment of the Art Nouveau movement. The performance feature inside advertised in largest type is "Loie Fuller / Créatrice de la Dance serpentine" who performed not only her celebrated Serpetine dance with scarves, but also "La Violette" and the intriguingly titled "XXXX." Though the listed "Kangarou Boxeur" (please see related item) was undoubtedly a hard act to follow, we are sure Fuller was up to it! Tape remnants along edges, else fine, the colors extremely vivid and well preserved. 15.5 x 24 cm. Read More...
2 pp (side by side), in English. Paris, January 23, 1907. In full: "My dear Mr. Jaubert, How much I thank you for the beautiful spirit that must have been in your soul, when you wrote that divine poem. And I will be happy when you care to come and see the dances. - At present I am ill in bed, but I hope to begin again soon and then I shall send you my loge with the greatest pleasure. Very Sincerely yours, Loie Fuller." In very fine condition.
Striking handcolored postcard photograph of Fuller in her most famous type of dance, her billowing dress whirling in motion and color about her. In fine condition, postally cancelled 1905, addressed on the verso and signed by the sender in the upper left of the image side. 8.8 x 13.6 cm.
Original printed undated program "Tanagra" produced "by her for one month at the palace of the King of Italy in Rome under the patronage of his majesty," with "lights, dancers, costumes, accessories and elaborate effects furnished by Miss Fuller." 9 x 14 cm, small tear from left, otherwise fine. Read More...
Very rare signed original cabinet card photograph by Langfier of Glasgow of Fuller in her most famous type of dance, her billowing dress whirling in motion about her. She has signed boldly in dark ink "Loie Fuller." Mounting remnants on verso, else very fine and one of very few signed images we have seen of this dance legend.