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LEHAR FRANZ: (1870-1948) Austrian Composer. Vintage signed and inscribed 5 x 7 photograph of Lehar in a head and shoulders formal pose. Signed and inscribed in bold black fountain pen ink, with a four lines carefully written inscription to a largely clear area at the base of the image, and dated in Brussels, 21st May 1935 in his hand. VG £100 - 150 €110 - 170
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HINDEMITH PAUL: (1895-1963) German Composer. Signed page, small 8vo, ‘Paul Hindemith’. Signed in bold black ink across the image on a page removed from an autograph album. To the verso bearing another autograph dated in 1954. Right edge very slightly trimmed and very small overall foxing stains. G £60 - 90 €70 - 100
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CHERUBINI LUIGI: (1760-1842) Italian Composer. An excellent A.M.Q.S., ‘Recit et Cavatina - Cherubini’, twenty thick pages full scores in Cherubini’s hand, oblong 4to, [1789]. A musical composition for solo voice and orchestra Non So Piu Dove Io Sia, which was composed in Paris and dedicated to Rosa Balletti, at that time star of the Bouffes theatre company. The score pages contain 10 lines per page, and include few corrections, written tempos, written texts for solo voice, and the musical quotes for two flutes, oboe, horn, two violins, bassoon and bass. Right and bottom edges slightly trimmed, otherwise about VG £2000 - 3000 €2300 - 3400
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PAGANINI NICCOLO: (1782-1840) Italian Violinist and Composer. Rare D.S., Nicolo Paganini, being a signed receipt, Paris, 11th July 1838. The partially printed document, completed in another hand, in French, acknowledges the receipt of 3000 Fr from P. Dufour. With several ink strokes, serving as cancelations, partially running through the text and signature, Paganini’s signature remaining legible at the foot. Also bearing several annotations and cancellation to the verso. Some light overall age wear and two small, minor holes to the left and right edges. About VG £800 - 1200 €900 - 1400
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BELLINI VINCENZO: (1801-1835) Italian Composer. A leading figure of Bel Canto and a very influential and admired figure by other composers. Bellini died at the very early age of 33. An extremely rare Autograph Musical Quotation by Bellini, six pages, oblong 13 x 9 musical score. Bellini has penned over seventy bars, with multiple annotations, corrections, tempos, erasures, amendments and lengthy voice texts in Italian. The composer’s manuscript draft score corresponds to his opera Il Pirata (1827), second act, with text in his hand ‘Tu ve-drai la sventurata che di pianto ogget-to io re-si le di-rai che s’io l’offe-si pur la seppi… Forse un di con me placate, alze-ra per me preghiera, e verra pietosa será. Sul mio sasso a la-gri-mar sul mio sas-so… Ah non fia sempre odia-ta la mia memoria io spero se fui spietato e fie-ro fui sven-tu-ra-to ancor. E parlera la tomba..’ Several words are different to the definitive libretto published. At the base of the third page bearing a written and signed contemporary annotation in Italian, stating ‘Original of Sign. Vincenzo Bellini, from Pirata, Col sorriso d’innocenza’ signed by his brother Carmelo Bellini. An exceptional historical musical quotation. Overall age wear, small creasing and extremely small holes not affecting the musical notes and texts, with one corner page with small professional repair, otherwise G £5000 - 8000 €5600 - 9000
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ROSSINI GIOACHINO: (1792-1868) Italian Composer. A rare and excellent D.S., ‘Gioachino Rossini’, two pages, 4to, Paris, 15th March 1866, in Italian. The partially printed document being the official application form presented to register the copyright of one of his operas Mose in Milan, Italy. The document states in part ‘Gioachino Rossini intending to formally reserve the rights due to the author, according to the law from 25th June 1865, presents the opera with grand score for orchestra..’ Rossini signs beneath the opera title ‘Mose’, and the date of the premiere 1827. Bearing an official taxation stamp to the upper front corner and an ink stamp of the Italian ministry to the verso. VG £1200 - 1500 €1400 - 1700
Moses and Pharaoh (1827) is a four acts opera by Rossini premiered in Paris. Also called The Crossing of the Red Sea. Moses and Pharaoh is the revised version of Mose in Egitto (1818) a three acts opera premiered in Naples. Moses and Pharaoh is often considered, and also by Rossini himself, his most important opera.
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VERDI GIUSEPPE: (1813-1901) Italian Composer. A.L.S., G. Verdi, with flourish, one page, to a 4.5 x 3.5 card, Genoa, 10th December 1858, to Monsieur Lemoine, music editor, in French. Verdi writes a brief letter to his friend, stating in part ‘I have received the four fascicoli from the musical Pantheon and I thank you for your kindness and for the pleasant words you have addressed to me..’ EX £800 - 1200 €900 - 1400
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VERDI GIUSEPPE: (1813-1901) Italian Composer. A.L.S., G. Verdi, one page, 8vo, Santa Agata, 14th October 1877, to [Giovanni] Maloberti, in Italian. Verdi writes a brief letter to his friend, stating ‘Here you have 120 Lire for the whole year 1878. Do not send me neither the Chinese vases nor the other one’. With blank integral leaf. Some very light, extremely minor foxing, VG £800 - 1200 €900 - 1400
Giovanni Maloberti (1799-1880) Italian Violinist and the Philharmonic concertmaster in Piacenza, a close friend of Verdi for more than fifty years. When Maloberti retired from playing music he became an antique dealer and, in Verdi, he found the ideal customer. The composer was, as the present letter suggests, a passionate antique collector and filled his homes with antique furniture, paintings and objet d’art.
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LEONCAVALLO RUGGIERO: (1857-1919) Italian Composer. A.L.S., Leoncavallo, one page, 8vo, Paris, 22nd July, n.y. [1915], on the printed stationery of the Hotel Majestic in Paris, to Marthe Chenal, in French. Leoncavallo states in part ‘The copyist has brought me now the musical piece. Only the musical adaptation of the other two verses is pending, which I will send to you tomorrow..’ With blank integral leaf. VG £150 - 200 €170 - 230
Marthe Chenal (1881-1947) French Soprano. Chenal, often called by the press “The most beautiful woman in Paris”, was acclaimed for her singing and also for her dramatic performances. She was noted for her rendition of the French anthem La Marseillaise.
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PUCCINI GIACOMO: (1858-1924) Italian Composer. Vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10.5 printed photograph, being the detached frontispiece from one of the composer’s scores, the image depicting Puccini in a head and shoulders pose. Signed and inscribed by Puccini in bold black fountain pen ink, largely to the white borders, to Tina Poli Randaccio, a soprano who held the Minnie main role in several cities premiere’s of Puccini’s opera La Fanciulla del West, stating (‘To Mrs Tina Poli Randaccio who with so much soul and art has valorously performed “Minnie”, offering you my recognition Giacomo Puccini’) and dated Naples, December 1911 in his hand. With a facsimile signature at the base. Extensive overall age wear (light creasing, small tears to the edges) and a few tape stains, slightly affecting a few words of the inscription, but not the signature. FR. £400 - 600 €450 - 680
Ernestina Poli Randaccio (1879-1956) Italian Soprano who performed at the premiere of La Fanciulla del West (1910) in Naples, Milan, and several other Italian cities.
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PUCCINI GIACOMO: (1858-1924) Italian Composer. A.L.S, G. ‘Puccini’, one page, 4to, Torre del Lago, Toscana, 6th July 1907, on his personal printed stationery, to Beppe, Giuseppe Razzi, his brother in law, in Italian. Puccini writes a letter in bold red ink, stating in part ‘Thank you for all and for the car driver. Regarding the chairs you ordered, do you remember? Did you get further news? How are you? We are fine. When will you visit us?..’ Puccini further asks for news regarding some friends and concludes referring to hunting ‘I got the birds’. With blank address leaf, also written in red by Puccini, post-stamped. With left edge slightly trimmed as a result of the letter opening, otherwise VG £500 - 800 €560 - 900
‘Read the newspapers; it seems like Boheme is a bit immature and not as I hoped…
Pay attention to Butt[erfly]..’
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PUCCINI GIACOMO: (1858-1924) Italian Composer. A.L.S, ‘Giac. Puccini’, three pages, 8vo, London, Thursday 18th May 1911, on the Savoy Hotel, London, printed stationery, to Armando Morlacchi, a representative of Ricordi, in Italian. Puccini is in London to attend the premiere of La Fanciulla del West (1910) which took place ten days later at the Covent Garden the 29th May 1911, and states ‘Read the newspapers; it seems like Boheme is a bit immature and not as I hoped. It’s always so with the Poli[teama]. But it is destiny that I do not have a good musical performance in Milan..’ Puccini most probably refers to the Milan Politeama opening with La Boheme eight months earlier, further saying ‘Pay attention to Butt[erfly] in Autumn, although here it is useless. It will be as usual.’ Further again referring to his woks performances ‘They write to me from Florence that Tango has also cut off the prelude and that the performance with Kruszelnicka is poor and the whole falling to pieces.’ Before concluding and sending his regards to Giulio Ricordi Puccini refers to the La Fanciulla del West rehearsals in London, saying ‘Here we go slowly, but I expect all will go well. I have enough of these labours, I’m fed up.. ‘ A letter of excellent content and good association with Puccini referring to three of his main operas. Folded, and only two words with ink stain, otherwise VG £500 - 800 €560 - 900
La Boheme (1896), Madama Butterfly (1900) and La Fanciulla del West (1910) are three operas by Puccini referred to by the composer in the present letter.
Egisto Tango (1873-1951), chef d’orchestre
Salomea Kruszelnicka (1873-1952), soprano
Giulio Ricordi (1840-1912) Italian musical Editor. Head of the music publishing house Casa Ricordi.
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MASCAGNI PIETRO: (1863-1945) Italian Composer. Signed postcard photograph by Mascagni, the G. Cerri image, from Pisa, depicting the Italian composer in a head and shoulders formal pose. Signed in bold black ink to a partially clear area at the base of the image, also dated ‘Lucca’ 1st of October 1927. Small overall minor age wear, otherwise G £120 - 150 €140 - 170
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RUBINSTEIN ANTON: (1829-1894) Russian Pianist, Composer and Conductor. A good and scarce signed 4 x 6 cabinet photograph ‘A.G.Rubinstein’, in Cyrillic, the 1893 E.Rieber image depicting the Russian composer and piano virtuoso in a formal head and shoulders pose. Signed in bold black ink to the lower white border, with small ink stain to the initial letter and flourish. VG £600 - 900 €680 - 1000
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RACHMANINOFF SERGEI: (1873-1943) Russian Composer. Fountain pen ink signature (‘S. Rachmaninoff’) on a page removed from an autograph album. Dated 4th March 1934 in the hand of a collector to one corner. Some slight age wear, only very slightly affecting the signature, G £150 - 200 €170 - 230
Conductors
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NIKISCH ARTHUR: (1855-1922) Hungarian Conductor. Widely admired by contemporary composers and conductors. A.M.Q.S., Arthur Nikisch, a good signature example, one page, oblong 4.5 x 3.5 card, n.p., n.d. The composer has neatly penned a five bars musical quote, which he identifies as ‘Beethoven Symphonie V’. Signed in bold black ink beneath the quotation. EX £100 - 150 €110 - 170
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FURTWANGLER WILHELM: (1886-1954) German Conductor and Composer. A.M.Q.S., ‘Wilhelm Furtwangler’, one page, oblong 4to, n.p., 3rd May 1940. Furtwangler has carefully penned an unidentified two bars musical quotation. A large and good signature example. VG £200 - 300 €230 - 340
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KARAJAN HERBERT VON: (1908-1989) Austrian Conductor. Signed colour 4 x 6 postcard photograph, the image depicting Karajan in a half length pose, conducting with baton in hand. Signed in bold gold ink with his name alone to a clear area of the image. EX £100 - 120 €110 - 140
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BERNSTEIN LEONARD: (1918-1990) American Conductor & Composer of West Side Story (1957). Signed 3.5 x 5.5 photograph of Bernstein, the CBS promotional image depicting the conductor in a head and shoulders pose. Signed in bold black ink to the lower white border of the image. With remnants of former affixing to the verso. VG £100 - 120 €110 - 140
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CONDUCTORS: A good selection of vintage signed postcard photographs by various classical music conductors, including Karl Bohm, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Andre Cluydens, Christoph von Dohnanyl, Ferdinand Leitner, Janos Ferencsik, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Horst Stein, Alberto Erede, etc.. All are boldly signed to clear areas of the images. VG, 11 £80 - 100 €90 - 110
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CONDUCTORS: A good selection of signed 7 x 10.5 photographs, few slightly smaller and one larger, by various classical music conductors, including Kurt Masur, Zubin Mehta, John Eliot Gardiner, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Yutaka Sado, Charles Dutoit, Philippe Jordan, Mikko Franck, Gary Bertini, Heinz Holliger, Ingo Metzmacher, Hugh Wolff, etc.. All are boldly signed to clear areas of the images. VG, 16 £80 - 100 €90 - 110
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BULL OLE: (1810-1880) Norwegian Violinist and Composer. Widely considered one of the main virtuosos of the 19th century. Signed oblong 8vo page removed from an autograph album, ‘Most respectfully yours, Ole Bull’, in bold black ink, also dated in Boston, 13th December 1876, in his hand. G £60 - 90 €70 - 100
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MENUHIN YEHUDI: (1916-1999) American-born British Violinist. A good A.L.S., Yehudi Menuhin, three pages, on three separate sheets, small 4to, London, 29th May 1955, on the Claridge Hotel printed stationery, to Muriel Frost. Menuhin thanks his correspondent for her constant support and friendship and states in part ‘ I only hope that you will bring your friendly and lively face often to see me…’. Accompanied by the original envelope. Together with Diana Gould Menuhin (1912-2003) British Ballerina. Second wife of Menuhin. A.L.S., ‘Diana Menuhin’, two pages, 4to, Los Gatos, California, 10th September, n.y., to Miss Frost. Diana thanks her correspondent for her letter, and refers to her lost baby during childbirth, stating ‘It was a stupidly cruel shock and I am fighting hard to overcome this anguished feeling of emptiness & waste. I have, tough, so much in life that I would be a very ungrateful & egoistic creature if I could not conquer my sadness, and I have such a loving family and friends that I know myself to be very fortunate…’ VG, 2 £80 - 100 €90 - 110
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CLASSICAL MUSIC: A good selection of signed pieces removed from autograph albums, 8 x 10 and oblong 8vo, signed photograph(1) and A.L.S.(1) to a 12mo card, by classical composers and musicians, including Bronislaw Huberman (1882-1947) Polish Violinist and founder of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, dated 7th December 1939; Victor Herbert (1859-1924) Irish-born American Composer, Cellist and Conductor; Guilhermina Suggia (1885-1950) Portuguese Cellist; Cleofonte Campanini (1860-1919) Italian Conductor; William Kapell (1922-1953) American Pianist, killed at the early age of 31 in a flight crash, an excellent vintage signed sepia 8 x 10 photograph, etc.. G to VG, 7 £150 - 200 €170 - 230
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CLASSICAL MUSIC: A good selection of signed 8vo pieces, removed from autograph albums, and one oblong 12mo card, by classical composers and musicians, comprising Richard Strauss (1864-1949) German Composer, Franz Lehar (2) (1870-1948) Austrian Composer, Sigismond Thalberg (1812-1871) Swiss Composer and virtuoso Pianist, and William Kapell (1922-1953) American Pianist, killed at the early age of 31 in a flight crash. G to VG, 5 £200 - 300 €230 - 340
Opera
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DE RESZKE JEAN: (1850-1925) Polish Tenor. Vintage signed postcard photograph of De Reszke, the Coquelin image depicting the tenor standing in a formal three quarter length pose. Neatly signed in dark fountain pen ink with his name alone to a clear area at the head of the image. About EX. £100 - 150 €110 - 170
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CARUSO ENRICO: (1873-1921) Italian Tenor. A good D.S., ‘Enrico Caruso’, one page, 6 x 5 receipt, Ostend, 25th August 1910, in French. The partially printed document being a payment receipt given by Monsieur L. Rinskopf, conductor, on behalf of the Concert Hall of Ostend, and signed by Caruso acknowledging the payment received of twelve thousand five hundred francs. With two file holes to the left border not affecting the signature. G to VG £120 - 200 €140 - 230
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TAUBER & MELCHIOR: Two good signed postcard photographs by Richard Tauber (1891-1948) Austrian Tenor, a 4 x 6 signed and inscribed photograph, & Lauritz Melchior (1890-1973) Danish-American opera Singer, a signed 3.5 x 5.5 photograph. Both images depicting the opera singers in formal poses. Together with three 4 x 6 photographs of Tauber in different poses. G, 2 £80 - 100 €90 - 110
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MELBA & MAUREL: Nellie Melba (1861-1931) Australian Soprano, & VICTOR MAUREL (1848-1923) French Baritone. Two unusual autograph signed statements to a 7.5 x 4.5 card, in French. Melba states ‘Art is a friend who never deceive - Nellie Melba’, a large and good example signature, also dated 1903 in her hand. Maurel, responding in a funny way to Melba’s statement, states beneath ‘Art has so many friends who deceived it’ Small overall minor age wear and staining. G £80 - 100 €90 - 110
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CALLAS MARIA: (1923-1977) American-born Greek Soprano. Vintage signed 4 x 6 photograph, depicting Callas kneeling, in a full length pose, in costume as Butterfly in a scene from Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly (1904). Photograph by Luxardo, Rome. Signed (‘Maria Meneghini Callas’) in bold blue ink across the image. VG £300 - 400 €340 - 450
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SOPRANOS: An excellent small selection of vintage signed postcard photographs by various renowned sopranos, most in costume, comprising Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, a Fayer image, Vienna; Joan Sutherland, in her role as Lucia di Lammermoor (1835) Teatro Alla Scala Milan, signed to front and signed and inscribed to verso; Anna Moffo, in her role as Violetta from La Traviata (1853); Antonietta Stella, in her role as Suor Angelica (1918) Teatro Alla Scala Milan, and Anneliese Rothenberger. All are boldly signed to clear areas of the images. G, 4 £80 - 120 €90 - 140
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OPERA: A good selection of colour signed 4 x 6 photographs by various opera singers, most of them in costume, comprising Luciano Pavarotti, the Fayer image from Vienna depicting the Italian tenor in his role as Rodolfo in La Boheme, (1896) and dated 1985 in his hand; Angela Gheorghiu, in costume as Madama Butterfly (1898); Ruggero Raimondi, in his role as Simon Boccanegra (1857); Jose Carreras, Yevgeni Nesterenko, Leo Nucci and Thomas Hampson. All are signed to clear areas of the images. EX, 7 £80 - 120 €90 - 140
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OPERA: A good selection of vintage signed postcard photographs by various opera singers, including Placido Domingo, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Hilde Gueden, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, James King, Raffaele Arié, Piero Cappuccilli, Antonietta Stella, Paul Schoffler, Mariella Adani, Aldo Protti, Franco Bonisolli, Astrid Varnay, etc.. All are signed to clear areas of the images. G to VG, 18 £80 - 120 €90 - 140
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OPERA: A good selection of vintage signed postcard photographs by various opera singers, including Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (in costume as Wozzeck, 1922), Margaret Price, Christa Ludwig, Eberhard Waechter, Paul Schoffler, Gerhard Stolze, Hans Hotter, (performing in Fidelio (1805) Teatro Alla Scala, Hilde Zadek, Heinz Zednik, Jess Thomas, Erich Kunz, etc... All are signed to clear areas of the images. G to VG, 17 £80 - 120 €90 - 140
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OPERA: Selection of signed 4 x 6 photographs, few 5 x 7 (5) and 7 x 9 (2), by various opera singers, including José Luccioni, A Corsican tenor with a one of the best dramatic voices of the 1930’s. Luccioni was a racing car driver and mechanic at the Citroen and his voice was only discovered while serving in the military; Georges Thill, widely considered the best French tenor ever; Aldo Protti, James McCracken, Jacques Jansen, Michel Dens, René Bianco, etc.. Small duplication. All are boldly signed, most to clear areas of the images. G, 18 £60 - 90 €70 - 100
Ballet
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DIAGHILEV SERGEI: (1872-1929) Russian Impresario, founder of the Ballets Russes. T.L.S., ‘Serguei Diaghilev’, one page, 4to, n.p., n.d., [1924], to Boris Kochno, in French. Diaghilev authorizes his correspondent to use the artistic and literary documents regarding his performances. Together with Boris Kochno (1904-1990) Russian Poet, Dancer & Librettist. Kochno was employed as Diaghilev’s secretary from 1920, eventually becoming his librettist and main collaborator. T.L.S., ‘Boris Kochno’, one page, 4to, n.p., 1st of January 1924, in French. Kochno refers to Diaghilev’s artistic and literary material requested for a publication. Extremely small age wear and creasing, and a staple trace to the upper edge, otherwise G, 2 £250 - 350 €280 - 400
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FONTEYN MARGOT: (1919-1991) English Ballet Dancer. Signed 10 x 12 attractive ballet programme ‘Margot Fonteyn’, printed and issued in Australia to commemorate the 1957 visit of Fonteyn to Australia’s Borovansky ballet. Signed to the inside second page showing an 9 x 11.5 image of Fonteyn in a full length ballet pose. The paperback cover programme shows to the front and back covers two attractive images of Fonteyn, and contains 36 pages with over 35 ballet related photographs, most of Fonteyn. Small overall age wear and foxing stains to the covers, not to the signed image. G £80 - 100 €90 - 110
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FONTEYN MARGOT: (1919-1991) English Ballet Dancer. A good and attractive signed 3.5 x 5.5 photograph by Fonteyn, the Fayard of Vienna image depicting the dancer in costume, in a full length action pose. Signed (‘Margot Fonteyn Arias’) in fountain pen ink to the lower white border of the photograph. VG £100 - 150 €110 - 170
| EMINENT & INFAMOUS MEN & WOMEN |
Popes
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SIXTUS V: (1521-1590) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1585-90. Sixtus V is credited with crucial important changes and works during his short term Papacy, leading administration and financial reforms to restore the Papal States solvency, and also completing the Saint Peter’s dome and multiple huge urban reforms in Rome. Sixtus V excommunicated both Elizabeth I of England and Henry IV of France. Rare L.S., ‘Come fr[at]ello a servirle F.Felice Card. De Montalto’, one page, 4to, Rome, 12th July 1581, to Prior of S. Michele in Fano, in Italian. Sixtus informs his correspondent that he has been able to arrange an audience with Pope Gregory XIII for the town delegates. Less than four years later, Cardinal Montalto would succeed as Pope his political enemy Gregory XIII. With blank address leaf, partially clipped, bearing a paper seal affixed in good condition. Folded, with light foxing and very small ink erosions to text, otherwise G £1500 - 2000 €1700 - 2300
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LEO XI : (1535-1695) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in 1605. His 27 days pontificate is one of the briefest in history, lasting from first to 27th April. Born Alessandro Ottaviano De’Medici, the fourth and last member of the prominent House of Medici elected pope. He was called “Papa Lampo” (“Lightning pope”) for his short reign. Rare D.S., ‘Alex. Cardlis Floren’, one page, 4to, 2nd October 1601, in Latin. Leo XI, in his capacity as Prefect of the Sacra Congregazione of Riti, issues and approves a decree regulating the clothing of the “Milites Regulares”. Edges very slightly irregular, and small age wear with small ink erosion, only affecting one letter of the signature, otherwise G £2000 - 3000 €2300 - 3400
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INNOCENT X: (1574-1655) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1644-55. He is regarded as one of the most politically shrewd Pontiffs of that era, increasing considerably the power of the Vatican. A very good L.S., ‘J.B. Card.lis Pamphilius’, one page, 4to, 9th April 1644, in Latin. The letter being a request from the Roman monastery of Santa Lucia in Selce, asking for a contribution of 1000 scudi in order to be able to attend the bills of the wine merchant and baker. Innocent’s response being that the monastery has to repay its debt. Innocent X would become Pope only five months after signing the present letter. Bearing to the front an attractive paper seal affixed in very fine condition. Small overall age wear, with very light foxing and small ink erosion to the lower part of the letter. Professional repair to the left edge small area of paper loss. G £1500 - 2000 €1700 - 2300
Innocent X was portrayed by Spanish painter Diego Velazquez on the masterpiece oil on canvas ‘Portrait of Pope Innocent X’, a portrait often considered by artists and art critics as the finest portrait ever created. The oil on canvas is housed in the Galleria Doria in Rome.
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CLEMENT IX: (1600-1669) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1667-69. A good L.S., ‘G. Card le Rospigliosi’, one page, folio, 18th August 1666, in Latin. A boldly penned dark ink untranslated letter. Very attractively matted in red cloth, beneath a colour 8 x 10 portrait of Clement, framed in gilt wood and glazed to an overall of 15 x 29. Small folding, traces of a former seal to the verso, otherwise about VG £600 - 900 €680 - 1000
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INNOCENT XI: (1611-1689) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1676-89. Born Benedetto Odescalchi, he is known as the “Saviour of Hungary”. His reign is remembered for the tension with King Louis XIV and for the changes he approved advocating for simplicity and Christian values and repudiating nepotism and unnecessary expenses. A good L.S., ‘B. Card.le Odescalco Leg.to’, one page, 4to, Ferrara, 16th November 1650, in Italian. An interesting document related to the maintenance of the weapons at the castle fortress of Ferrara, where he was appointed Legate to Ferrara, to assist the people stricken with severe famine, and where he was known as “The Father of the Poor”. The first paragraph corresponds to the description of the works achieved by Lorenzo Fabrici, stating in part ‘..he has accommodated up to six hundred and thirty five musket pipes..’ works which are approved by Captain of Guards Fernando Gallina. Innocent XI, in his capacity as Cardinal of Santi Cosma signs this order to be forwarded to the bankers who will have to attend the cost of the weapons. Small overall minor age wear, with right edge and bottom right corner very slightly trimmed, and a very small hole professionally repaired to the verso, otherwise G £500 - 800 €580 - 900
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ALEXANDER VIII: (1610-1691) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1689-91. Last Pope taking this Pontifical name. His Papacy only last 15 months. A good L.S., ‘Il Card.le Ottoboni’, with holograph line in his hand, one page, 4to, Brescia, 16th January 1664, in Italian. Cardinal Ottoboni asks for help to his correspondent in order to avoid that a young man of fifteen years old, from Brescia, who is the support of his very poor family, gets enlisted in the army, and states in part ‘.. for the consolation of his relatives, who pray to God for the health of Y.H..’ With integral blank leaf, bearing a contemporary annotation “1664 -Card.le Otthobuoni”. Folded. VG £250 - 350 €280 - 400
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CLEMENT XI: (1649-1721) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1700-21. A Patron of the Arts and Science. L.S., ‘J.F. Card.lis Albanus’, one page, oblong 14.5 x 5.5, vellum, Rome, 23rd June 1690, in Latin. Only few months before the present letter date Clement XI had been appointed, by Pope Alexander VIII, Cardinal of Santa Maria in Aquiro and Sant Adriano al Forno. The document, signed by Cardinal Albani on behalf of Pope Alexander VIII, accords indulgence to all sins ‘..omnium peccatorum..’ to the devout Catholics of the San Antonio church included in the diocese of Cordoba in Spain. With small remnants of a former red wax seal to the verso. Few very small holes not affecting the signature and creasing to the left border. G £500 - 800 €580 - 900
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LEO XIII: (1810-1903) Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1878-1903. A good and attractive D.S., ‘Card Epis Perusinus’, 15 x 10.5 oblong folio, one page, Perugia, 26th May 1866, in Latin. The partially printed document being a certificate, bearing a large heading “Cardinalis Joachimus Pecci”, given to Anselmus Anselmi. Signed by Leo XIII in his capacity as Archbishop of Perugia. Folded to the centre. With a blind embossed seal to the front left lower corner and two watermarks, one showing a bird. Showing to the verso a contemporary annotation alongside a Curia Citta di Castello ink stamp. Very small overall age wear, otherwise VG £200 - 300 €230 - 340
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BENEDICT XV: (1854-1922) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1914-22. His Pontificate was dominated by World War I, which he termed “The suicide of Europe”. A good A.L., one page, 4to, n.p., n.d., to an attractive gilt embossed Papal monogramme letterhead, in Italian. Benedict XV provides an itemized list with lire figures alongside each entry, referring to raising money in order to help less fortunate citizens during the war, listing in part ‘H.H. Sig[gnore] Prince Schonburg-Hartenstein Ambassador of Austria-Hungary … 1500 lire - H.E signor Card[inal] Gaspari 500 lire..’ With blank integral leaf. VG £200 - 300 €230 - 340
Prince Alois Schonburg-Hartenstein (1858-1944) member of the Austrian nobility. Military officer. From 1899 to 1913 he was President of the Austrian Red Cross.
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JOHN XXIII: (1881-1963) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1958-63. Known as the Good Pope. Canonized in 2014. T.L.S., ‘+A[lo] Gius[eppe] Roncalli - n[unzio] a[postolico]’, one page, 4to, Paris, 12th June 1946, as Papal Nuncio in France, to Signor Calenda, on the printed stationery of the Apostolic Nunciature in France, in Italian. Roncalli reports on a letter received, explaining that an Italian woman living in France went to Italy at the beginning of the war to visit the family and could not return. He further says that she was fiancée to a French gentleman and wishing to return and get married she cannot get her Italian passport to travel to France. John XXIII concludes saying ‘I would be grateful if you would like to spend a word and help the boyfriends to meet again and get married.’ With few small pinholes to the upper left corner, otherwise VG £600 - 900 €680 - 1000
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PAUL VI: (1897-1978) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1963-78. An excellent vintage signed postcard photograph by Pope Paul VI, the image depicting the Archbishop of Milan in a formal head and shoulders pose, wearing his habit. Photograph by Farabola of Rome. Signed in bold black ink ‘+ G.B. Montini . Arciv. Di Milano’ to a largely clear area of the image. Accompanied by a T.L.S., signed by the secretary of Paul VI, one page, 8vo, Milan, 1st of December 1958, on the archbishopric printed stationery. VG £100 - 150 €110 - 170
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JOHN PAUL II: (1920-2005) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1978-2005. Canonized in 2014. A lengthy T.L.S., ‘+ Karol card. Wojtyla’, one page, 8 x 11 folio, Cracow, 25th October 1973, to a professor, in Polish. On a document bearing the printed heading ‘Metropolita Krakowski’, Wojtyla sends his regards to his correspondent and explains that the Archdiocese of Krakow celebrates over the last year the jubilee..’ Untranslated. Matted in black alongside a colour 8 x 10 photograph of John Paul II, to an overall of 16 x 12. VG £250 - 350 €280 - 400
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