Literature Autographs

French musicologist (1857-1936), remembered for his work on folk songs of the French Alps. Set of two autograph letters in French (untranslated) signed by him, both dated 1912. We report an extract as a sample, concerning an autograph dedication by Gaspare Spontini: "...J'avais l'an dernier chez Costa-Borgna l'exemplaire des trios de César Franck revetus de la dédicace à Spontini, et j'apprends maintenant que c'est nous qui en êtes l'heureux possesseur. Je voudrais pour une publication de documents autographes, pouvoir reproduire par la photographie l'une de ces dédicaces de l'auteur de Béatitudes à l'auteur de La Vestale...".  Size is 5.5 x 8.4 inches each, 1 written page each, central folds, light creases, printed letterhead, both in very good condition. SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

American author (1827-1916) An album page signed by him with a short text quote dated March 1892. Size is 5 x 4 inches, loss of paper at the bottom, otherwise in good condition.

English writer (1787-1849) and politician, a Shakespeare scholar. Autograph letter signed by him, written on both sides of a sheet. Size is 4.4 x 7.4 inches, 2 pages, folds, in very good condition.

French writer (1819-1893). Collection of three autograph letters in French (untranslated) signed by him, no date, addressed to the literary critic Paul de Saint-Victor (1827-1881), concerning his contemporary composers: "...M. Victor Massé vient de publier un recueil de 12 mélodies qui a tout l'intérêt d'une partition. M. Victor Massé appartient avec Gounod et Félicien David a cette école qu'on pourrait appeler en musique l'école philosophique, talent peut-être un peu chercheur, et sait toujours rendre ses idées dans une forme élevée autant qu'original....".  Different sizes, lengths, and conditions (see scans provided for a detailed view). SOLD ONLY AS A LOT, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

American author of historical fiction (1924-2003).  Black and white photo signed and inscribed by him; ink-stamped on verso by photographer Jill Uris.  Size is 7.9 x 9.9 inches, in excellent condition.

French writer and dramatist (1854-1937), knight of the Legion of Honor. Autograph letter in French signed by him, dated in Paris, July 30, 1885, to the art critic Henry Lapauze, informing "... I immediately wrote to [Henri] Pagat. I hope that he has kept a copy of his short story and that he will be able to send it back to you (...) I am currently in the middle of my work, but as soon as I have finished the play I have in progress, I will write a short story for you, which I hope you will like...".  Open size is 10 x 8 inches, 2 written pages in one folded sheet, some smudges, folds, overall rust tone, in good condition.  

Peruvian novelist (b.1936) and Nobel Prize in Literature. Beautiful black-and-white photograph signed by him. Size is 7 x 9.4 inches, creases over the lower-left border, otherwise in excellent condition.

French romantic writer (1802-1885) and politician, whose career spanned more than sixty years. Gorgeous vintage carte-de-visite (CDV) of him by Photographer Charles-Albert Bertall (Paris). Size is 2.3 x 4 inches, in very good condition.

Fantastic album that belonged to the English palaeographer and amateur historian Emma Elizabeth Thoyts (1860-1949) with many autograph letters and clips signed by different personalities of the Victorian era including Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, King Henry IV, King William IV, Princess Christiane (Queen Victoria's daughter), Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and many other personalities of the United Kingdom. Album has a larger number of items (for a more complete list of the items identified please give a look at the last scans provided) and it is signed by Mrs. Thoyts on the back of the front cover, dated 1875.  Album's size is 9.8 x 11.75 inches, in very good condition.

French writer and journalist (1823-1891). Autograph letter in French signed by her, dated in Paris, 1873. Size is 3.8 x 6 inches, 2 written pages in one sheet (front and back), overall rust tone, in very good condition.

French writer (1796-1871). Interesting unpublished draft of an article dedicated to the memory of the French composer and organist Hippolyte Monpou signed by Waldor. Size is 7.8 x 9.3 inches, 8 written pages, overall rust tone, in very good condition.

American best-selling author and screenwriter (1916-1990), famous for some his novels. Signed photo shown with a copy of his famous novel "The Word" (1972), inscribed with a short sentiment dated in 1972. Size is 8 x 10 inches, in excellent condition.

American writer (b.1937) known for his fictional and nonfictional accounts of police work in the United States. Black-and-white promo photograph signed and inscribed by him with a short sentiment, dated 1981. Size is 7.9 x 10.1 inches, in excellent condition.

American artist (1928-1987), film director, and producer; and American novelist (1924-1984), screenwriter, playwright, and actor. Magazine "Interview" (issued in 1979) signed on the cover by Andy Warhol and Truman Capote with a black felt tip pen. The magazine includes interviews with both artists plus Debbie Harry (cover photo).   Size is 11 x 16.7 inches, full magazine will all pages, authentication sticker on the back cover, minor cracks, overall rust toning, in very good condition. Rare!

German historian (1817-1897). Autograph note signed by him, written in German (sold untranslated).  Size is 5.5 x 8.6 inches, 1 page, folds, in very good condition. ALSO INCLUDED is  an extra page with a text written in Latin by the composer.

American writer and poet (1849-1916). Typed letter signed by him on a sheet with his letterhead, dated on November 2nd, 1914, thanking someone who sent him a poem in his honor.  Size is 4.75 x 7.25 inches, 1 page, rust stains, central fold, in overall very good condition.

Romanian-born American writer (1928-2016), professor, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. 4-page card for an event at the Marriott Hotel, 1983, signed and inscribed by him in the last page. Size is 5.2 x 7.75 inches, in excellent condition.

Irish poet (1854-1900) and playwright, who became one of the most famous playwrights in London in the early 1890s; best remembered for his plays and his novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray". Fantastic extra large cabinet photograph of him by photographer Sarony (New York) signed and inscribed with a short sentiment by Wilde himself to the American actress Clara Morris during his visit to New York in January 1882 where he met her. Size is 7.2 x 12.75 inches, full crack professionally repaired at the center, re-mounted on new cardboard, some signs of mounting damage on verso, otherwise in overall good condition. Large photographs of Oscar Wilde are very rare and highly desirable!

German poet (1845-1909) and dramatist. Autograph letter signed by him, written in German (sold with translation). Size is 5.6 x 8.6 inches, 1 page, recipient's name was trimmed at the top, small cracks, folds, otherwise in good condition.

French librettist and lyricist (1887-1964), author of many songs for cinema, including the movie "Tossing Ship" (1932) and "Passionnément" with music by André Messager. Set of three typed letters in French (untranslated) signed by him with autograph additions, both dated 1932, addressed to Alfred Bloch of the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques concerning the Italian distribution and the sale to Paramount of his work for the movie "Passionnément". Size is 8.4 x 10.8 inches each one, different lengths, all with letterhead from "Theatre des Bouffes Parisiens" in each one,  some creases and stains, in overall very good condition. SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

French librettist and lyricist (1887-1964), author of many songs for cinema, including the movie "Tossing Ship" (1932) and "Passionnément" with music by André Messager. Typed letter in French (untranslated) signed by him, dated in Paris, December 6, 1929, addressed to the composer and conductor Gustave Goublier (1856-1926), attaching a typed copy of a letter by the lyricist Charles-Louis Pothier (1881-1962), that caused him some astonishment. Size is 8.4 x 10.7 inches, 1 page, letterhead from Theatre des Bouffles Parisiens, folds, creases, in very good condition. We report a sample of the letter by Pothier: "...J'apprends par Benjamin Rabier que Monsieur Goublier vous aurait demandé à faire la musique de l'opérette "LES FAUCHES DE L'AMOUR". Il est malheureusement un peu trop tard. Voici pourquoi: Monsieur Goublier lut, il y a environ deux ans, le scénario des "FAUCHES DE L'AMOUR" (...) Il cessa de s'intéresser à l'affaire et dit à Rabier que cette pièce ne l'emballait plus (...) Croyant bien que l'affaire n'intéressait plus Monsieur Goublier, je proposai à un musicien qui l'accepta. Il m'est donc impossible de reprendre maintenant ce livret à un musicien envers qui je suis engagé...". 

English writer (1905-1987), dramatist, and actor.  Beautiful photo postcard shown young, signed by him with a short sentiment.  Size is 3.3 x 5.25 inches, in excellent condition.

English writer (1905-1987), dramatist, and actor.  Signed publicity photograph, shown young, size is 3.75 x 5.75 inches, mounting tape traces on verso, otherwise in excellent condition.

American playwright (1911-1983), one of the foremost writers of America during the 20th century. Signed check for 500 US dollars, dated in 1978, size is 8.5 x 3.9 inches, in excellent condition. ALSO INCLUDED is an unsigned photograph of him, shown young, with his typewriter. A modern print, size is 7.25 x 6.1 inches, in excellent condition.

English novelist (1913-1991) and short story writer.  Magazine Twentieth Century Literature issued in the summer of 1983, signed and inscribed with a short sentiment by the writer on the first page.  Size is 5.75 x 8.9 inches, 150+ pages, in very good condition.

British writer (1865-1941). Typed letter signed by her and dated 1938. Size is 8 x 9.8 inches, 1 page, in excellent condition.

German musicologist  (1869-1947), known for his research on medieval and Renaissance music and early music notation. Autograph note signed by him on the French sculptor Ernest Dubois' visiting card, no date [postal markings indicate May 14, 1895].  Wolff addresses Mademoiselle Du Rozier-Magneux, regretting not being able to attend a meeting with her. Size is 5.1 x 3 inches, in overall very good condition.

German writer and poet (1834-1910). Autograph letter signed by the writer, written in German (sold untranslated), dated in Charlottenburg, 1887.  Size is 5.7 x 8.75 inches, 2 pages (in one sheet), minor cracks, otherwise in very good condition. ALSO INCLUDE is an envelope, size is 5.75 x 4.7 inches, in very good condition.

American author (1915-2019), best known for historical fiction such as The Caine Mutiny (1951) for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. Card signed by him. Size is 5 x 3.1 inches, in excellent condition.

Italian librettist (1874-1943), writer of the libretto for La Fanciulla del West and Conchita (opera by Zandonai). Autograph note signed on a postcard, circa 1912. Size is 5.5 x 3.5 inches, in excellent condition.