EMILE

[Victor de Cottens, French dramatist and director, associated with the Folies Bergère in Paris.] Two Autograph Letters Signed and an Autograph Note Signed, in French, one from London to ‘Monsieur Clarkson’, and the other two to the same recipient.

Author: 
Victor de Cottens (1862-1956), French dramatist, librettist and director, associated with the Folies Bergère, Olympia music hall and Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris
Publication details: 
ONE (ANS to 'Monsieur Clarkson): 14 May [no year]. On illustrated letterhead of the Queen's Hotel, Leicester Square, London. TWO: ALS, 26 [March? 1910?]; on letterhead of the Olympia, 8 Rue Caumartin, Paris. THREE: ALS, 22 Mai [no year or place].
£50.00

The material is in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Items Two and Three are addressed to ‘Cher ami’. De Cottens’ handwriting is somewhat opaque. ONE: ANS, 14 May [no year]. The letterhead includes an engraved illustration of the Queen’s Hotel in Leicester Square. 1p, 12mo. ‘Cher Monsieur Clarkson / tous mes bien vifs remerciements pour votre aimable envoi de tickets. / Bien votre / Victor de Cottens.’ TWO: ALS, 26 [March? 1910?]. 1p, 12mo. He wonders whether the recipient might put his ‘experience à la disposition’ of a named colleague from Brussels. THREE: ALS, 1p, 16mo.

[Jean Louis Rieu, Commissioner in Sind.] Autograph Letter Signed, providing a reference for ‘Mr. Bhojraj M. Bhambhani’, son of his acquaintance ‘Mr. Mansing Ramsing’, Honorary Magistrate and ‘most loyal subject’.

Author: 
Jean Louis Rieu (1872-1964), Commissioner in Sind between 1920 and 1925 [The Raj; British India; Bhojraj M. Bhambhani, son of Mansing Ramsing, and grandson of Diwan Ramsing]
Publication details: 
1 July 1922; on his letterhead as the Commissioner in Sind, Government House, Karachi.
£90.00

Rieu was the son of Charles Pierre Henri Rieu (1820-1902) of Geneva, Keeper of Oriental Manuscripts at the British Museum, and elder brother of Emile Victor Rieu (1887-1972), both of whom have DNB entries. In 1947 he had privately printed (as’J. L. R.’) a ‘Chronicle of the Rieu Family now settled in England’. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice. Signed ‘J. L Rieu / Commissioner in Sind’. An nice sidelight on the workings of the Raj. He has been asked for a letter by ‘Mr. Mansing Ramsing’, on behalf of his son ‘Mr. Bhojraj M.

[Sir Emile Littler, theatrical impressario.] Two Typed Letters Signed, asking theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope whether he did more London pantomimes than Julian Wylie. With carbon of reply.

Author: 
Sir Emile Littler [born Emile Richeux] (1903-1985), theatrical impresario based at the Palace Theatre, London, producer of over two hundred British pantomimes [W. J. Macqueen-Pope, theatre historian;]
Publication details: 
15 and 19 November 1957. Both on his letterhead. Carbon of Macqueen-Pope’s reply, 18 November 1957, from Coventry House, 5/6 Coventry Street, W.1.
£90.00

For information on Littler see the entry in the Oxford DNB of his brother Prince Frank Littler (1901-1973), who did not share Emile’s ‘affection for plays or players individually’. Also see Macqueen-Pope’s entry in the same work. The three items in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Both signed ‘Emile’. ONE: TLS of 15 November 1957. 1p, 4to. Reads: ‘My dear Popie, / You know about everything in the Theatre, and I am wondering if you could tell me how many London pantomimes Julian Wylie did, either by himself or as the Wylie-Tate organisation.

[ 'L'Affaire Dreyfus', scarce printed Dreyfusard pamphlet. ] 24 Heures a Rennes | Impressions d'un Spectateur.

Author: 
H. Rialèse [ L'Affaire Dreyfus; The Dreyfus Affair; Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935) ]
Publication details: 
Paris: Imprimerie Maréchal et Montorier, A. Maréchal, successeur, 16, passage des Petites-Écuries, 16. 1899.
£220.00

16pp., 8vo. Disbound. In original grey-paper wraps, with title printed on front. In fair condition, on aged high-acidity paper. A few marks and a quotation in English in light pencil. Dated 12 August 1899, and signed (printed) at end 'H. RIALÈSE'.

[ Société des Artistes Français, Paris. ] Printed and illustrated certificate, giving 'Mention Honorable' to 'Monsieur [sic] INGLIS (Jean)' at the painting section of the Salon of 1928. Signed by president Paul Chabas and secretary 'A. Bréauté'.

Author: 
Paul Chabas [ Paul Émile Chabas ] (1869-1937), French artist, President of the Société des Artistes Français [ Jean Inglis (1884-1959), English artist ]
Publication details: 
'Salon de 1928'. 'Paris - Imp. A. Salmon Porcabeuf Sr.'
£80.00

Printed in black on one side of a 49.5 x 65 cm. piece of thick paper. In fair condition, aged and rolled into a tube. A tasteful design, featuring an engaving of a palm leaf. Signed at foot by 'Paul Chabas' and 'A. Bréauté'.

[ Sir Emile Littler, theatrical impressario. ] Typed Letter Signed to film pioneer Percy Nash, declining his musical 'Love's Strategy'. With a carbon copy of Nash's letter to Littler.

Author: 
Sir Emile Littler [ born Emile Richeux ] (1903-1985), English theatrical impressario [ Percy Nash [ Percy Cromwell Nash ] (1869-1958), pioneering British film director and dramatist ]
Publication details: 
On Littler's letterhead, 31 St Martin's Lane, London. 29 May 1948.
£65.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, with light signs of age. Addressed to 'My dear Percy' and headed 'Love's Strategy'. Regarding the play (which was based on Goldsmith's 'She Stoops to Conquer') Littler writes: 'I don't think the idea appeals to me very much, and I am not going to do any more productions in the West End until after Christmas.' He gives his phone number, writing that he would 'be very pleased to see you or have a word with you'. In the carbon of Nash's letter (dated 27 May 1948) he writes that he has 'not messed about with the Author.

[ The Siberian 'Katorga' in Imperial Russia. ] English translation (by Peter Kropotkin?) from the French, of Émile Andreoli's account of his captivity following the January Uprising, titled ''Siberian Convicts' Life'. Containing unpublished material.

Author: 
Émile Andreoli (1835-1900), Franco-Italian writer and inventor, sent to Siberia following his participant in the Polish 'January Uprising', 1863-1864 [ Peter Kropotkin, Russia; Russian Katorga ]
Publication details: 
Without details or date. [London, 1880s? Certainly after 1869.]
£4,000.00

99pp., 8vo. Each page typed on a separate piece of paper ruled with red marginal borders. The manuscript housed in a contemporary thumb-indexed ledger, with each leaf tipped-in onto the recto of a leaf of the ledger. The manuscript in good condition, lightly-aged and worn; the ledger heavily worn and shaken, and lacking covers. Andreoli's name is not given anwhere in this item. Title-page with typed title 'Siberian Convicts' Life'. Above the title, in manuscript is '? Convict-Life', and typed beneath the title is a six-line epigram from Goethe.

[Printed handbill poem.] "La Belgique Martyre." Poème du maître belge Emile Verhaeren, dont la publication a été autorisée par l'auteur comme contribution a l'oeuvre "Asiles des Soldats Invalides Belges."

Author: 
Emile Verhaeren [Asiles des Soldats Invalides Belges; German war crimes in Belgium; the First World War]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [Circa 1918.]
£220.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The poem, of 60 irregular lines, is placed (with a facsimile of Verhaeren's signature at the foot) within a thick floral border, reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts movement. It begins: 'Ce n'est qu'un bout de sol dans l'infini du monde. | Le Nord | Y déchaîne le vent qui mord. | Ce n'est qu'un peu de terre avec sa mer au bord | Et le déroulement de sa dune inféconde.' Scarce: no copy in the Bibliotheque Nationale, on COPAC or in the Imperial War Museum.

Autograph Letter Signed C Bemont [Charles Bemont, French scholar and autograph-collector] to unnamed correspondent [M. Kirkaldy, ref. to Madame Kirkaldy within], with Alfred Dreyfus calling card and autograph message and his own card with message

Author: 
Charles Bemont, French scholar and autograph-collector [Alfred Dreyfus message on calling card]
ALS Charles Bemont, French scholar & Dreyfus calling card message
Publication details: 
[Printed heading] 9 Rue du Condé, 27 Oct. 1902.
£800.00
ALS Charles Bemont, French scholar & Dreyfus calling card message

Four pages, 12mo (letter), all items in good condition. He will fulfil his promise of some autograph letters, le plus notable et vivid, which had been relegated to the country but retrieved the day before. He describes a Michelet manuscript, notes taken après la lecture d'un ouvrage de M. Dupanloup before he became bishop. He discusses Dupanloup's character and achievements at length. He continues J'ajoute une lettre . . . Saul Meyer [NOT present] et une carte de visite . . .

Autograph Note Signed to 'Miss Rowland Grey' [pseudonym of Lilian Kate Rowland-Brown, 1863-1959].

Author: 
Emile Cammaerts
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£56.00

Belgian writer (1878-1953), author of the fairy-tale 'The two hunchbacks', set to music by Frank Bridge. One page, quarto. Poor, on discoloured, creased paper with several closed tears. He thanks her for her letter and has 'written to Miss Sands to ask her if she could not possibly alter the date as I have another lecture on the same day, at night. But if impossible, I will come all the same.' Signed 'Em Cammaerts'. Docked in pencil, by 'HSJ', 'Dec: 4. 1915. I heard M.

Syndicate content