Lot 96
Bartok, Bela. Signed
Book ("Béla Bartók"). Volume I of Mikrokosmos, 32
pages, folio, New York; Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Signature in dark ink at upper
right of title page, which is stamped "Review Copy." Penciled notes in another
hand on page 12, toning and very minor wear to edges, else
fine.
Mikrokosmos was planned as "153 Progressive Piano Pieces"
in six volumes for use as an instruction manual.
Estimated Value
$950-1,150.
Lot 97
Berlin, Irving
(1888-1989) Russian-born American composer of popular music, and one of the
greatest American songwriters. From Tin Pan Alley ditties to "White Christmas,"
Irving Berlin's 800 songs and 40 musical scores are some of the most
recognizable and enduring music of the 20th century.
Signature
("Irving Berlin"). One page, octavo, n.p., n.d. Signature in black ink
on white paper. Signing at the very top of a piece of paper, Berlin's signature
runs into the top of the page. Black album page residue on verso is visible
mostly to the left of the signature. Overall very good to fine condition.
Estimated Value $50-100.
Lot 98
Björling, Jussi
(1911-1960) Swedish tenor, proclaimed the successor to Caruso. A master of
French and Italian repertoire, Björling sang nearly every tenor role,
gaining immense popularity across the globe before his sudden death at age 49.
Signature ("Jussi Bjorling"). One page, 5½ x 3½",
Seattle, n.d. Signature in blue ink on the front of an envelope from the
Olympic Hotel, Seattle. In excellent condition, the only flaw is a small smudge
above the end of Björling's signature -- likely made by the great man
himself.
Estimated Value $200-250.
Lot 99
Caruso, Enrico
(1873-1921) Italian operatic tenor. Though he was a member of his church
choir, Caruso had no formal training until age 18. Shortly thereafter, at age
21 he made his debut in Naples. Later, when he came to perform in America, he
sang over 600 performances of 37 operas at the Metropolitan Opera and became
one of the first musicians to lend his voice to gramophone recordings.
Signature with Self-Portrait ("Enrico Caruso / 1915"). One page,
octavo, n.p., 1915. Mailing folds, small foxing or rust stain to right edge and
tiny stain on mailing fold. Very good condition.
Estimated Value
$800-1,200.
Lot 100
Caruso, Enrico. Signed
Photographic Postcard ("Enrico Caruso"). Sepia tone, 3 x 5", New York,
January 1913. Signed on verso. To Miss H. E. Knight. Accompanied by "Hotel
Knickerbocker" transmittal envelope (addressed in another hand). Minor toning,
picture is silvering. Fine.
A great note, probably to a collector!
"Dear Miss Knight, Many thanks for your kind letter. you can be sure this
time it is my writing. With kind regards yours, Enrico Caruso".
Estimated Value $450-550.
Lot 101
Caruso, Enrico.
Signature ("Caruso"). One page, 5 ½ x 3½",
Massachusetts, April 1908. Brief note on recto of postcard addressed (in
Caruso's hand, verso) to Father G. Coriello in Joliet, Illinois. Note in
Italian penned underneath picture on Concord Bridge, Caruso has signed in pale
field in picture. Corner abrasions, including ½" long chip at top right
corner. Good to very good condition.
Estimated Value $125-150.
Lot 102
Chaminade, Cecile
(1857-1944) French composer.
Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
("C. Chaminade"). One page, 5½ x 4", n.p., n.d. Three bars of
music in black ink on cream paper. Accompanied by a note from her publishers,
Enoch & Sons relaying the autograph. One vertical and one horizontal fold,
bottom right corner missing, top right corner with small crease, adhesive
residue at top left corner. Very good condition. This bold quotation fills the
page.
Estimated Value $50-75.
Lot 103
Charpentier, Gustave
(1860-1956) French composer and winner of the Prix de Rome, best remembered
for his opera Louise.
Signed Photographic Postcard ("Gustave
Charpentier"). Black and white, 3½ x 5½", n.p., n.d. Signed
in blue ink across breast of portrait with inscription at bottom edge. Minor
abrasions to right edge visible on close inspection, faint crease at bottom
left corner, else, very good to fine condition.
Estimated Value $100-125.
Lot 104
Grainger, Percy
(1882-1961) Australian composer. In addition to working on his own pieces,
Grainger collected and arranged English and Irish folk songs and popularized
forms of experimental music.
Signature ("Percy Grainger"). One
page, 3½ x 2½", n.p., n.d. Black ink on cream card stock.
Inscribed "Yours cordially". Toning to edges, corner abrasions with
minor soil at top left and bottom right. Good to very good condition.
Estimated Value $150-200.
Lot 105
Heifetz, Jascha
(1901-1987) Violin virtuoso, began touring at age 12. Hailed for his
precision and speed, Heifetz' quality of performance continued even as he aged.
Signature ("Jascha Heifetz"). One page, small quarto, Beverly
Hills, 1927. Signature and date in black ink on Beverly Hills Hotel stationery.
Lot includes original transmittal envelope. One horizontal fold, minor corner
abrasions, album page residue on verso (not visible recto). Very good
condition.
A bold signature with a dramatic flourish.
Estimated
Value $125-150.
Lot 106
Hofmann, Josef
(1870-1956). Austrian architect and leader of the Viennese Secession group.
Signature ("Josef Hofmann"). One page, 4 x 3", Merion,
Pennsylvania, 1930. A short inscription "With compliments" and a chord
illustrated above the signature. Fine.
Estimated Value $150-200.
Lot 107
Honegger, Arthur
(1892-1955). Composer.
Autograph Musical Quotation Signed ("A
Honegger"). One page, 5 x 3¼", n.p., 1952. In black ink. Heavy
toning, an abrasion at center, and repair at upper right corner measuring 1 x
¾". In good condition overall.
Here, Honegger arranges the soprano
and tenor notes to his composition, which is likely part of the "Gloria" from
the Mass. He pens the Latin: "Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-cis".
Estimated
Value $500-600.
Lot 108
Khachaturian, Aram
(1903-1978). Armenian composer who created symphonies and ballets,
concertos for the piano, violin, and cello as well as film scores and music for
the Armenian national anthem.
Autograph Note Signed ("Aram
Khachaturian"). In Russian. Three pages recto, small octavo, n.p., circa
1959. On graph paper from a spiral notebook. In black ink. To Mitrofan Kuzmich.
Inherent perforations along upper edge. Ink has smeared affecting a few words.
Else, in fine condition.
On behalf of a fellow composer, Khachaturian
writes to a supposed concert hall manager: "I have received a letter from
the esteemed Leningrad composer Valerian Mikhailovich Bogdaov Berezofsky in
which her rightfully bemoans the fact that his compositions still haven't been
performed in good concerts in good halls in Moscow ... I ask that you, in the
1959-1960 season, in Moscow, in the Great, the Column or the Tchaikovsky Hall,
produce the concert for violin with orchestra by Bogdanov-Berezovsky..."
Estimated Value $1,100-1,300.
Lot 109
Lehar, Franz
(1870-1948) Czech composer best known for The Merry Widow.
Autograph Musical Quotation on Portrait Postcard ("Lehar").
Sepia toned, 3½ x 5½", Vienna, December 20, 1927. Musical
quotation from Lehar's operetta Paganini across breast of portrait.
Minor abrasions to top corners, with minor discoloration to right corner,
otherwise fine condition.
Paganini was the first of six operettas
Lehar wrote in just nine years for tenor Richard Tauber. Lehar (and the
Viennese public) had been enchanted by Tauber's performance in the Lehar's
Frasquita in 1922 and the composer was jolted into a creative frenzy,
writing works to take advantage of Tauber's unique vocal abilities and gift for
characterization. Our beautiful picture finds the composer in the midst of this
fruitful period.
Estimated Value $150-200.
Lot 110
Lehar, Franz. Autograph
Musical Quotation ("F Lehar"). Inscribed on the verso of his calling
card, 3¾ x 2½", Vienna, November 20, 1913. Fine.
An
absolutely beautiful piece!
Estimated Value $100-200.
Lot 111
Prokofiev, Serge
(1891-1953). Composer.
Autograph Note Signed ("Serge
Prokofiev"). In Russian. One page, octavo, Monte Carlo, April 2, 1929.
Being a postcard. To Vladimir Bashkiroff. In blue ink. Light toning and soil
from handling. Else, in fine condition.
Prokofiev writes: "We came
here by car from Paris. We have rehearsed my new ballet [The Prodigal Son]
... I have postponed my trip to Russia ... please write to me in
Paris..." The Prodigal Son became the basis for Prokofiev's Fourth
Symphony.
Estimated Value $1,900-2,300.
Lot 112
Puccini, Giacomo
(1858-1924) Italian composer best known for Manon Lescaut (1893),
La Bohème (1896), Tosca (1900) and Madame Butterfly
(1904). The "King of Verismo," his enormously successful and popular operas
concentrate on everyday life's emotional dramas and passions.
Signed
Photographic Postcard ("Giacomo Puccini / 1913"). Sepia tone, 2¾ x
5", n.p., 1913. Signed in black across chest. Minor nicks at corners, else
fine.
An interesting portrait of the composer as he poses with an
overcoat, umbrella and fedora.
Estimated Value $500-750.
Lot 113
Rachmaninoff, Sergei
(1873-1943) Russian-born composer and pianist, he fled from the Russian
Revolution and settled in the United States. A composer of operas, orchestral
works and songs-- many of them flavored with typical Russian melancholy -- he
remains best known for his dramatic compositions for piano and orchestra.
Signature ("S. Rachmaninoff"). One page, 4 x 2", n.p., n.d.
Clipped signature, black ink on cream stationery. One spot of soil at upper
left corner, lower right corner torn away -- signature not affected. Very good
to fine condition.
Estimated Value $125-150.