Theater

Autograph letter signed by Honoré de Balzac to Sophie Koslowska. 4 pages in black ink on a bifolium.

Usual folds. Very small lacks of paper along the horizontal fold of the first leaf. Published in his Correspondance 1819-1850, II. Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 1875, pp. 31-33.

A long, feverish letter by Balzac, a few days before the premiere of Les Ressources de Quinola at the Odéon theater. The writer writes to his close friend Sophie Kozlowska, daughter of Prince Kozlowski about the chaotic fi­nal preparations, and urges her to fill the theater with all of Paris's Russian high society.

"J'étais fort malade Monsieur, quand vous avez bien voulu m'envoyer votre tragédie du 4e siècle que depuis j'ai vainement cherché votre adresse pour vous écrire tout ce que je pensais de cette tragédie où l'on voit ce me semble tous les sentiments et toutes les pensées d'un homme éclairé et énergique. J'espère que les circonstances me rapprocheront de Paris, et si j'ai l'honneur de vous voir Monsieur, je vous exprimerai ma reconnaissance pour le souvenir que vous avez bien voulu me faire parvenir dans le plus triste exil du monde, en vérité je ne me serais pas doutée qu'Auxerre eut jamais été la demeure d'un esprit aussi distingué que le vôtre" (I was quite ill, Sir, when you were so kind as to send me your tragedy of the 4th century, since which I have sought in vain for your address to write to you all that I thought of this tragedy in which one sees, it seems to me, all the sentiments and all the thoughts of an enlightened and energetic man. I hope that circumstances will bring me closer to Paris, and if I have the honor of seeing you, Sir, I will express to you my gratitude for the remembrance you were so kind as to send me in the saddest exile in the world, truly I would never have suspected that Auxerre had ever been the dwelling of a mind as distinguished as yours).

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on pure thread paper, ours being one of 15 hors commerce copies lettered under Ingres covers, deluxe copies after 2 reimposed on pure thread laid paper hors commerce reserved for Jacques Hébertot and 13 holland paper copies.
Minor marginal tears of no consequence to the covers.
Handsome and rare copy of this response by Albert Camus to Jean-Paul Sartre's "Les mains sales".

Photographic postcard inscribed by Laurent Terzieff to the renowned autograph collector Claude Armand.

Postcard reproducing a black-and-white photograph by Studio Harcourt, showing Laurent Terzieff resting his head on his arms.

Autograph inscription signed by Laurent Terzieff in black ink to the right of the image: "A Claude Armand merci de votre très aimable lettre. L. Terzieff."

Original black-and-white photograph depicting Elvire Popesco in a three-quarter profile.

A handsome print. Vintage print, with the printed stamp of the Nicolas Treatt Studio in Paris on the verso.

Signed in black ink by Elvire Popesco.

Provenance: from the collection of renowned autograph collector Claude Armand.

Black-and-white photographic postcard depicting a young Ludmila Tcherina.

Pinholes to the corners of the card.

Signed autograph inscription by Ludmila Tcherina, in white felt-tip pen, to the prominent autograph collector Claude Armand: "A Claude bien amicalement Tcherina."

Provenance: from the collection of the renowned autograph collector Claude Armand.

Autograph letter dated and signed, one page by Jean-Louis Barrault addressed to Thierry Maulnier (34 lines in blue ink on a recto verso sheet)

Central folds inherent to the mailing, some foxing spots on the letter.

Jean-Louis Barrault, returning from a tour in South America, hastens to respond to Thierry Maulnier in order to consider a radio adaptation and possibly theatrical adaptation of his text Une ville sous la mer: "I do not know if this purity would remain in a theatrical realization, but this confirms to me that you must absolutely give us the opportunity as soon as possible to serve you directly on the theatrical plane."

The theatre man therefore proposes to his correspondent to meet soon to make concrete this nascent project: "I would be happy this winter if we could see each other sometimes and begin this rapprochement which must lead one day soon to a beautiful work by you realized with love on our stage." and invites him to come and absorb the atmosphere of the troupe he directs: "Tell yourself that you are at home at the Marigny. You can drop by at any hour - even during rehearsals. It is the best way to know each other thoroughly."

This project would indeed come to fruition but without the participation of Jean-Louis Barrault: Une ville sous la mer, which became La Ville au fond de la mer, was broadcast on radio by RTF on July 1st, 1950, with as principal interpreters, Maria Casares, Roger Blin and Marcelle Tassencourt, Thierry Maulnier's wife, and Michel Witold. A theatrical adaptation would see the light during the Normandy festival, in Caen in August 1953 with, in the principal roles, Monique Mélinand, Jean Servais, Jean Martinelli and Michel Piccoli.

Autograph letter signed and dated, one page, from Maurice Blanchot addressed to the theater actress Marcelle Tassencourt, wife of Thierry Maulnier, 18 lines in black ink.
Central folds inherent to postal handling, envelope included.

Maurice Blanchot praises the acting performance of Marcelle Tassencourt who created, in 1944, the role of Antigone in Robert Garnier's play directed by her husband, Thierry Maulnier:  "... cette Antigone m'a beaucoup touché. Je ne croyais pas que la beauté des vers y fût capable d'une actrice aussi vivante. Que la vie et le style peuvent être à ce point associés, que l'harmonie engendrât l'horreur, et la beauté le déchirement, c'est que je n'imaginais pas pouvoir ressentir aussi complètement et que la plupart des spectateurs me semblent avoir ressenti autour de moi et chez moi." (... this Antigone moved me greatly. I did not believe that the beauty of the verses could be capable of such a lively actress. That life and style can be so closely associated, that harmony could engender horror, and beauty create heartbreak, is something I never imagined I could feel so completely and that most of the spectators around me and within me seemed to have felt.)

Maurice Blanchot particularly emphasizes the actress's perfect mastery of facial expressions:  "... je penserais qu'il y a en vous le pouvoir de confiner à quelques-uns de vos traits - et en particulier à votre regard - les sentiments que les acteurs en général répartissent et éparpillent mollement dans l'ensemble du visage. Mais ce pouvoir ne s'appelle-t-il pas concentration ? (naturelmement je n'ai rien dit)." (... I would think that you have the power to confine to some of your features - and particularly to your gaze - the feelings that actors in general distribute and scatter weakly across the entire face. But is this power not called concentration? (naturally I have said nothing).)

First edition on ordinary paper, bearing the correct imprint dated 6 May 1959, with the false statement of second edition.
Spine very slightly sunned.
Signed and inscribed by Eugène Ionesco to the stage director, playwright, and writer Simone Benmussa on the half-title.

Complete set of 13 original lithographs by Eugène Delacroix, in first edition, first issue with the letter, one of 20 copies on Chine paper pasted on laid paper:

"It was originally printed in a few proofs on Chine, the format of which exceeds the square line by one or two centimeters. They are highly sought-after, even though they bear the letter" (Robaut).

Bound in the original publisher's brown half-shagreen binding, title gilt stamped on first board, original first cover wrapper preserved. Small restored tear to the margin of the wrapper over 5 cm, sunned spine, joints and corners rubbed, scattered foxing and a dampstain to the lower part of the laid paper on which the lithographs are pasted on, without affecting the lithographs themselves.

Exceptional and rare set of original lithographs by Eugène Delacroix on Chine paper, illustrating Shakespeare's masterpiece.
A cornerstone of Romantic art, this series was "made at M. Delacroix's personal expense. Only 80 copies were printed, 60 on blanc and 20 on chine, and these were sold out at the time of the author's death" (Henri Béraldi).  It is now esteemed as Delacroix's most accomplished graphic undertaking, which took him more than ten years to achieve and generally considered to be one of the first modern livres de peintre.

First edition of the theatrical adaptation.
 
Contemporary binding in red half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands framed by gilt fillets, adorned with double gilt panels and decorative tooling, gilt fillets framing the marbled paper boards, combed paper endpapers and pastedowns, combed edges.
A few stains to the covers, a crisp and clean copy, free of foxing.
 
Signed autograph inscription by George Sand to the actor Fresne : « à monsieur Fresne, souvenirs affectueux. G. Sand. »
Fresne had performed in her play Molière at its premiere at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in 1851. 

First edition, one of 1050 numbered copies on alfa bulky paper.
Publisher's binding after the original design by Paul Bonet.
Handsome copy despite slight traces of sunning at head and foot of spine and to margins of boards.