TENOR

[‘Mr Flotsam and Mr Jetsam’ (musical duo B. C. Collingwood and Malcom McEachern).] Autograph Signature, with stylized self-portrait, of ‘Flotsam’ (Bentley Collingwood Hilliam), tenor, pianist and songwriter.

Author: 
‘Mr Flotsam and Mr Jetsam’ [Bentley Collingwood Hilliam [born Smailes] (1890-1968), English tenor, pianist and songwriter, and Malcolm McEachern (1883-1945), Australian bass]
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£50.00

‘Mr Flotsam and Mr Jetsam’ are regarded as precursors of Flanders and Swan. The present item is on a 14 x 13 cm leaf torn from an album. The high-acidity paper is discoloured, otherwise in good condition, with no chipping or wear. Entirely blank on both sides apart from the autograph ‘Flotsam’, with diagonal flourish, beneath a highly stylized and simplified portrait of flotsam seated at his piano. A nice and unusual item. See Image

[Richard Tauber, Austrian tenor singer and film actor.] Autograph Signature to publicity photograph of ‘Richad Tauber / als Schubert / im “Dreimädlhaus”’.

Author: 
Richard Tauber (1891-1948), Austrian tenor singer and film actor [Atelier Schneider, Berlin photographers]
Publication details: 
Inscribed by Tauber ‘1931 / London’. Printed at foot: ‘Atelier Schneider, Berlin phot.’
£25.00

8 x 11 cm collotype print on 9 x 14 cm postcard, with caption (‘Richard Tauber / als Schubert / im “Dreimädlhaus”’) and publication details in blank space at foot. Tauber has signed emphatically, between two lines, at the foot of the card: ‘Richard Tauber / 1931 / London’. In good condition, lightly aged, but with dink to bottom-left corner, affecting neither image nor signature. Depicts Tauber, in the character of a bespectacled Franz Schubert, seated before a dark background. Scan on application.

[Sir George Power, operatic D’Oyly Carte tenor in Gilbert and Sullivan productions.] Autograph Letter Signed to ‘Mrs Lane’, inviting her to join a ‘small orchestra’ which his friend Rev. Eric O. Norman is forming.

Author: 
Sir George Power (1846-1928), tenor in early D'Oyly Carte productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, including Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance
Publication details: 
16 April [1920]; on letterhead of 31 Addison Road, Kensington, W.14 [London].
£45.00

2pp, 12mo. Seventeen lines of text, with a few lines and the signature written lengthwise on the second page. On bifolium. Accompanied by the letter’s stamped and postmarked envelope, addressed by Power to ‘Mrs Lane / 67 Addison Road / W14’. (Note that she lives in the same street.) Both letter and envelope in good condition, lightly aged. Letter folded once. Signed ‘Geo. Power’. He explains that a friend of his, Rev. Eric O. Norman’, ‘who is a fine musician & pianist is trying to get together a small orchestra for a concert on the 24th. May’ and he wonders whether she would ‘care to join’.

[Sims Reeves, English operatic tenor.] Autograph Note Signed (‘J. Sims Reeves’) in response to a request for an autograph.

Author: 
Sims Reeves [John Sims Reeves] (1821-1900), English operatic tenor
Reeves
Publication details: 
June 1872. On letterhead with monogram of his initials, and address Grange Mount, Upper Norwood.
£56.00
Reeves

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Even towards the end of his life Bernard Shaw could remark that ‘he can still leave the next best tenor in England an immeasurable distance behind’. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of mount to inner margin. Folded once. Very nice embossed letterhead, printed in gold, brown, green and red, with bird perched on top of a treble clef, entwined with foliage and a twisted branch in the shape of the ‘R’ of ‘Reeves’. Reads: ‘Sir / This autograph with pleasure, according to your request / Yours faithfully / June 1872 / J. Sims Reeves’.

[Albert Saléza, French tenor opera singer.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Alb. Saléza’), in French, asking ‘Monsieur Forsythe’ to secure him ‘le plus grand nombre de places possible’ for a production (his own?) that evening.

Author: 
Albert Saléza (1867-1916), French tenor opera singer
Publication details: 
18 June 1900; no place [London?].
£56.00

2pp, 12mo. On bifolium. Folded once. The first page is scored through in ink, with pencil annotations at head. The final page, with Saléza’s signature, is unmarked. He asks him for as many seats as possible for that evening. He would like ‘une bonne loge, deux Stalls et plusieurs petites places’. He will pass by the office to collection, and asks for them to be left in his name.

[Albert Saléza, French tenor opera singer.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Alb. Saléza’), in French, asking ‘Monsieur Menager’ to secure him ‘deux places pour ma femme et une de ses amies’ at the Opéra that evening.

Author: 
Albert Saléza (1867-1916), French tenor opera singer
Publication details: 
11 July 1906; on letterhead of the Hotel Cecil, Strand, WC [London].
£56.00

1p, 12mo. On bifolium. In fair condition, with two pencil notes at head, one in orange. Folded twice. He hopes he is not abusing the kindness of 'Monsieur Menager' (i.e. the house manager) by asking for two seats, for his wife and her friend, as they would like to go to the opera that night. After terminating the letter in the customary Gallic fashion, he adds a postscript asking for the reply to be left with the porter.

[ Agnes Nicholls, English soprano, and Ben Davies, Welsh tenor. ] Autograph Signatures on leaf from album.

Author: 
Agnes Nicholls (1876-1959), English operatic soprano; Ben Davies (1858-1943), Welsh operatic tenor with the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated.
£50.00

Written one above the other on one side of a pink 12mo leaf of paper removed from an album. In fair condition, aged and worn, with small square of tape staining at head, and some light offsetting of ink over Nicholls' signature. Reads: 'Yours sincerely | Ben Davies.' and 'In remembrance of | Agnes Nicholls'.

[ Richard Tauber, operatic tenor. ] 34 letters to him, almost all from German correspondents, including material relating to films and a charity concert. With unsigned copies of four of his replies. Also printed libretto of his musical 'Old Chelsea'

Author: 
Richard Tauber [ born Richard Denemy, also called Ernst Seiffert ] (1892-1948), Austrian operatic tenor
Publication details: 
From England, Germany and Austria. Between 1928 and 1935. Libretto published in London in 1943.
£650.00

Six of the letters are in autograph, the rest are typewritten, as are the carbons of the five letters from Tauber. Letters and copies total 49pp. All substantial letters, with content. The following description is divided into four parts. ONE: Thirteen letters, and a copy of one by Tauber, dating from between 1932 and 1934, all relating to the film industry. Correspondents are: Crescendo Theaterverlag, Berlin (regarding 'Die Dubarry'); Sonor-Film-Verwertungs, Berlin; Bosna-Film, Zagreb; Slaviafilm, Prague; and five letters, all from 1934, concerning the film 'Blossom Time', from the firm B.

[ John Braham, opera singer ] Autograph Letter Signed "J. Braham" to unnamed correspondent (theatre manager?), an interesting letter about an engagement offered, giving terms, and incidentally his imminent marriage.

Author: 
John Braham, (c.?1774–1856), tenor opera singer
Publication details: 
No place [context = Manchester], 10 Nov. 1816.
£125.00

One page, 4to, pasted to card frame, grubby and stained but text readable and complete. "I confess your offer to be liberal in the extreme - and if [excision] I possibly can,will be with you about the second week in January - I am now interestingly engaged being on the point of marriage with a young lady of this place (Manchester) therefore the excuse of 'being married and can't come' (at least these 2 months) must in this case be valid - Have the goodness to send the agreeement [...] to me at T. Wilson Esq.

[ Sims Reeves, English operatic tenor. ] Autograph Signature ('J. Sims Reeves') with note to autograph hunter.

Author: 
Sims Reeves [ John Sims Reeves ] (1821-1900), English operatic tenor
Publication details: 
'En route | Royal Hotel Cardiff'. 21 April 1876.
£28.00

1p., 12mo. In very good condition, lightly-aged, with parts of red wax wafer at each corner. Reads 'En route | Royal Hotel Cardiff | Sir | Here is my autograph according to your wish. | Yours faithfully | J. Sims Reeves | April 21st. 1876.' Good, strong signature, with a final flourish continuing in a circle, and enclosign the whole of it.

[Dame Eva Turner, English soprano.] Two Autograph Letters Signed and two Autograph Cards Signed (all 'Eva') to Geoffrey Child. The letters concerning LP recordings of her music, and piracies by 'Bill Smith', with reference to Giovanni Martinelli.

Author: 
Dame Eva Turner (1892-1990), English soprano [Giovanni Martinelli (1885-1969), Italian tenor; Geoffrey Child]
Publication details: 
First letter: Michigan, 4 July 1957. Second letter: Oklahoma, 22 September 1957. Cards from 1960 and 1962.
£135.00

All four items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. All four in a bold, expansive hand. The two letters accompanied by their envelopes, addressed to Child in London. Letter One: Address: 'c/o Mr & Mrs G. W. Williams, | 615 East Genesee, | Saginaw | Michigan. U.S.A.' 4 July 1957. 4pp., 4to. She is 'on the first lap of my Vacation' and has asked 'Anne' to contact him. 'During the University year I am so frightfully taxed for time - my own correspondence and my personal affairs suffer in consequence and are perforce relegated to the background.

Autograph Letter Signed from John Coates to Miss Hood, explaining why he could not sing the song 'Nancy's Hair' at Preston.

Author: 
John Coates (1865-1941), leading English tenor
Publication details: 
On letterhead of [11] Beaufort House, Chelsea, SW3 [London]. 26 January 1925.
£65.00

2pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He writes that he is sorry that he could not sing the song 'Nancy's Hair' at Preston. He had not brought it: '(I only got your letter on arrival at the concert hall.) Funnily enough I picked it up before leaving home to put in my case as a possible encore & then put it back.' He is 'delighted to know that your mother liked my singing of it, I most certainly enjoy singing it & I hope to be able to help it along'.

Autograph Signatures of the Welsh tenor Gwynn Parry Jones ('Parry Jones') and Anglo-Australian organist Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball ('G. G. Thalben-Ball'), the last of whom has depicted the recipient Dr H. C. L. Stocks as a bar of music.

Author: 
Gwynn Parry Jones (1891-1963), Welsh tenor; Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball (1896-1987), Anglo-Australian organist [Harold Carpenter Lumb Stocks (1884-1956), organist of St Asaph Cathedral]
Publication details: 
Neither item with place. Thalben-Ball's signature dated 22 May 1941.
£56.00

On one side of a 16 x 20 cm piece of light-green paper, removed from an album. In good condition, lightly-aged. Thalben-Ball's signature is the upper of the two, and reads 'To | [bar of music in 3/4 time] | G. G. Thalben-Ball | 22. v. 41'. Parry's signatuer is towards the centre of the page, and simply reads 'Parry Jones.' From album which also contained the signatures of many performers at the Denbigh Eisteddford in 1939.

Photograph from magazine signed Jan Kubelik, on detached leaf of album.

Author: 
Jan Kubelik, Czech violinist and composer, and others.
Jan Kubelik, Czech violinist and composer, and others.
Publication details: 
[Stoke-on-Trent, 25 Nov. 1921]
£35.00
Jan Kubelik, Czech violinist and composer, and others.

Leaf detached from album, some staining, complete and clear. On one side a photographic portrait of jan Kubelik which he has signed and which has been annotated with the above place and date. Overleaf appear the signatures of Phyllis Neilson-Terry, actress and the Russian tenor, Stefan Bielina, dated by him 9/12 1921.

Signatures on detached album leaf of Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor and others

Author: 
Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor and others
Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor
Publication details: 
[Stoke-on-Trent, no date, c.1920?]
£85.00
Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor

Page detached from album, some wear and tear but no losses, which contained numerous autographs provided at performances in Stoke mainly in the 1920s. One side of the leaf has the signatures of Agnes Nicholls Harty, Hamilton Harty, an illegible, and Frank Mullings, while overleaf are the signatures of John Booth, Margaret Balfour and Andrew Clayton.

Signatures on detached album leaf of members of the Kedroff Quartet.

Author: 
Kedroff Quartet [vocal quartet]
Kedroff Quartet [vocal quartet]
Publication details: 
[Stoke-on-Trent], 19 Jan. 1926
£125.00
Kedroff Quartet [vocal quartet]

Page detached from album, 17 x 14cm, good condition, headed Kedroff Quartet, with signatures, as far as I can make out, T. Kasakoff, Const Kedroff, J.. Denisoff, N. Kedroff, dated 19.1.1926.

Bold signatures of Paul Robeson and his accompanist and arranger, Lawrence Brown, on detached album leaf.

Author: 
Paul Robeson, African American concert singer (bass-baritone), recording artist, athlete and actor AND Lawrence Brown, pianist and arranger.
Bold signatures of Paul Robeson and his accompanist and arranger, Lawrence Brown
Publication details: 
1930
£100.00
Bold signatures of Paul Robeson and his accompanist and arranger, Lawrence Brown

Page detached from an album, 17 x 14cm, slightly foxed, mainly good condition, inscribed Every good wish | Paul Robeson | [Mar?] 1930 | Lawrence Brown. Note from wikipedia: Robeson and his accompanist and arranger Lawrence Brown were the first to bring spirituals to the concert stage; their association lasted through four decades.

Autograph Signature ('Steuart Wilson').

Author: 
Sir James Steuart Wilson (1889-1966), English tenor and musical administrator
Publication details: 
Undated.
£30.00

On a fragment, roughly 11 x 16 cm, of a page of laid paper from a diary. Good, on lightly aged paper. Two signatures, under the heading 'July 22': 'Spencer <?> | Steuart Wilson.' Lightly docketed in pencil.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Mischa-Léon'), in English, to 'M. Rosing' [Vladimir Rosing].

Author: 
Mischa-Léon' ['Mischa Leon'] [Harry Haurowitz (1889-?)], Danish tenor, Monte Carlo Opera [his wife Pauline Lightstone Donalda (1882-1970), 'Madame Donalda'; Russian tenor Vladimir Rosing (1890-1963)]
Publication details: 
London. Monday. [no date]'.
£65.00

8vo, 3 pp. Bifolium with dimensions of leaf 18.5 x 14 cm. Good, on slightly grubby and lightly creased paper. Small slip of paper mount adhering to one margin (not affecting text). Written in a bold and distinctive hand. He will not be able to make 'an appearance with "Lhada" [?]' as he is 'sorry to see that I am in Brighton the 22nd and 23rd of April, where I sing with Madame Donalda'.

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