Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 30

Manuscript and Collectibles Auction

Composers

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1307		Berlin, Irving (1888-1989) Probably the most versatile and popular American songwriter of the 20th century; published over 1500 songs. Photograph Signed in light blue ink on the keyboard of the piano at which Berlin sits, n.p., n.d., 10 x 8 in. Photographer's stamp: "Vandamm / N.Y." at lower right. Diagonal crease at lower right and a couple of other tiny blemishes, else very good. Berlin wrote "God Bless America," "White Christmas," "Easter Parade," and many other American favorites. Estimated Value $350 - 450. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $288
Lot 1308		Bond, Carrie Jacobs (1862-1946) Songwriter, composer, and publisher; first woman composer to earn over $1 million. Two items signed by Carrie Jacobs-Bond and dated 1941: "How I Came To Write A Perfect Day," and the lyrics to "A Perfect Day." This song sold over 5 million copies and is still popular today. Estimated Value $125 - 175. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1309		Comden, Betty & Adolph Green. Sheet Music for "New York, New York" Signed on the cover by the lyricists for this very famous song, "Betty Comden" "& Adolph Green." Published in 1945 by M. Witmark & Sons, New York. The song was written for the popular Broadway musical, "On the Town" with music by Leonard Bernstein, choreography by Jerome Robbins, and directed by George Abbott. A very successful movie (1949) starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra was made from the musical. "New York, New York" is still enormously popular today. Estimated Value $250 - 300. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1310		Handy, W.C (1873-1958) The "Father of the Blues." Sheet Music Signed "W.C. Handy 7-21-'32" on the cover of "Way Down South Where the Blues Began," published in 1932 by Handy Brothers Music Co. Inc., New York. On the back cover, "Five Indigo Successes! by W.C. Handy 'The originator of the Blues'" are offered for sale at 40¢ each: "Loveless Love," "Beale Street Bues," "Yellow Dog Blues," "The Hesitating Blues," and "Wall Street Blues." Handy was a prolific composer. His most famous song, "Saint Louis Blues," was published in 1914. Very fine. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $456
Lot 1311		Kern, Jerome (1885-1945) American composer; composed nearly 700 songs for 117 shows and films. Typed Letter Signed on a card printed with a caricature of his left profile (Los Angeles), December 15, 1944, 4 x 5¼ in. Written the year before his death, thanking Miss Betty Mulliner for participating in a surprise birthday party for him. "Less formal, perhaps not so polite, but much more natural, are my warm thanks for giving me a selfish personal thrill." Boldly signed. With transmittal envelope. Miss Milliner would later marry Norman Luboff, of the famous choir. Estimated Value $350 - 450. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1312		Lerner, Alan Jay (1918-1996) Sheet Music Signed "Alan Jay Lerner." The song, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life," (Leo Feist inc., N.Y., 1951) was sung by Jane Powell and Fred Astaire in the M-G-M movie "Royal Wedding." Lerner composed the lyrics to the song. Burton Lane, who wrote the music, also signed the front cover. A couple of small stains, else fine. Estimated Value $100 - 125. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $58
Lot 1313		Nevin, Ethelbert & Poulenc, Francis-Jean. Ethelbert Nevin (1862-1901) American composer of sentimental parlor songs and piano pieces. Rare Autograph Letter Signed, Oct. 321, 1898, 1p. quarto. In part: "I have found very few corrections to be made….of late years - unless a very intricate phrase occurs - I have found that every teacher prefers to give his ideas. I have found the phrasing unusually well done." Francis-Jean Poulenc (1899-1963) French composer. Autograph Note Signed "Poulenc" May 3, n.y., regretting that he must decline an invitation because he is leaving for Holland. Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $345
Lot 1314		Paderewski, Ignace J (1860-1941) Polish composer and noted concert pianist; the first President of Poland. Photograph Signed and Inscribed, "with every good wish and thanks of I.J. Paderewski, n.p., n.d., 5½ x 3½ in. A postcard photograph, signed in black ink across Paderewski's chest. Fine. Estimated Value $300 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $252
Lot 1315		Puccini, Giacomo (1858-1924) Italian opera composer; his popular successes include La Bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), and Madama Butterfly (1904). Autograph Letter Signed ("Puccini") on stationery headed "Via Verdi, 4, Milano," December 23 (19)07, 1p, 9¼ x 5¾ in. Hurriedly written in red ink, in Italian, to "Pavone," regarding two gold crowns. The ink is somewhat faded but legible. Matted with a dashing photo of Puccini and framed to an overall size of 28½ x 14½ in. Estimated Value $500 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $690
Lot 1316		Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937) French composer of operas, ballets, orchestral works, piano concertos, chamber music, piano music and vocal music. Rare Photograph Signed and Inscribed, "à Madame Virginia Dadswell Sturm / Maurice Ravel / 28/3/28," n.p., 10 x 8 inches. A dapper, chest-up portrait of the composer smoking a cigarette as he looks into the camera. Small tear at upper edge, easily matted and framed out and not affecting image or inscription, and a few scattered white flecks in emulsion, barely affecting image. Image is a little dark, with some silvering. Boldly signed and inscribed. Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,990
Lot 1317		Rodgers, Richard (1902-1979) Composer of musical theater, best known for his song-writing partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II; he wrote more than 900 published songs and 40 Broadway musicals. A collection of four Richard Rodgers letters, three to columnist Walter Winchell, Signed "Dick" and one to Henry DePanFils at Dunhill's Signed "Richard Rodgers." All are one page, typewritten. A 1951 letter thanks Winchell for not running an item on Rodgers' daughter Mary in his column. Rodgers notes that he and his wife "are not sympathetic toward the step the child has taken but she is entitled to her own life…." Two other letters regard a brouhaha that began with a 1961 article in Harper's Magazine by Helen Hanff (copy included), misquoting Walter Winchell as having said, "No legs, no jokes, no chance," when he first saw the musical "Oklahoma!" The quote was actually made by Mike Todd in a bawdier form, but the mistake was perpetuated in theater lore and Celeste Holm, who starred in the show, quoted it in a 1968 article in LOOK magazine (copy included). Winchell and Rodgers both wrote Letters to the Editor (included) to correct the misquotation. In a March 29, 1968 letter to Winchell, Rodgers informs Winchell that he has written to LOOK: "…I feel just as deeply about this misquotation as you do and I hope this will help to put an end to it…." On September 5, 1968, Rodgers writes Winchell again, saying that he received no acknowledgment of the March letter, and wondering "if you saw the letter in the May 19th issue of LOOK." A copy of Winchell's reply is included. The letter to DePanFils thanks him for a birthday card and a verse he composed for Rogers' birthday. Also included is a two-page letter from Dorothy Rodgers to Winchell, thanking him for flowers sent when Dick was operated on. With a three-page typewritten article by Walter Winchell about his long-time relationhip with Richard Rodgers, to be used during an awards ceremony. Estimated Value $900 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $570
Lot 1318		Rodgers, Richard (1902-1979) Typed Letter Signed "Dick" on personal letterhead, New York, February 23, 1967, 1p., 10½ x 7¼ in. To novelist and playwright Edna Ferber, dishing some dirt on film and stage producer Joshua Logan and others. In part: "…The Logan interview amuses me but I don't find it surprising. The same account credits our boy with having written 'Mr. Roberts' and doesn't mention Tom Heggen, the author of the novel and the play, any more than Oscar and I are mentioned in connection with 'South Pacific'….Leland Hayward's stationery mentions 'South Pacific' as one of his many productions. It was produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein and Hayward had a piece of it. It's all part of the same approach that used to turn every chorus girl into a Floradora girl and every little dancer into a Ziegfeld girl. It should be gratifying to both of us to know that this is a snappy correspondence between George Sand and Mozart." Whew! After these sizzling comments, he adds some delightful personal lines to Miss Ferber. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $600
Lot 1319		Wagner, Richard (1813-1883) German composer. Autograph Letter Signed ("Rich. Wagner"), Paris, February 21, 1861, 3 pp, 5½ x 4 in. To Joseph Tichatschek (1807-1886), dramatic tenor who created the role of Rienzi in 1842 and Tannhäuser in 1845. Wagner addresses a problem that both Tichatschek and Albert Niemann (who was going to perform the role of Tannhauser in the Paris production, then in rehearsal and due to open on March 13th) were having with the finale of the second act of Tannhauser: the tenors claimed that the passage was too demanding on their voices, not leaving them strong enough for the third act. Against his better judgment, Wagner had made some cuts, but in this letter, he tells Tichatschek that he has found the solution. The letter is in fine condition; with transmittal envelope and translation. In full: "My dear Ticheck! Don't be angry about my long silence and excuse it due to my excessive work burden. I wish to make an urgent request, based on our friendship. Please examine in the second-act finale of Tannhäuser, Adagio, the following passage: 'Zum Heil den Sündigen zu führen!' Only now I know why it made no effect at the time and I eliminated it. I have now corrected my mistake, this way: This whole passage must be sung by Tannhäuser Solo: no ensemble with him. That way it makes an enormous impression. Please, let this be arranged for you (it is indicated exactly in the engraved score) and sing it from now on in this way in all performances. It will be of some strain but - you are accustomed to that1 Sing it with the greatest energy as if you had nothing to sing any more afterwards and 1. you will make a tremendous impression with it, and 2. you will achieve a completely personal triumph for me and for yourself. I shall not tell you anything further! See you again next summer! Auf Wiedersehen! Next week, Tannhauser at last will be given here. Many cordial regards from your Rich. Wagner." Tannhäuser was the first opera by Wagner produced by the Paris Opera. It was ordered by Emperor Napoleon III under the influence of Princess Metternich, wife of the Austrian ambassador. After months of preparation, with more than 150 preliminary rehearsals, and eight full rehearsals, there were three performances on March 13, 18, and 24. At all three performances, the young aristocrats of the Jockey Club, wanting to humiliate Wagner and his patrons, blew whistles and created a disturbance, drowning out the opera. It was subsequently withdrawn and Wagner left Paris. Estimated Value $4,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $3,360
Lot 1320		Composers and Performers. Lot of four signatures, two with Musical Quotations. Leopold Auer has penned a few notes above his signature, as has Ossip Gabrilowitsch. Mischa Elman and Efrem Zimbalist sign boldly, both in 1929. Minor toning, some corners show mounting scars. Overall, very good to fine. Estimated Value $125 - 1,150. View details	Realized $108