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Hôtel Le Métropole Monte-Carlo 4, avenue de la Madone 98000 Monaco, Monaco
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Lot 779 - LEWIS CARROLL (1832-1898) (author) JOHN TENNIEL (1820-1914) (illustrator) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland [and] Through The Looking-Glass And What Alice Found There. London, Macmillan and Co. Limited, 1932. - 8vo. 2 vols; publisher’s red cloth with triple-line panels to sides enclosing pictorial roundels to all 4 boards, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, all edges gilt; pp. [xiv] + 195 + [i]; [xvi] + 227 + [i] + [2], adverts.; with a total of 92 fine illustrations after the original wood-engravings by Tenniel; clean and attractive copies forming a convincing pair, with a gentle patina of age, uniform fading to spines, light overall rubbing, and some pinkish bleed to lower margin of front pastedown of Wonderland, otherwise internally clean and sound throughout. Sold with a loosely-inserted 3-page autograph letter signed in ink by illustrator John Tenniel on laid headed notepaper “10, Portsdown Road, Maida Hill, W.”, watermarked Parkins & Gotto, and dated April 1, 1901, addressed to the British poet and critic William Cosmo Monkhouse (18 March 1840-20 July 1901) just 3 months before the recipient’s death: “Dear Mr. Monkhouse….”. He thanks him for sending the monograph, which he describes as “excellent in every way” (presumably an article in the Art Journal of 1901 which was published on the announcement of the artist’s retirement). Tenniel then, however, confesses to “a feeling of disappointment” in that “Three of the Selected Cartoons have been discarded, without consulting me, to be substituted by the 3 wretched ones of the late Queen, which were not in the list of subjects at all”. His work, he bemoans, is represented “at its very worst, whereas the idea and desire was of course to show it at its very best!”. He goes on to ask for Monkhouse’s opinion on the decision which “quite spoils the book!!!”. In his respected biography of the artist “Sir John Tenniel, Alice’s White Knight” (Scolar Press) the author Rodney Engen refers to Monkhouse’s survey of Tenniel’s career as “lightweight” being “long on illustrations and short on critical comments”. In Engen’s opinion its contribution lies in the fact that it includes Tenniel’s personal choice of artwork. Fascinatingly this letter debunks that notion and is also characteristic, in its tone, of the artist’s fastidious and exacting nature. Famously Tenniel was unhappy with the printing of his wood-engraved illustrations in the first edition of Alice, in 1865, which led to the edition being pulled and the original sheets being sent to Appleton & Co. in the United States.

Estim. 3 500 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 799 - 19TH CENTURY. PERSONALITIES CONNECTED WITH SAINT PETERSBURG AND RUSSIA. 7 Autograph letters, addressed to Doctor Dreyfus in Paris. 1835-1838-1839-1840-1842-1843. In French - CONSUL GENERAL OF FRANCE IN ST. PETERSBURG 1) Letter from the Consul General of France and Chancellor of the Embassy in St.Petersburg. Autograph letter signed, addressed to ‘Mon Cher Docteur’. N.p. 26 December 1839 ? (top left), 26 December 1834 (bottom left). 2 p. with horizontal mailing fold, small holes (without affecting the text). 18.7 x 11.7 cm NICOLAS-JOSEPH MAISON (1771-1840) 2) Letter from Marshal Maison Autograph letter to Doctor Dreyfus. St. Petersburg, 23 January 1835. 1 p. double leaf, traces of horizontal mailing folds, folds at the top and bottom of the left margin, small tears on the right and left margins at the level of the central fold, and small holes (without affecting the text). 20.4 x 13.5 cm PRINCE DOLGOROUKY 3) Letter from Prince Dolgorouky Autograph letter signed ‘Dolgorouky’, addressed to Monsieur le Docteur Dreyfus. N.p. 20 June 1835. 1 p. double leaf, trace of horizontal mailing fold, small stains and small pinholes at bottom left (without affecting the text). 20.3 x 12.7 cm Handwritten envelope with name of addressee, red wax stamp on reverse, small holes. 10.8 x 13 cm PAVEL DEMIDOV (1798-1840) 4) Autograph letter signed ‘Pavel Demidov’, addressed to ‘Mon Cher Monsieur Dreyfus’. Florence 16/28 April 1838 1 p. double sheet, traces of mailing folds, creased, small tears, small holes (without affecting the text). 25.2 x 20.5 cm 5) Autograph letter signed ‘Pavel Demidov’, addressed to ‘Mon cher Monsieur Dreyfus’. Naples 4/16 March 1839 2 p. double sheet, traces of mailing folds, creased, small stains (without affecting the text). 21.6 x 17.3 cm FÉLIX ÉDOUARD COMTE DE SERCEY (1802-1881) 6) Letter from the Comte de Sercey, French chargé d'affaires in St.Petersburg Autograph letter signed ‘E.Sercey’, addressed to Monsieur le Docteur Dreyfus in Paris. Paris, 19th December 1842. 1 p. double sheet, dry stamp top left, mailing folds, small tears right and left margins at the central fold, small pinholes at the bottom left margin (without affecting the text). 22.7 x 18.7 cm Handwritten envelope with postmarks, red wax stamp on reverse. 11 x 13.2 c ‘I am pleased to be able to give you, ... a token of my feelings of esteem and affection by attesting to the services you have rendered to our compatriots in St.Petersburg and the honourable position you occupied in that city...’. COUNT OF SAINTE-ALDEGONDE 7) The Marshal of Camp commanding the department of Vaucluse Autograph letter signed ‘Cte de Ste Aldegonde’, addressed to Monsieur le Docteur. Avignon, 21 February 1843 1 p.1/2, double sheet, dry stamp top left, traces of mailing folds, small tears right margin at the central fold, and small holes (without affecting the text). 23.4 x 19 cm ‘… You cared for me in Russia and I learned nothing about you that was not worthy of praise... Only slander could try to cast blame on what you were or what you did in Russia...’.

Estim. 200 - 300 EUR