2113 - 2257 MANUSCRIPTS, AUTOGRAPHS, DOCUMENTS
- Spine discoloured; covers trifle rubbed.
= Unused album amicorum. The binding shows an arch surrounded by trees on the frontcover and children making music, one playing the guitar and the other the flute, on the backcover.
= Official transcript of the document in which the dispute between the "vrijheer van Petten en Nolmerban" and the representatives of the saltworks in Alkmaar regarding the closing of the hole in the Vlakdijk and the obtainment of saltwater from the Northern Sea was settled. It was agreed that the saltworkers were allowed to construct a pipe-line in the Hondsbossche seawall.
- Backstrip dam. at top of spine; frontcover loosening.
= Daniël François van Alphen was a Dutch politician (at the time of writing a government official in the Dutch East Indies) and one of Hieronymus van Alphen's three sons. He laments the untimely death of his two brothers and his feeling of homesickness: "In 1793 verliet ik mijn Vaderland 18 jaaren oud zijnde, mijn oudste broeder was 19 mijn jongste 17 jaaren oud, het scheiden viel mij hard, doch de hoop van hen wederom te zien troostte mij (...) Dan hoe bitter heb ik mij bedrogen (...) - in 1794 ontving ik de treurige tijding van het afsterven van mijn jongste broeder aan de gevolgen van een Zeeuwsche koorts (...) En nu, naa in geen 3 jaaren het minste naricht van mijn ouders ontvangen te hebben, krijg ik de smartelijke tijding, dat mijn altoos beminde oudste broeder naa een langdurige ziekte ook deze wereld heeft verlaten, waar ik alleen overgebleven ben om des te beter te gevoelen de verliezen die ik geleden heb (...)". With his owner's entry on first free endpaper.
- Contents loose; waterstained in outer lower corner and at inner margin throughout; sl. foxed/ soiled.
= This text was published in 1861 in the series Doopsgezinde Bijdragen [oude reeks]. In the manuscript Grahe writes about the period in which he was incarcerated for his religious beliefs. After baptizing themselves, the men were taken to Dusseldörf, were they had to work hard in poor conditions. Throughout the period their belief in God provided them guidance, through songs, preaches and statemens in which the trust in God plays a key role.
1. Two AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED w. printed letterhead of Jeanneret, 1x to "Madame Suter" (Karl Moser's daughter), dated "19 mai 1929", signed once (declining an invitation for a concert by her) and 1x to an unidentified recipient, dated "11 may 1931", signed twice.
= The second letter on his inability to attend an exhibition on his correspondent's oeuvre, due to a trip to Alger; hoping that there will be some good photo's that can give him an impression of the works. Both letters on paper with printed letterhead "Jeanneret achitecte".
2. Cyclostyled invitation for the exposition of the designs by Le Corbusier at le Palais de la Decouverte, to "M Suter", dated 1953 (stamp).
3. ORIGINAL SKETCH DRAWING MONOGRAMMED "L-C" by Le Corbusier, dated "19 aout 52", 21x27 cm.
= Drawn during a meeting of the Board of Design of the United Nations. Le Corbusier was one of the ten members of the committee.
4. Three AUTOGRAPH POSTCARDS SIGNED, each to "Karl Moser", dated between 1927-1929.
= 1. Dated "30 juin [1927] Avignon": "Je sens fortement ceci: après 3 siecles de compromis et d'impurete nous sommes à l'aurore d'un grande époque car nous avons un systeme de structure et des lois scientifiques nous invitant aux plus grandes [illegible], et cela dans la serenite pure du calcul"; 2. Dated "27 oct 1928", from Moscow, concerning his visit and mentioning his acceptance for the design of the Centrosoyuz Building: "Alors voici que j'emporte la commande du palais du Centrosoyuz. Ce cera le plus grand bâtiment construit par la nouvelle Russie. Je rencontre ici partout une sympathie tres vive. Et à la tête des organisations il y a des hommes d'une grande force et d'une grande intelligence. Tout ce que je vois cet très impressionnant"; 3. Undated (±1929), from Rio de Janeiro: "C'est la fin. Le Paquebot a démarré. Le soleil est éblouissant. Seise conférences faites. Une Atmosphère d'intense sympathie. Beau et grand voyage. Horizons neufs. Réalisations proches à grandes échelle. Belle page de ma vie".
5. Five SHORT AUTOGRAPH NOTES SIGNED, all recto only.
= Memories / mottos sent by Le Corbusier to Moser's daughter after the death of her father. Consisting of 4 calendar sheets with Le Corbusier's points of appreciation for Moser and an accompanying note to the daughter thanking her for thinking of him to make this contribution (to an in memoriam?).
6. Carbon copy of a TYPESCRIPT LETTER to "K Moser", dated "10 mars 1928", 1 leaf, on the deception surrounding the debacle concerning the building of the Palace of Nations.
= "L'idée a été battue. Cette fois nous sommes désarmé et c'est fini. Je dis que c'est là une bande cochers qui gouvernent avec les yeux troubles. Ils ne comprennent pas. Ce qui est mélancolique c'est d'admettre que nous sommes gouvérnés en morale, en finance, en esprit intérnational par les mèmes gens. (...) Je suis triste en songeant que ce palais aurait pu être beau. Non pas beau parceque c'est moi qui l 'aurai fait, mais beau parcequ'il aurait été bâti sur la foi, sur le feu de la passion pour l'architecture. Ce sont des cadavres pourris qui le bâtiront! (...) Votre attitude dans cette affaire demeurera pour moi un exemple durable. Je me souviendrai du professeur Moser, en cheveux gris, menant la bataille pour les jeunes. Combien êtes-vous de cette forçe de caractère?"
AND: Moser, K. (1860-1936). One AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED "K Moser" to "Lieber Auguste", dated "16.I.1926", w. the printed letterhead of the League of Nations, mentioning the architectural competition for the erection of a League of Nations building in Geneva. Idem. One AUTOGRAPH POSTCARD SIGNED "K Moser" to "E Moser", dated "Paris 17.V.30". - AND also including i.a. 2 articles by C. ZERVOS from Cahiers d'Art: "Qui batira le Palais des Nations a Genève? Étude-Manifeste de Cahiers d'Arts en faveur d'un project moderne" and "Qui Batira le Palais des Nations? III. La décision de Jury"; 5 photographs showing designs by the S.d.N. (Société des Nations) and a series of 4 albumen photographs mounted on board, each SIGNED by Joseph Vago (one of the members of the design team for the Palais des Nations), titled "Nouvelle Études pour le Palais de la Société des Nations" and dated "1928". Also includes i.a. 13 original photographs of i.a. Karl Moser (1x) and group photographs of Le Corbusier and colleagues discussing the design of the Palace of Nations.
= From the property of Claude Suter, Parisian architect and grandchild of Karl Moser. Karl Moser (1860-1936) was a Swiss architect who was educated at the same school as Berlage, the ETH in Zürich. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Modern Movement in Switzerland and the first president of the Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne which championed rational and functional architecture. He was a dear friend of Le Corbusier, as is clear from the eulogy Le Corbusier wrote after his death (present in the archive). The present archive invites us to see the development of Le Corbusier during his defining years. The archive narrates the pivotal issue concerning the competition for the design of the Palais des Nations in Geneva from the modernist angle through the responses of Le Corbusier, the articles by Zervos and the designs shown by one of the members of the council that actually got to design the building. It shows the clash of the traditionalist architects and the modernists and the struggle that is ensues when the status quo is challenged. SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LIX.
= De Graaff was the secretary of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
- Mount and lower edge of photograph Juan Péron w. glue stains from former sellotape; calligraphy below portrait Juan Péron partly worn away; both mounts w. pinholes in corners and trifle soiled.
= The portrait of Eva Péron is a photograph of her painted state portrait.
= Friendly letters, i.a. on Dutch publications and possible German publications of his work, on exhibitions and on selling prints to Kohn. "(...) Die Ausstellung im "Goethe-Institut" hat mich sehr beeindruckt, ich werde mir alles nochmal an einem ruhigeren Tag ansiehen müssen. Des Wiedersehen von vielen Büchern erfüllte mich mit Wehmut, was waren das doch schwere, drückende Jahre! (...) Merkwürdig, in Deutschland habe ich noch nie meine Schnitte aus den dreissiger Jarhen, der Hitler-Zeit, zeigen können. Der Kunsthandel interessiert sich nur für die Konstruktivistischen Arbeiten aus den zwanziger Jahren. Politik ist noch Tabu (...)" [09/11/1973].
ADDED: printed invitation to the 1977 exhibition Gerd Arntz. Kritische Grafik 1920-1971 und Bildstatistik in Cologne (folded, in orig. envelope addressed to Heinz Kohn).
= Paul Belmondo, French sculptor, expressing his gratitude towards Mr. and Mrs. Suter for their support in some pressing matter, it is not clear which exactly. Perhaps it has something to do with Belmondo's actions during World War II where he actively participated in Groupe Collaboration, an organisation in favor for the collaboration with the nazi's.
= Reply to a commission request of a painting by Berserik: "Zit een beetje met de omstandigheid dat, alles wat ik maak, direct verkoop! [sic] Heb verder een wachtlijst van 12 personen waarvoor ik óf bezig ben, óf voor wie ik nog iets maken moet. Als alles mee zit / en dat zit het niet altijd :'/ kom ik per jaar aan zo'n ± 10 à 12 schilderijen. Ik zou zeggen, trekt U hier uit zelf maar conclusies." In the letter dated 1974 Berserik mentions: "Het spijt me, maar ik ben nog steeds "gesloten". Heb sind [sic] m'n tentoonstelling vorig jaar nog geen schilderij verkocht. Zit het rustig te maken". With a copy of the exhibition catalogue (Hilv., 1973, orig. dec. wr., sm. 8vo).
ADDED: an AUTOGRAPH POSTCARD SIGNED by G. REVE to "Geachte Mejuffrouw Vail Colt", dated "3 September 1970", pen and ink ("Geachte Mejuffrouw Vail Colt, Ja, waarom, denkt U? Of denkt U wel? Sommige mensen begrijpen veel, andere iets, & sommige niets". Torn into 4 pieces).
= Auguste Suter, Swiss sculptor who moved to Paris in 1910 to the Academie Julian to study sculpting. He got to know several young artists and authors in the Parisian cultural world, and later on in the Swiss cultural world too, who were to become important and well known cultural and political figureheads, i.a. the authors Blaise Cendrars and James Joyce, sculptor Louis Weber, the composers Conrad Beck, Florent Schmitt and Hermann Suter, the painters Odette des Garets, Simon Lévy and in the field of politics Otto Braun (Prime-minister of Prussia between 1920-1932) and author Jakob Schaffner (whose friendship with Suter ended later when Schaffner became an advocate of Nazist ideology). August Suter married singer Helene Moser (1893-1965) in 1917 and had three sons. Interesting archive, giving a fine impression of pre-war Swiss artistic and intellectual society and the effects of rising political and economical tensions between the two World Wars.
Apart from some relatively recent correspondence with descendants of Auguste Suter, and a few unidentified authors, the archive contains letters by the following persons: OTTO BRAUN (Prussian politician, 1872-1952) (4 postcards (2x recto and verso) to "Frau Suter"); HERMANN SUTER (Swiss composer and conductor, 1870 - 1926) (6 letters and postcards to "Frau Suter"); PAUL BASILIUS BARTH (painter, 1881-1955) (1 letter to Auguste Suter); CONRAD BECK (Swiss composer, 1901-1989), 4 (post)cards and 5 letters to "Frau Suter"); JAKOB SCHAFFNER (author and communist turned propagandist for Joseph Goebbels, 1875-1944) (23 letters (incl. 6 typescript letters) to August Suter); PAUL CASSIRER (German artdealer and publisher, 1871-1926) (1 typescript letter to Jakob Schaffner); CARL BURCKHARDT (Swiss sculptor, 1878-1923), (2 letters to August Suter); FLORENT SCHMITT (composer, 1870-1858) (2 letters to "madame" (probably Frau Suter)); ROBERT BREITWIESER (French painter, 1899-1975) (1 letter adorned with a watercolour to Auguste Suter, and 1 telegram); HANS REINHARDT (historian, 1902-1984) (drawing in pen and ink on occasion of Auguste Suter's 70th birthday); CARL ALBERT BERNOULLI (theologian, 1868-1937) (1 letter to "Herr Lang"); HANS WEISS (1 photogr. portrait, 1 visiting card, 17 letters and 8 postcards, all to Auguste Suter); SIEGFRIED STREICHER (Swiss journalist and editor, 1893-1966) (4 letters and 12 (post)cards to Helene and Auguste Suter); ODETTE DES GARETS (French painter, 1891-?) (17 letters and 1 visiting card, to Auguste and Helene Suter); FERDINAND HODLER (Swiss painter, 1853-1918) (visiting card w. short unsigned note to ?); ADOLF FREY (Swiss writer and literary historian, 1855-1920) (short note to "Frau Euphemie Moser"); MARCEL POISSON (sculptor, not traced) (1 letter, prob. to Edith Moser); LOUIS LEO WEBER (Swiss sculptor, member of the "Groupe '33", 1891-1972) (1 letter signed with a drawing in pen and ink to Auguste Suter, and 24 drawings in pen and (col.) ink and brush (all probably taken from sketchbooks)); HERMANN HALLER (Swiss sculptor, 1880-1950) (1 letter to Edith Moser (mother Helene Moser)); SIMON LÉVY (painter, 1886-1973) (9 letters and 14 (post)cards, all to Auguste and Helene Suter) and HENRI G. CHEVAL (French artist, 1897-1976) (watercolour signed, 10 letters (9x to Auguste Suter, 1x to "Chère Madame", 6x signed "Toto"), a signed greeting to Auguste Suter on a piece of cardboard and an issue of Information Artistique (October 1957) containing an article on the artist with SIGNED dedication to Auguste Suter). SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXI.
= Herman Gentili was director general of the Erste Allgemeine Österreichische Unfall-Versicherungsgesellschaft. Some names: Max Steiner (composer of i.a. the music to the movie of Gone with the Wind), Rose Highsinger (Rosa Hochsinger), Rudolf Krueger (artist), Fanny Schreiber (singer of Jewish music), Marcella Mayer (actress), Friedrich Herz (pacifist), Dr. Maxim Steiner (physician to Freud) and Heinrich York-Steiner (early zionist).
= [In Russian:] "With tender love and warm temperament, a gift of remembrance to amazingly close-to-heart people! Enchanting and wise Klarotchka Arnol'dovna and the brightly talented Tikhon Nikolaevitch Khrennikov [signature]. 2/III/1950 Moscow". Russian ballet dancer Viktorina Kriger performed in numerous countries. She danced in the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow until 1948.
= Edward Léonard was a Flemish nationalist and brother of the modernist artist and designer Jos Léonard. After World War I he was one the instigators of the Belgian Tourist Association (Vlaamse Toeristen Bond). The letters are mostly to his wife. I.a. articles on architecture and art.
- Wax seal lacks portion; vellum on verso trifle (finger)soiled.
= Deed of resale to the "vrouwe van het Onze Vrouwengasthuys te Mechelen", for the benefit of said "gasthuys" of a "erfflike rente van Twintich Scellinghe oude groten Tournoys" or "driendartich grote Brabants" per year, on the condition of a yearly expense of "tien mottoenen" on weekly masses in their chapel for Bavel van Stakenbroec, widow of Gheerd vander Hoeven, as well as "een Rijns gulden voor Babels jaargetijde in de kerk van het begijnhof te Mechelen" except for when "Ume vander Elst", the daughter of Babel, enters in the "gasthuys", she will then yearly receive "vier gouden Pieters" for the remainder of her life.
- Formerly folded twice; tipped-in at corners. = SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LX.
- Large closed tear.
- Upper hinge weak; trifle soiled; one leaf portion torn off. Foot of spine dam.; covers sl. rubbed; corners sl. bumped.
= With an owner's entry of Joannes Borns, dated 1774, on first leaf. Various geographical topics, such as the horizon and the equator are being discussed, so most likely it concerns a notebook in which annotations from different books have been written down for study purposes.
- First quire loose; occas. trifle browned/ foxed; contemp. owner's entry/ scribblings on two blank pages. Binding rubbed, w. a few tiny wormholes in backstrip.
= Very rich collection of devotional texts, "zur Verehrung deß bitter Leijden Christi, und Mutter Gottes Maria dan allen H. Angeln, als auch verschidenen H.H. Gottes: mittelst überauß krafftigen Morgen, Abends Meeß Beicht und Communion wie auch Officijs, Litaneijen, und allerhand schönen Gebettern" (continuation title), in a well-legible hand (occas. in Sütterlin). Pp. 666-688 are numbered but otherwise without text. The large number of plates consists of mainly German/ Austrian devotional images (some engraver's/ publisher's names: Elias Neffenthaler, A. and J. Schmuzer, F.L. Schmitner, J. du Pont (publ. in Paris) and "Wienn beym Kupferstecher dem Kay. Ball-Hauss hinüber"). "GroßCom(m)orn" is probably the town Komárom/ Komárno, situated between Bratislava and Budapest.