Back

Sothebys: Fine Autograph Letters and Manuscripts from a Distinguished Private Collection. Part 1: Music

Auction Reports

Auction Name Fine Autograph Letters and Manuscripts from a Distinguished Private Collection. Part 1: Music Total Sales (GBP) 924,201.00
Auction Date October 26, 2017 - October 26, 2017 Low Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) 708,000.00
Sale Number #L17413 High Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) 967,600.00
Total Lots 163
Sold Lots 100 Low Estimate of All Lots (GBP) 1,214,900.00
% of Lots Sold 61.35% High Estimate of All Lots (GBP) 1,606,200.00
Unsold Lots 63 Total Sales as a % of High Est. 57.54%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Lot Number Author Name Book Title Year Published Estimate Actual Price
11 Brahms, Johannes, (1833-1897)

AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE "GEISTLICHES WIEGENLIED", OP.91 NO.2, FOR CONTRALTO, VIOLA AND PIANO, THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF 1864, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED AT THE END BY THE COMPOSER

 1864 GBP 200,000.00 - 250,000.00 GBP 224,750.00
25 Chopin, Frédéric, (1810-1849)

AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE OPENING OF THE ÉTUDE OP.25 NO.2, IN A-FLAT MAJOR, SIGNED AND DATED ("PARIS CE 28 AVRIL F. CHOPIN")

 GBP 100,000.00 - 150,000.00 GBP 112,500.00
137 Verdi, Giuseppe, (1813-1901)

AUTOGRAPH WORKING MANUSCRIPT OF A SCENE FROM ERNANI

 1844 GBP 100,000.00 - 150,000.00 GBP 112,500.00
122 Schumann, Robert, (1810-1856)

UNRECORDED AUTOGRAPH SKETCHLEAF WITH DRAFTS FOR THE SONG "NUR WER DIE SEHNSUCHT KENNT", OP.98A NO.3

 1849 GBP 30,000.00 - 40,000.00 GBP 47,500.00
75 Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix, (1809-1847)

AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE SONG 'MORGENGRUSS', OP.47 NO.2, SIGNED AND DATED AT THE END ("FELIX MENDELSSOHNBARTHOLDY")

 1839 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 40,000.00
46 Haydn, Joseph, (1732-1809)

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("JOS HAYDN[PARAPH]"), TO THE BADEN CHOIRMASTER ANTON STOLL, 30 JULY 1802

 1802 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 35,000.00
42 Gluck, Christoph Willibald, (1714-1787)

FINE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("GLUCK"), TO FRANZ KRUTHOFFER, ABOUT HIS OPERAS ALCESTE AND ARMIDE, 29 AUGUST 1776 

 1776 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 22,500.00
135 Tchaikovsky, Pyotr, (1840-1893)

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("P. TCHA"KOVSKY"), IN FRENCH, [TO JULES MASSENET], ONLY PARTIALLY PUBLISHED, 24 SEPTEMBER 1889

 1889 GBP 6,000.00 - 8,000.00 GBP 20,000.00
124 Schumann, Robert

FINE, LONG AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("ROBERT SCHUMANN"), TO LOUIS SPOHR ("HOCHZUVEREHRENDER HERR"), ABOUT HIS SYMPHONY NO. 1 IN B FLAT ('SPRING'), WITH TWO AUTOGRAPH MUSICAL EXAMPLES, 23 NOVEMBER 1842

 1842 GBP 8,000.00 - 10,000.00 GBP 17,500.00
154 Wagner, Richard, (1813-1883)

FINE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("RICHARDWAGNER"), TO THE VIENNESE KAPELLMEISTER HEINRICH ESSER, CONCERNING THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROJECTED VIENNA PERFORMANCE OF TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, WITH 8 BARS OF MUSIC IN WAGNER'S HAND, 15 JUNE 1861

 1861 GBP 8,000.00 - 10,000.00 GBP 16,250.00
2 Bellini, Vincenzo, (1801-1835)

THE HITHERTO-LOST AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE SONG 'ODIA LA PASTORELLA', WRITTEN WITHIN A LETTER TO SOPHIA, DUCHESSA DI CANNIZZARO, 30 APRIL 1834

 1834 GBP 10,000.00 - 12,000.00 GBP 11,250.00
21 Brahms, Johannes

CABINET-STYLE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE COMPOSER STUDYING A BOOK, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED ("UN SALUTO ALLA BELLA FIRENZE. JOHANNES BRAHMS") TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER GIUSEPPE GATTESCHI, 1894

 1894 GBP 4,000.00 - 5,000.00 GBP 10,625.00
23 Bruckner, Anton, (1824-1896)

REMARKABLE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("ABRUCKNER[PARAPH]"), TO THE CONDUCTOR SIEGFRIED OCHS, 3 FEBRUARY 1892

 1892 GBP 6,000.00 - 8,000.00 GBP 10,000.00
16 Brahms, Johannes

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("J.B"), TO HIS FRIEND JULIUS GROSSER, [1886]

 1886 GBP 4,500.00 - 5,000.00 GBP 7,500.00
17 Brahms, Johannes

FINE LARGE CABINET PHOTOGRAPH, SIGNED AND DATED ("JOHANNES BRAHMS WIEN MAI 88")

 1888 GBP 6,000.00 - 7,000.00 GBP 7,500.00
32 Dvorák, Antonín

AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED ("ANTON"N DVOR"K"), IN ENGLISH, TO [ALFRED LITTLETON], ABOUT HIS STABAT MATER, 1 APRIL 1888

 1888 GBP 4,000.00 - 5,000.00 GBP 7,500.00
62 Mahler, Gustav, (1860-1911)

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("MAHLER"), ABOUT THE SEVENTH SYMPHONY, TO THE IMPRESARIO NORBERT SALTER, UNDATED

 1909 GBP 6,000.00 - 8,000.00 GBP 7,500.00
63 Mahler, Gustav

PHOTOGRAPHIC POSTCARD PORTRAIT, SIGNED ("GUSTAV MAHLER")

 c.1890s GBP 2,000.00 - 3,000.00 GBP 7,500.00
156 Wagner, Richard

REMARKABLE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("RICHARD WAGNER"), TO JOSEF KÖLBL, CONCERNING HIS WELTANSCHAUUNG, 12 MAY 1869

 1869 GBP 6,000.00 - 8,000.00 GBP 6,875.00
136 Tchaikovsky, Pyotr

PRINTED VISITING CARD INSCRIBED BY TCHAIKOVSKY [TO MASSENET]

 GBP 1,500.00 - 2,000.00 GBP 6,250.00
93 Puccini, Giacomo

HUMOROUS AUTOGRAPH VERSE ON CARD, SIGNED ("GIACOMO PUCCINI"), ABOUT THE HEROINES OF HIS OPERAS, UNDATED [9 DECEMBER 1900]

 1900 GBP 2,500.00 - 3,000.00 GBP 6,000.00
157 Wagner, Richard and Cosima Wagner

PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENT OF MARRIAGE OF WAGNER AND COSIMA AT LUCERNE ON 25 AUGUST [1870], ADDRESSED IN WAGNER'S HAND TO ARRIGO BOITO

 1870 GBP 3,000.00 - 5,000.00 GBP 6,000.00
12 Brahms, Johannes

CARTE-DE-VISITE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YOUNG COMPOSER, INSCRIBED AND SIGNED ON THE REVERSE ("HRN. DR. KRAUS IN FREUNDL. ERINNERUNG JOH BRAHMS.")

 c. 1868 GBP 3,000.00 - 4,000.00 GBP 5,625.00
83 Paganini, Niccolò

AUTOGRAPH DRAFT CONCERT PROGRAMME, INSCRIBED WITH HIS NAME AT THE END ("COMPOSTA E ESEGUITA DAL PAGANINI"), UNDATED

 1831 or 1833 GBP 3,000.00 - 4,000.00 GBP 5,625.00
101 Rossini, Gioachino

AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF A WORK FOR PIANO IN A-FLAT MAJOR, SIGNED ("G. ROSSINI"), UNDATED

 possibly 1838 GBP 5,000.00 - 6,000.00 GBP 5,625.00
  • Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Piccolomini's De La Sfera del Mondo (The Sphere of the World), 1540.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Vellutello's Commentary on Petrarch, With Map, 1525.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Finely Bound Definitive, Illustrated Edition of I Promessi Sposi, 1840.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Rare First Edition of John Milton's Latin Correspondence, 1674.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Giolito's Edition of Boccaccio's The Decamerone, with Bedford Binding, 1542.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of the First Biography of Marie of the Incarnation, with Rare Portrait, 1677.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Aldine Edition of Volume One of Cicero's Orationes, 1540.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Bonanni's Illustrated Costume Catalogue, with Complete Plates, 1711.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: An Important Incunable, the First Italian Edition of Josephus's De Bello Judaico, 1480.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Jacques Philippe d'Orville's Illustrated Book of the Ruins of Sicily, 1764.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: An Incunable from 1487, The Contemplative Life, with Early Manuscript.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Ignatius of Loyola's Exercitia Spiritualia, 1563.
  • Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 546. Christoph Jacob Trew. Plantae selectae, 1750-1773.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 70. Thomas Murner. Die Narren beschwerung. 1558.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 621. Michael Bernhard Valentini. Museum Museorum, 1714.
    Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 545. Sander Reichenbachia. Orchids illustrated and described, 1888-1894.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1018. Marinetti, Boccioni, Pratella Futurism - Comprehensive collection of 35 Futurist manifestos, some of them exceptionally rare. 1909-1933.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 634. August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof. 3 Original Drawings, around 1740.
    Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 671. Jacob / Picasso. Chronique des Temps, 1956.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1260. Mary Webb. Sarn. 1948. Lucie Weill Art Deco Binding.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 508. Felix Bonfils. 108 large-format photographs of Syria and Palestine.
    Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 967. Dante Aligheri and Salvador Dali. Divina Commedia, 1963.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1316. Tolouse-Lautrec. Dessinateur. Duhayon binding, 1948.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1303. Regards sur Paris. Braque, Picasso, Masson, 1962.
  • Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: McCarthy (Cormac). Cities of the Plain, N.Y., 1998, First Edn., signed on hf. title; together with Uncorrected Proof and Uncorrected Advance Reading Copies, both signed by the Author. €800 to €1,000.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Stanihurst (Richard). De Rebus in Hibernia Gestis, Libri Quattuor, sm. 4to Antwerp (Christi. Plantium) 1584. First Edn. €525 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Fleischer (Nat.) Jack Dempsey The Idol of Fistiana, An Intimate Narrative, N.Y., 1929, First Edn. Signed on f.e.p. by Rocky Marciano. €400 to €600.
    Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Smith - Classical Atlas, Lond., 1820. Bound with, Smiths New General Atlas .. Principal Empires, Kingdoms, & States throughout the World, Lond. 1822. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Rare Auction Catalogues – 1856: Bindon Blood, of Ennis, Co. Clare: Sotheby & Wilkinson. €320 to €450.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: [Mavor (Wm.)] A General Collection of Voyages and Travels from the Discovery of America to the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century, 28 vols. (complete) Lond., 1810. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Mc Carthy (Cormac). Outer Dark, N.Y. (Random House)1968, Signed by Mc Carthy. €250 to €300.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Three signed works by Ted Huges - Wodwo, 1967; Crow from the Life and Songs of the Crow, 1970; and Tales from Ovid, 1997. €200 to €300.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: The Garden. An Illustrated Weekly Journal of Horticulture in all its Branches, 7 vols. lg. 4to Lond. 1877-1880. With 127 colored plates. €200 to €300.
    Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Procter (Richard A.) Saturn and its System: Containing Discussions of The Motion (Real and Apparent)…, Lond. 1865. First Edn. €160 to €220.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: [Ashe] St. George, Lord Bishop of Clogher, A Sermon Preached to the Protestants of Ireland, now in London,... Oct. 23, 1712, London 1712. Second Edn. €130 to €180.
  • Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Set of First-Edition Volumes. 6,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard. A Collection of The Pooh Books. Set of First-Editions. 18,600 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Salvador Dalí, Lewis Carroll. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Finely Bound and Signed Limited Edition. 15,000 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die. First Edition. 9,500 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter Series. Finely Bound First Printing Set of Complete Series. 5,650 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms. First Edition, First Printing. 4,200 USD
  • Doyle, May 1: Thomas Jefferson expresses fears of "a war of extermination" in Saint-Dominigue. $40,000 to $60,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An exceptional presentation copy of Fitzgerald's last book, in the first issue dust jacket. $25,000 to $35,000.
    Doyle, May 1: The rare first signed edition of Dorian Gray. $15,000 to $25,000.
    Doyle, May 1: The Prayer Book of Jehan Bernachier. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Doyle, May 1: Van Dyck's Icones Principum Virorum Doctorum. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Doyle, May 1: The magnificent Cranach Hamlet in the deluxe binding by Dõrfner. $7,000 to $10,000.
    Doyle, May 1: A remarkable unpublished manuscript of a voyage to South America in 1759-1764. $3,000 to $5,000.
    Doyle, May 1: Bouchette's monumental and rare wall map of Lower Canada. $12,000 to $18,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An rare original 1837 abolitionist woodblock. $8,000 to $12,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An important manuscript breviary in Middle Dutch. $15,000 to $25,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An extraordinary Old Testament manuscript, circa 1250. $20,000 to $30,000.
Ask Questions