RUSSIA, CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE BALKANS. Selection of manuscripts and letters: 18 [...]

RUSSIA, CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE BALKANS.Selection of manuscripts and letters: 18 pieces.A. DEMIDOV, MEREJKOVSKI, ROMAIN ROLLAND,ALBERT LONDRES, ROCHECHOUART, DE HEREDIA,GHIKA, CHAMPOISEAU AND OTHERS.Charles CHAMPOISEAU (1830-1909)Autograph Letter Signed as French Consul to Janina, addressedto the painter Eugène Fromentin.Préveza, 1866. Letter in which he reminds that it is to him that weowe the discovery of the statue of the Victory of Samothrace, andasks for support from the Minister of Public Instruction VictorDury to obtain funding to organise excavations in Nicopolis.(Janina, then capital of an Ottoman pashalik in Epirus, todayJoánnina in Greece and Preveza, the port city of Epirus thendependent on Janina and today in Greece).Anatoly Nikolayevich DEMIDOV (1813-1870)Letter signed to the director of the «Revue des deux mondes»,François Buloz.«In the forties of Sculani, border of Bessarabia», 29th July 1837.Angular tear affecting two words, not interfering with reading.Rare souvenir of his great Russian voyage, scientific andpicturesque, published from 1838 to 1848 under the title «Journeyto Southern Russia and the Crimea, through Hungary, Wallachiaand Moldavia, executed in 1837». He mentions a publicationof excerpts in the «Revue des deux mondes» (which did nothappen), in the «Journal des débats» (which did).Alexandru GHIKA (1795-1862)Alexander II GHIKA or Alexandru Dimitrie Ghika IX.Prince of Wallachia from 1834 to 1842, then Caimacan ofWallachia from 1856 to 1858.Letter signed «Alexandre Ghika», in French, as hospodar ofWallachia, addressed to the French consul in Bucharest, CharlesHippolyte Le Prestre, Marquis of Chateaugiron.Braza (currently Braşov in Romania), 12 September 1838.Complaint against Félix Colson, former civil servant of theFrench Consulate in Bucharest and personal collaborator ofIon Câmpineanu. Colson wrote a draft Constitution in French,published in 1839 by Pougin in Paris, under the title «Del’état présent et de l’avenir des principautés de Moldavie et deValachie» (On the present state and future of the principalities ofMoldavia and Wallachia).José-Maria de HEREDIA (1842 -1905)Signed Autograph Sending.« Salute to the Emperor «. Paris, Alphonse Lemerre Publisher, 1896.In-8, (4)-4 pp. under cover printed on the same strong paper.Subtitled «Stances said by M. Paul Mounet of the ComédieFrançaise at the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stoneof the Alexandre III bridge, in front of Their Imperial Majestiesof Russia, October 7, 1896».In October 1896, Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, TsarinaAlexandra Feodorovna, travelled to France on their first officialfive-day trip. This trip was an occasion to celebrate the Franco-Russian alliance signed in 1893 by France and Tsar AlexanderIII, Nicholas II’s father.During their visit to Paris, Nicholas II laid the foundation stone ofthe Alexandre III bridge. It was on the occasion of this ceremonythat the poem «Salut à l’Empereur» composed by José-Maria deHeredia was read by Paul Mounet of the Comédie-Française.In turn, within the context of this alliance, in August 1897,President Félix Faure travelled to Saint Petersburg and laid thefirst stone of the Liteyny Bridge.Albert LONDRES (1884-1932)Two Autograph Letters Signed.1) Autograph Letter Signed to his parents.Athens, 19 August [1915, from a pencil note].A beautiful letter in which he details his plans for reporting onthe Eastern front: «... I left the Dardanelles to run to the Balkans.I have been in Athens for three days. I am leaving tomorrow forSofia. Will I have time to reach this city? I think so. ...»2) Autograph Letter Signed to his parents.n.p., 3 January [1916, from a pencil note].«... Terrible tragedies are taking place in Albania...».French journalist and writer.Albert Londres, became a war correspondent in 1914. During1915, he thought that the outcome of the war was being decidedin the Dardanelles, so he left for the East. He wanders on thefronts of Serbia in Greece and Turkey in Albania.He will experience two painful years following the Balkanbattles.Since 1933, the Albert-London prize has been awarded to thebest French-speaking journalists.Dmitry Sergeyevich MEREZHKOVSKY (1865-1941)Two Autograph Letters Signed «D. Merejkovsky» [to the directorof the Figaro, Robert de Flers].28 November [1922].An open letter in which he distinguishes the material distressof Russian emigrants and the strength they show in faithfulnessto their moral duty, paying homage to the warm welcome ofFrance. With his covering letter. Following an article by «MelleIswolska» in the Figaro of 28 November 1922, whose originaltitle «Pour les écrivains russes, amis de la France» («For Russianwriters, friends of France») was changed to «Pour les écrivainsrusses malheureux» («For unhappy Russian writers») by Robertde Flers.«... The change in the title of the article ... the title that you yourselfwanted to give it can only be an unfortunate misunderstanding ...neither the author of the article, nor I, would ever have consentedto see it appear under that title ...».Great Russian writer, poet, novelist, thinker and literary critic.His trilogy Khristos i Antikhrist (1896-1905, «Christ andAntichrist») revived the historical novel in Russia and broughtit worldwide fame.D.S.Merejkovsky was twice forced into political exile. Heemigrated in 1920. After a short stay in Poland, he moved to Parisin 1921, where he lived until his death.Elena Aleksandrovna Izvol’skaja (1896-1975)Also: Elena Isvolsky. Hélène Iswolsky. Helen Iswolsky.Russian noblewoman, writer, translator, lecturer and journalist.Robert de FLERS (1872-1927)Marie Joseph Louis Camille Robert de LA MOTTE-ANGO,Count DE FLERS, known as the Marquis de FLERS. Appointed Chevalier, Officer, then Commander of the Legionof Honour, playwright, elected in 1920 to the French Academy,became literary director of Le Figaro, in 1921 and also wrote thedrama series there. For a time he frequented the political arena asGeneral Councillor of Lozère.Louis-Victor-Léon de ROCHECHOUART (1788-1858)Handwritten letter, signed by his lieutenant Sochet.Paris, 16 April [1814].1p. in 4. Printed heading «Le Comte de Rochechouart, Colonel,Aide-de-Camp de H.M. l’Empereur de Russie, Commandant lesquatre premiers arrondissements de la ville de Paris».Red wax stamp, armoured.Concerning an accommodation to be provided to «ColonelPavlenkow, attached to the Guard of the Emperor of Russia».Louis-Victor-Léon de Rochechouart took part in the Battleof Paris, the last battle of the French Campaign. Appointedcommander of the Place of París, he seized the Hôtel de Ville inMarch 1814, organised the defence of the city and brought orderto the capital by setting up mixed troops between the Russianarmy and the national guard. On the arrival of Louis XVIII,on April 20, the Count took leave of the Russian army and puthimself at its service.He is the author of his Mémoires, Souvenirs sur la Révolution,l’Empire et la Restauration, unpublished memoirs published byhis son, Librairie Plon, Paris, 1892.Prix de départ : 3000