Massenet, Jules

1) An almost complete series of the operas, first and early editions, over 40 volumes, most in half- or quarter calf, including fifteen items signed and inscribed by Massenet, some with autograph musical quotations, including Werther, Esclarmonde (2), Marie-Magdeleine,  Ḕve (to his mother), Scènes de Féerie, (full score), Narcise, Les Erinnyes (full score), Le Cid, Bacchus (to his niece), and 20 mélodies, 8vo and 4to; together with: Manon, a de-luxe limited edition (1884), over 30 early editions of airs and extracts from the operas (a few with letters by Massenet loosely inserted), and many collections of mélodies and other works by Massenet, including “A Mignonne”, (“Pour qui sera, Mignonne”), Paris: Baudon, [1869], lithographed portrait of Massenet aged 27.  NB: please see the online catalogue for descriptions of these inscribed volumes,  

2) scarce orchestral hire scores of operas, including Hérodiade (465 pages), Thaïs (560 pages), Le jongleur de Notre-Dame (412 pages) and Thérèse (355 pages), numbered copies, issued without title pages, together with other full scores of Werther (464 pages), Don Quichotte (422 pages) and Manon (422 pages; with, separately, the ‘Fabliau’ replacing the ‘Gavotte’ in Act 3), Phèdre, (Ouverture, Entr’actes), Le roi de Lahore (overture), Le Cid (ballet), Les Erinnyes (2 copies, one an inscribed proof), and other works, Paris: Heugel, no dates, lithographed music, some photo-reproduced, including 5 volumes in modern blue quarter morocco, large 4to (c.34 x 26cm), a few pages trimmed by the binder



3) Sets of contemporary printed orchestral parts, some marked up in blue crayon etc., for  Le Cid (overture), Le jongleur de Notre Dame (‘La légende de la Sauge’), Scènes Alsaciennes (edited by H. Mouton), Scènes pittoresques, Werther (fantaisie mosaïque, edited by Emile Tavan)



4) the contract for Thaïs, signed by composer, librettist and publisher, in which Massenet and Gallet cede exclusive publication rights and copyrights to Heugel (including any alterations and additions that they might make in future), for the price of sixty-thousand francs, to be shared between the three parties and Anatole France, author of the novel upon which the opera is based, 3 pages, 4to, 28 June 1893, loosely inserted in an edition of Thaïs [vocal score], contemporary red half morocco



5) twenty-five first and early editions of the opera librettos, including a volume of three librettos (Marie-Mageleine, Ḕve and Le roi de Lahore), signed and inscribed to Massenet by Louis Gallet, (1874-1877), and others recording the original singers: Ḕve,(1875),  Esclarmonde (1889), Le mage (1891), Werther (1893), Sapho (1897), Ariane (1906), Thérèse (1907), Don Quichotte (1910), Panurge (1913), Cléopâtre (1914) and others, original wrappers



6) a fine photograph signed and inscribed to the composer Pick-Mangiagalli ("à mon ami Riccardo Pick, J. Massenet, Milano, Oct.1903"; see illustration on page 108), with other early printed images of the composer, including in the score of "A Mignonne" (1869),



7) about one hundred contemporary printed costume designs, including for Werther (a set of five coloured plates, oblong 4to, Heugel), and for Esclarmonde (39), Manon (24) and Le Cid (3), large 8vo, with designs laid down and annotated for Herodiade (27) and others



8) Four large early playbills, including for Don César de Bazan, lithograph by Céléstin Nanteuil (1872), proof copy, with a long autograph musical quotation, signed  ( “Pauvre j’ai trainé ma misère au Docteur Joseph Michel cordial souvenir, J. Massenet 1879”), comprising 8 bars from Don César’s couplets in Act 2, original mount, overall size c.81.5 x 59cm, somewhat affected by damp;  together with large chromolithographed playbills for Esclarmonde, (c.117 x 80cm, laid down on card), Ariane and Roma, (each c.90 x 65cm).



9) Massenet memorabilia, including L. Schneider, Massenet, [deluxe copy “imprimé pour pour l’éditeur” on Japon], (1908) with an autograph musical quotation from “Manon”, signed and inscribed by Massenet, and with autograph letters by the author, Massenet, and Chalinière (1911), containing a drawing, tipped in, red morocco gilt—together with special commemorative issues of Musica, Excelsior, etc marking the composer’s death in 1912



c.300 items in all, 4to and 8vo, over 50 volumes in half calf, morocco or embossed boards (of which over half are contemporary bindings), some wear but generally sound, sold as a collection not subject to return; a more complete listing of the items is available for consultation on request

"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This is an important collection, partly collected by a scholar of the composer, including an almost complete series of Massenet's operas: only the opéra-comique La grand' tante (published in 1867) is missing.  The full scores of the operas are particularly rare, since French publishers, like their Italian counterparts, did not issue orchestral scores for sale, partly as a way of controlling productions and copyright.    The present scores, some originally issued by Heugel for hire, numbered and without title pages, are very scarce.  Only modern reprints of Manon can be found in institutional libraries in the UK, including the British Library.  Thérèse is lacking even from the fine collection of Massenet full scores at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York.  Only later did full scores become more available, through reprints, some also present here.  Also notable is the important contract for Thaïs, drawn up by the publisher Heugel in 1893, and agreed with composer, librettist and Anatole France, is included in a copy of the first edition of the vocal score.  The collection also includes the following notable inscribed and deluxe editions

1) Marie-Magdeleine, drame sacré, Paris: Heugel, [1874], with an autograph musical quotation from the opera, four bars from Marthe’s air in Act 2 (“Plus puissant qu’un roi de la terre”, signed and inscribed to the organist Abbé A. Levergeois, “J Massenet, Nice, février 1903”), tipped in

2) Ḕve, mystère en trois parties, Paris, Michelet, [1875], signed and inscribed by Massenet (“à ma bonne mère, avec mes meilleurs baisers. J. Massenet, 23 mars 1875”), original printed wrappers,

3) Massenet’s bound copies of three librettos, Marie-Mageleine (Paris: Lemerre, Hartmann & Dowell, 1874)-- Ḕve,(Hartmann, 1875)—Le roi de Lahore (Paris: Calman-Lévy, 1877), signed and inscribed to the composer by the librettist (“A mon cher ami et collaborateur J. Massenet.  Souvenir de nos trois premières batailles.  Louis Gallet”), on the flyleaf, 3 works in one volume, 8vo, red morocco gilt with the composer’s initials (“J M”) on cover, spine in compartments with gilt titles

4) Scènes de Féerié, 6e suite d’orchestre [full score], Paris: G. Hartmann, [1876], signed and inscribed by Massenet facing the music (“à mon élève et ami Xavier Leroux, bien affectueusement, J. Massenet”), contemporary half calf

5) Narcise, idyll antique, Paris: Hartmann, [1878], signed and inscribed by Massenet over the title (“à Madame Gabrielle Alphen-Salvador, souvenir de bonne amitié, J. Massenet, Paris--avril 1878”)

6) Les Erinnyes, tragédie antique, engraved proof of the full score, 122 pages, 8vo, Paris: L. Paren , [c.1876], inscribed by Massenet (“à mon élève et ami Xavier Leroux, bien affectueusement, J. Massenet, nov: 1882”), quarter calf

7) Manon, opera comique [vocal score], de-luxe edition on watermarked “hand-made” paper, one of 50 copies, 5 engraved frontispieces to each act by Paul Avril, the music within green decorative borders throughout, large 4to (c.35.5 x 27cm), Hartmann, [1884], full morocco with red inlaid borders

8) 20 Mélodies, premier volume [1885], with a four-bar musical quotation, signed and inscribed by Massenet "à L'ami Duchesne, à l'abbé  Des Grieux, un musicien bien reconnaissant", Paris: G. Hartmann, [?1875]

9) Le Cid, opera, Hartmann, [1885], inscribed twice by Massenet, over the music, on page 231 (“à Madame de Turbino, à notre future interprete, J. Massenet, Paris/nov/[18]86”..[and subsequently:], “Le future est devenu le present et j’ajoute à notre remarquable Chimène, (Liège 1890) à Madame Anna de Vienne”)”, also marked up by and for a singer of the role of Chimène, contemporary quarter morocco, worn

10) Esclarmonde, opera romanesque, Hartmann [1889], with an autograph musical quotation from the opera, of Roland’s solo “Chrétien, je m’ agenouille humblement”, from the Act 2 finale,  signed and inscribed by the composer on the dedication leaf to Sibyl Sanderson (“à Mademoiselle Henriette Renard…Paris, 14 avril 1890, J.Massenet”), contemporary half vellum

11) Esclarmonde, Hartmann, [1889], another copy, signed and inscribed by Massenet on the flyleaf on the occasion of the première (“à Monsieur Levasseur, cordial souvenir des representations d’Escalarmonde à l’op-comique. 1ère 15 mai /89”), contemporary half morocco

12) Werther, drame lyrique, Heugel,[1893], signed and inscribed by Massenet (“à Bourradier, à l’excellent ami, au chamant confrère..[etc]…J. Massenet, 1893”), contemporary half morocco, “EB” monogramme

13) Thaïs, comédie lyrique, Heugel [1894], with a contract for the opera, signed at the end by the librettist, composer and publisher, “Lu et approve Louis Gallet”; “Lu et apprové, J. Massenet"; “Lu et apprové Heugel et Cie”, in which Massenet and Gallet cede exclusive rights to Heugel, to publish and sell scores, orchestral parts, librettos and arrangements for all countries (including any alterations and additions that Massenet and Gallet make to the opera in future), for the price of sixty-thousand francs, paid in five parts, specifying the occasions on which each part falls due, this sum to be shared between the three parties and Anatole France, author of the novel upon which the opera is based, with his approval, 3 pages, 4to, 28 June 1893, loosely inserted, contemporary red half morocco.

14) Bacchus, opera, Heugel, [1909], signed and inscribed by Massenet on the front cover to his niece Alice (“à ma charmante niece Alice, J. Massenet, mai 1909”), printed wrappers

15) L. Schneider, Massenet, [deluxe copy “imprimé pour pour l’éditeur” on Japon paper], Paris: Cartaret,1908, with an autograph musical quotation from “Manon”, signed and inscribed by Massenet to the publisher (“Manon, hier, mardi, 7 avril, 632ème, J. Massenet à l’ami Carteret”), with autograph letters by the author, by Massenet, and by the designer Chalinière (1911), containing a drawing, red morocco gilt.