Beethoven, Ludwig van

the strands c.12 cms, secured with an old tie, affixed to an autograph letter signed, by Johann Andreas Stumpff "to Master P. Stirling of Brighton". 

The head*, these hair's have grac'd he's low
But what it wrought--will ever grow
with J.A. Stumpff's Comp^ts
May 7^th 1827      * of Lud. v. Beethoven.



1 page, oblong 8vo, autograph address panel, Gt Portland St, London, 7 May 1827, some splitting at folds

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"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."

Beethoven died in Vienna on 26 March 1827, and the public funeral was held three days later.   Johann Andreas Stumpff (1769-1846) was Beethoven's friend: a German harp-maker resident in London from 1790.  He was an important collector of Mozart's autographs.  He first visited Beethoven in 1824 and supported him during his declining years, obtaining a grant from the Royal Philharmonic Society to send Beethoven money in March 1827.  The addressee Patrick Stirling of Brighton (1813-1839) was the unmarried nephew of Jane Stirling (1804-1859) of Kippenross Castle in Lanarkshire; she is famous as Chopin's pupil, and his patroness and protector during his last years (including his visit to Scotland in 1848).  This lock of hair has come down to the present owners by direct descent.

Stumpff almost certainly obtained this lock from Anselm Hüttenbrenner (1794-1868), a pupil of Beethoven's who attended the composer at his death and took a number of locks of the composer's hair (see Sotheby's sales 11 November 1981, lot 3, and 15 May 2008, lot 15).  Included is a contemporary transcript from The Harmonicon, also sent to Patrick Stirling, on 5 May 1827, describing Beethoven's death and remarking that, "on this melancholy occasion there were present his brother, Mr Hüttenbrenner, & a painter who tried to take a likeness of him in his last moments".   Please also see lot 20.