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thanks and kind regards. From H. C. Andersen”). These three volumes formed numbers 25–27 of the 33-volume Samlede Skrifter (“Collected Writings”) of H. C. Andersen. They contain 63 stories, including “Sneemanden”, referenced in the inscription, in which Andersen portrays a snowman’s unrequited search for love, usually interpreted as a coded expression of his feelings for Harald Scharff, the lead male ballet dancer with Royal Danish Theatre, where Mantzius acted. In September 1872 Andersen records in his diary going with Scharff to Tivoli Gardens to hear Mantzius recite “Der Halskragen” (“The False Collar”). Kristian Andreas Leopold Mantzius (1819–1879) was a Danish actor, popular with audiences but challenging for employers on account of his temperamental and uncompromising character. Frederick VII, who found him amusing, appointed him to a post as royal actor in 1848. Mantzius continued to be a favourite of the Danish audience. After his dismissal as royal actor in 1871, he returned by popular demand to the Royal Danish Theatre as a guest actor. Mantzius and Andersen were both frequent visitors to the Student Association in Copenhagen. Andersen praised Mantzius in his autobiography: “recently and very often it is the royal actor Mantzius who has especially contributed to making my stories popular by his excellent dramatic talent” (Andersen, p. 157). This copy gives us fascinating insight into the process referred to in the inscription – the adaptation of these tales for public recitation – as two fairy tales bear personal markings by Mantzius, clearly intended to assist with his readings, “Peiter, Peter og Peer” and “Taarnvægteren Ole”. The markings include downward arrows for inflection, words underlined for emphasis, dashes for pause,
ties between words, and crosses. For additional emphasis some words are underlined in red pencil. Additionally, seven fairy tales have been underlined in pencil in the indexes. This copy was later in the library of the Danish writer, Tage La Cour (1913–1993), author of H. C. Andersen og fuglene: Et kompendium af eventyrene (“H. C. Andersen and the Birds: A Compendium of the Fairy Tales”); it then passed to the Hollywood star Danny Kaye (1911–1987), famous for his depiction of the author in the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen . Andersen considered that “two of my best told fairy tales [are] ‘What the Old Man Does Is Always Right’ and ‘The Snowman’. I wrote the latter at Christmas time during a stay at the beautiful Basnæs [an estate owned by his friend Jacob Brønnum Scavenius]. It is frequently singled out among my other fairy tales for special acclaim, mostly because of the royal actor Mantzius’s excellent recitations” (Andersen, Bemærkninger , p. 20). The “younger siblings” of the inscription are presumably the other stories collected here. 3 volumes bound in one, small octavo (160 × 105 mm). Contemporary Danish half calf, spine gilt in compartments with two olive morocco labels, marbled sides, sprinkled edges, grey endpapers. Housed in custom solander box. Each work bound without the general series half-title and title. Binding somewhat worn, minor neat repairs to spine, chipped at head, front joint starting, some light spotting to edges, generally clean, a good copy. ¶ H. C. Andersen, Bemærkninger til Eventyr og Historier , II: 186, accessible online; H. C. Andersen, Mit livs Eventyr , 1876. £12,500 [157571]
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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