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92 LAURENCIN, Marie. Autograph self-profile signed. [Paris: early 1900s] “eat fast, walk fast, read fast – paint very slowly” An amusing autograph self-portrait, written in the third- person and espousing various maxims, beginning with “the motto: love the moon”, and including the aphorisms “eat fast, walk fast, read fast – paint very slowly” and “When someone says ‘look how beautiful’, turn away”. The spacing and decorative flourish suggest that this is a fair copy, likely written at the request of a magazine. She also notes: “La devise: (aime la lune). Très fière d’être nee à Paris – savent tous les airs de Sylvie de Gerard de
91 LANE, Catherine. Autograph letter signed. Holloway Prison: 6 March 1912 “i can’t quite yet realise that i am at holloway, i’ve really wanted to come for so long, ever since the last demonstration” A candid and humorous letter from suffragette Catherine Lane, Holloway prisoner 15204, providing a rare firsthand account of the minutiae of incarcerated life and the morale of the imprisoned suffragettes. Lane was arrested for participating in the first day of the window-smashing campaign. Her wry commentary covers journeys in the Black Maria, the disappointing quality of prison food and lack of exercise, and mentions fellow suffragettes Ethel Smyth, Rosa May Billinghurst, and Georgina and Marie Brackenbury. Little is known of Lane, though her arrest and subsequent treatment is briefly documented across several issues of Votes for Women . She was detained and tried at Bow Street on 1 March 1912 on the charge of “damaging three windows”; her sentence was postponed on 29 March and eventually bound over on 3 April after an appearance at the London Sessions (issues 8 March, 29 March, and 12 April). The National Archive’s Women’s Suffrage database records this one arrest only for Lane. Suffrage historians Barbara Miller and Antony Smith have suggested that she is the person behind the stitched “C.L.” on the embroidered handkerchief created in Holloway in March 1912 and “signed” in thread by 68 women inmates. The uppercase letter forms are not dissimilar to those used in this letter. Single bifolium (page size: 237 × 189 mm) of pale blue paper, official printed letterhead completed in another hand with Lane’s prisoner number (“15204”), first and last name, prison location, and date, followed by two-and-a-half pages in Lane’s hand. Lower half of second leaf excised to remove integral address panel (not affecting text of letter itself), area opposite excised portion browned, creased from folding, else in very good condition. ¶ Lane’s entry: image 53 in the National Archive’s HO 45/24665: Suffragettes: Amnesty of August 1914: Index of Women Arrested, 1906–1914. £1,250 [146398]
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93 LAURENCIN, Marie (illus.); CARROLL, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. Paris: The Black Sun Press, 1930 AN IMMACULATE COPY OF LAURENCIN’S ETHEREAL INTERPRETATION First Black Sun Press edition, copy A of 20 on Van Gelder paper, issued with a supplementary suite of six illustrations in sanguine, each signed by the artist, and signed by her on the limitation page. It is uncommon complete and in such impeccable condition. “For Alice in Wonderland , Caresse signed Marie Laurencin, one of the foremost French artists, to do the illustrations. She had never before illustrated a book, and the French Alice she produced was a considerable shock to those brought up on Tenniel” (Tebbel, p. 625). Oblong quarto. Original printed wrappers, spine and front cover lettered in red and black, fore and lower edges untrimmed. In the original glassine. Housed in the original silver paper and card chemise and slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 5 colour lithographs after Marie Laurencin (with tissue guards); printed in red and black. A fine copy in the original glassine, in very good slipcase, slightly rubbed, starting to split at edges. ¶ Minkoff A34 (ie A39). John Tebbel, A History of Book Publishing in the United States , vol. III, 1978. £15,000 [150022]
Nerval, n’aime ni les discours – ni les sont, ne les conseils. Pas même les compliments . . . Les prénoms des tableaux sont ses noms prefers – celui de Marie lui va bien – Marie Laurencin” (“The motto: love the moon. Very proud to be born in Paris – knows all the all the airs of Sylvie de Gerard de Nerval. Doesn’t like speeches, nor reproaches, nor advice. Not even compliments . . . The first names of her paintings are the preferred names – Marie suits her well – Marie Laurencin”, our translation). Gérard de Nerval’s Sylvie (1854) is a story of three unrequited female loves. Its flowing, light prose and concern with female beauty is an apt choice for Laurencin, who was also a noted admirer of Nerval’s poetry. Single sheet (265 × 210 mm) of manuscript in ink with ornamental flourish in lower margin, sometime mounted on stiff card. Framed size: 366 × 317 mm. Lightly toned with a touch of foxing, a few finger marks to edges, short closed tear at lower edge with tiny chip to lower left corner, card verso rubbed where previously adhered and slightly soiled. In very good condition indeed. £1,250 [159450]
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
LOUDER THAN WORDS
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