RUSSIA, CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE BALKANS. Selection of manuscripts and letters: 18 pieces. A. DEMIDOV, MEREJKOVSKI ...

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, addressed to the painter Eugène Fromentin. Préveza, 1866. Letter in which he reminds that it is to him that we owe the discovery of the statue of the Victory of Samothrace, and asks for support from the Minister of Public Instruction Victor Dury to obtain funding to organise excavations in Nicopolis. (Janina, then capital of an Ottoman pashalik in Epirus, today Joánnina in Greece and Preveza, the port city of Epirus then dependent 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 and picturesque, published from 1838 to 1848 under the title «Journey to Southern Russia and the Crimea, through Hungary, Wallachia and Moldavia, executed in 1837». He mentions a publication of excerpts in the «Revue des deux mondes» (which did not happen), 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 of Wallachia from 1856 to 1858. Letter signed «Alexandre Ghika», in French, as hospodar of Wallachia, addressed to the French consul in Bucharest, Charles Hippolyte Le Prestre, Marquis of Chateaugiron. Braza (currently Braşov in Romania), 12 September 1838. Complaint against Félix Colson, former civil servant of the French Consulate in Bucharest and personal collaborator of Ion Câmpineanu. Colson wrote a draft Constitution in French, published in 1839 by Pougin in Paris, under the title «De l’état présent et de l’avenir des principautés de Moldavie et de Valachie» (On the present state and future of the principalities of Moldavia 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 Comédie Française at the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone of the Alexandre III bridge, in front of Their Imperial Majesties of Russia, October 7, 1896». In October 1896, Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, travelled to France on their first official five-day trip. This trip was an occasion to celebrate the Franco- Russian alliance signed in 1893 by France and Tsar Alexander III, Nicholas II’s father. During their visit to Paris, Nicholas II laid the foundation stone of the Alexandre III bridge. It was on the occasion of this ceremony that the poem «Salut à l’Empereur» composed by José-Maria de Heredia 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 the first 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 on the Eastern front: «... I left the Dardanelles to run to the Balkans. I have been in Athens for three days. I am leaving tomorrow for Sofia. 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. During 1915, he thought that the outcome of the war was being decided in the Dardanelles, so he left for the East. He wanders on the fronts of Serbia in Greece and Turkey in Albania. He will experience two painful years following the Balkan battles. Since 1933, the Albert-London prize has been awarded to the best French-speaking journalists. Dmitry Sergeyevich MEREZHKOVSKY (1865-1941) Two Autograph Letters Signed «D. Merejkovsky» [to the director of the Figaro, Robert de Flers]. 28 November [1922]. An open letter in which he distinguishes the material distress of Russian emigrants and the strength they show in faithfulness to their moral duty, paying homage to the warm welcome of France. With his covering letter. Following an article by «Melle Iswolska» in the Figaro of 28 November 1922, whose original title «Pour les écrivains russes, amis de la France» («For Russian writers, friends of France») was changed to «Pour les écrivains russes malheureux» («For unhappy Russian writers») by Robert de Flers. «... The change in the title of the article ... the title that you yourself wanted to give it can only be an unfortunate misunderstanding ... neither the author of the article, nor I, would ever have consented to see it appear under that title ...». Great Russian writer, poet, novelist, thinker and literary critic. His trilogy Khristos i Antikhrist (1896-1905, «Christ and Antichrist») revived the historical novel in Russia and brought it worldwide fame. D.S.Merejkovsky was twice forced into political exile. He emigrated in 1920. After a short stay in Poland, he moved to Paris in 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 Legion of Honour, playwright, elected in 1920 to the French Academy, became literary director of Le Figaro, in 1921 and also wrote the drama series there. For a time he frequented the political arena as General 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 les quatre premiers arrondissements de la ville de Paris». Red wax stamp, armoured. Concerning an accommodation to be provided to «Colonel Pavlenkow, attached to the Guard of the Emperor of Russia». Louis-Victor-Léon de Rochechouart took part in the Battle of Paris, the last battle of the French Campaign. Appointed commander of the Place of París, he seized the Hôtel de Ville in March 1814, organised the defence of the city and brought order to the capital by setting up mixed troops between the Russian army and the national guard. On the arrival of Louis XVIII, on April 20, the Count took leave of the Russian army and put himself at its service. He is the author of his Mémoires, Souvenirs sur la Révolution, l’Empire et la Restauration, unpublished memoirs published by his son, Librairie Plon, Paris, 1892.