Marie Alexandrine DUMAS. Collection of autographs and books. - Autograph...
Marie Alexandrine DUMAS. Collection of autographs and books.
- Autograph letter to a “dear friend.” She asks him for help regarding one of her protégés. 1 p., in-12
- Autograph letter to a friend. July 16, 1865. 107 Boulevard Malesherbes. 4 pp., in-8. She is breathless from the errands she has been running for several months, “either alone or with my dear father, who has been causing us great anxiety for the past eight days; he is barely emerging from the iron grip of acute nephritis… I’m doing my best to prepare the home to shield him from the rough edges and show him only the roses… I’m fortunate to be settled in and to have a long period of rest ahead; in another month, the setup—which is taking shape day by day—will be as comfortable as possible… I haven’t written to Mrs. Flahaut either, but I’ll do so…”
- Letter to a woman. March 8, 1869. 107 Boulevard Malesherbes. 4 pp. in-12. “If I were not reaching out to you, I would tell you, Madame, that you are as wicked as you are witty, kind, and beautiful… Alas, I don’t visit anyone… I don’t have a single minute to myself with the dear father you know. My work, his work, and obligations of every kind turn my poor existence into a perpetual plunder where everyone takes what belongs to them—or what doesn’t…”
- Letter from the author. January 23, 1872. 2 pp. in-8. She hopes to see him, alone or accompanied “by the charming person you wish to introduce to me…”
- Letter from the author to Mr. Giraud at the Chemin de Fer de l’Est. 2 pp. in-12, envelope. “I am writing on behalf of my father, who is already so indebted to you, to ask you to do everything possible—even the impossible—for the wishes of the charming and most interesting person I am sending to you…”
- Letter to a friend. September 18, 1868. 2 pp. ½ in-8. “You see that, from father to daughter, we are looking out for you and your achievements… So please send a quick note to let me know so that I can send my dear papa what he’s asking for… a book of his, already in press. Let’s hurry, since we want it to be published in October.
- Autograph note to Peragallo. “Send us a few sous while we wait for some to arrive from Vienna. Yours always.”
- Autograph letter to Paul Féval, President of the Société des Gens de Lettres, March 9, 1867. 1 p. in-4. She asks him to send to the Duke of Gramont, French Ambassador to Vienna, the document appointing Charles Spina as the Representative and Defender of the interests of men of letters in Austria, as well as a copy of the treaties concluded with Italy, Spain, etc. Alexandre Dumas added, “with a thousand warm regards to you, my dear Paul.”
- 2 letters to Alphonse Lebègue. – March 27, 1873. 2 pp., in-8. She asks him to obtain for her a book published in Brussels, *Le dernier des Napoléons*, which she absolutely needs. – [April 12, 1873]. 2 pp., in-8. She has just arrived in Brussels and would be delighted to see him again.
- Marie Alexandre DUMAS. *Au lit de mort*. Paris, Michel Lévy, 1867.
In-8, red half-shagreen with corner caps, double gilt fillets on the covers, decorated ribbed spine.
[2 ff.], 322 pp. First edition.
A book “that caused quite a stir and in which critics have noted a sort of autobiography of the author” (Vapereau). The critic from *Le Figaro*, while not hiding the work’s flaws, concluded that the author “has pedigree; through her flaws and her qualities, one senses she is the daughter of *Antony* and the sister of *The Lady of the Camellias*.” Noting her “singular Catholicism,” he nevertheless advised her to renounce mysticism…
A fine copy, well bound. A few rare foxing spots.
- Marie Alexandre DUMAS. Le Mari de madame Benoit. Paris, Michel Lévy, 1869.
In-12, green half-shagreen, spine with faded faux-ribbing adorned with gold fillets.
[1 f.], 346 pp. First edition.
Included:
Micaëlla Clélie CORDIER. Signed autograph letter to Mr. E. de la Charlotterie. March 9, 1910. 4 pp. in-8, envelope.
Regarding an article published in *Comœdia* in which she had read all that he had done “for my dear older brother Alexandre. I blessed you for it, for I loved him dearly, having transferred to him the adoration I felt for my dear little Father… You are right—you are my older brother’s only true godson. He may have had others, being a man of great standing; but you—you were almost his son, for… he did not seem to be happy with his daughters.”
An illegitimate son of Dumas the Elder: Henry Bauër and his son Gérard
He was born in 1851 from Dumas’s affair with Anna Herzer, wife of Bauër. Yet another illegitimate child, raised by his mother alone with no involvement from Dumas, yet bearing a striking resemblance to him.
He would take up the cause of the Paris Commune and become an influential journalist.
Marie Alexandrine DUMAS. Collection of autographs and books.
- Autograph letter to a “dear friend.” She asks him for help regarding one of her protégés. 1 p., in-12
- Autograph letter to a friend. July 16, 1865. 107 Boulevard Malesherbes. 4 pp., in-8. She is breathless from the errands she has been running for several months, “either alone or with my dear father, who has been causing us great anxiety for the past eight days; he is barely emerging from the iron grip of acute nephritis… I’m doing my best to prepare the home to shield him from the rough edges and show him only the roses… I’m fortunate to be settled in and to have a long period of rest ahead; in another month, the setup—which is taking shape day by day—will be as comfortable as possible… I haven’t written to Mrs. Flahaut either, but I’ll do so…”
- Letter to a woman. March 8, 1869. 107 Boulevard Malesherbes. 4 pp. in-12. “If I were not reaching out to you, I would tell you, Madame, that you are as wicked as you are witty, kind, and beautiful… Alas, I don’t visit anyone… I don’t have a single minute to myself with the dear father you know. My work, his work, and obligations of every kind turn my poor existence into a perpetual plunder where everyone takes what belongs to them—or what doesn’t…”
- Letter from the author. January 23, 1872. 2 pp. in-8. She hopes to see him, alone or accompanied “by the charming person you wish to introduce to me…”
- Letter from the author to Mr. Giraud at the Chemin de Fer de l’Est. 2 pp. in-12, envelope. “I am writing on behalf of my father, who is already so indebted to you, to ask you to do everything possible—even the impossible—for the wishes of the charming and most interesting person I am sending to you…”
- Letter to a friend. September 18, 1868. 2 pp. ½ in-8. “You see that, from father to daughter, we are looking out for you and your achievements… So please send a quick note to let me know so that I can send my dear papa what he’s asking for… a book of his, already in press. Let’s hurry, since we want it to be published in October.
- Autograph note to Peragallo. “Send us a few sous while we wait for some to arrive from Vienna. Yours always.”
- Autograph letter to Paul Féval, President of the Société des Gens de Lettres, March 9, 1867. 1 p. in-4. She asks him to send to the Duke of Gramont, French Ambassador to Vienna, the document appointing Charles Spina as the Representative and Defender of the interests of men of letters in Austria, as well as a copy of the treaties concluded with Italy, Spain, etc. Alexandre Dumas added, “with a thousand warm regards to you, my dear Paul.”
- 2 letters to Alphonse Lebègue. – March 27, 1873. 2 pp., in-8. She asks him to obtain for her a book published in Brussels, *Le dernier des Napoléons*, which she absolutely needs. – [April 12, 1873]. 2 pp., in-8. She has just arrived in Brussels and would be delighted to see him again.
- Marie Alexandre DUMAS. *Au lit de mort*. Paris, Michel Lévy, 1867.
In-8, red half-shagreen with corner caps, double gilt fillets on the covers, decorated ribbed spine.
[2 ff.], 322 pp. First edition.
A book “that caused quite a stir and in which critics have noted a sort of autobiography of the author” (Vapereau). The critic from *Le Figaro*, while not hiding the work’s flaws, concluded that the author “has pedigree; through her flaws and her qualities, one senses she is the daughter of *Antony* and the sister of *The Lady of the Camellias*.” Noting her “singular Catholicism,” he nevertheless advised her to renounce mysticism…
A fine copy, well bound. A few rare foxing spots.
- Marie Alexandre DUMAS. Le Mari de madame Benoit. Paris, Michel Lévy, 1869.
In-12, green half-shagreen, spine with faded faux-ribbing adorned with gold fillets.
[1 f.], 346 pp. First edition.
Included:
Micaëlla Clélie CORDIER. Signed autograph letter to Mr. E. de la Charlotterie. March 9, 1910. 4 pp. in-8, envelope.
Regarding an article published in *Comœdia* in which she had read all that he had done “for my dear older brother Alexandre. I blessed you for it, for I loved him dearly, having transferred to him the adoration I felt for my dear little Father… You are right—you are my older brother’s only true godson. He may have had others, being a man of great standing; but you—you were almost his son, for… he did not seem to be happy with his daughters.”
An illegitimate son of Dumas the Elder: Henry Bauër and his son Gérard
He was born in 1851 from Dumas’s affair with Anna Herzer, wife of Bauër. Yet another illegitimate child, raised by his mother alone with no involvement from Dumas, yet bearing a striking resemblance to him.
He would take up the cause of the Paris Commune and become an influential journalist.
