| Description | Two manuscript items inserted in a copy of, 'Note sur les decors de theatre dans L'antiquite romaine' by Camille Saint-Saens' (1835-1921), which was presented to Lawrence Alma-Tadema by the author in 1887. Comprising:
/188 a signed, manuscript note from Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921), sending a copy of his book, nd [1887] (in French);
/189 a double-sided sheet of unsigned, rough pencil-sketches on paper with the letter-head of the Hotel Dieudonné, Ryder Street, St James, London, 19th century.
The provenance and custodial history of the volume in which the papers are held can be surmised from bookplates on the front pastedown and flyleaf and a manuscript inscription on one of the front free endpapers. The volume passed from the library of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 17 Grove End Road, London to the Victoria and Albert Museum and thence, in September 1947, to the library of the University of Birmingham. Although the note (/188) is simply addressed to 'My dear friend', the author's signed, manuscript inscription in the same hand, dated London May 1887, identifies the recipient of the volume as Lawrence Alma-Tadema. The pencil-sketches are unsigned and undated.
NB TO REQUEST THESE ITEMS PLEASE GIVE THE DETAILS OF THE BOOK WHICH THE ITEMS ARE TIPPED IN (see Physical Description) |
| Custodial History | The note is tipped in to a presentation copy of ''Note sur les decors ...' by Camille Saint-Saens which was transferred from the Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum to the University of Birmingham Library in September 1947. The bookplate of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 17 Grove End Road, London is pasted on to the front pastedown and the bookplate of the library of the University of Birmingham recording the transfer from the Victoria and Albert Museum is pasted on to the front flyleaf. |