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   Fokas Holthuis
Fokas Holthuis & Paul Snijders		Postbus 18604
NL-2502 EP Den Haag
tel. +31 - 70-346 6020, fax +31 - 70-346 6806
e-mail: fokas@fokas.nl
site: www.fokas.nl
Litterature | Autographs | Fine Printing		  
   
  
   

Ça ira. Administrative correspondence with booksellers, publishers, periodicals and 'habitual correspondents'. 229 autograph or typed letters and postcards to editorial secretary Maurice van Essche, and 153 carbon copies of his own letters. 1919-1923. In three original cardboard folders. Thin carbon copies often creased and faded, letters and postcards in a very good state.

€ 4800
The monthly avant-garde review Ça ira (name derived from a popular French Revolution song, to translate as: 'We will win!') was founded by some young artists, who came out of the smoking war-wrecked world of 1919 with a new élan. The authors of the review, of which 20 numbers were published between April 1920 and January 1923, include Paul Colin, Theo van Doesburg, the young poet Van Essche himself, Abel Lurkin, Paul Neuhuys, Arthur Pétronio, Charles Plisnier, Han Ryner, while very appealing dada and expressionist woodcuts and linos were added by Floris Jespers, Paul Joostens, Frans Masereel, Jan Cockx, Jozef Cantré, Karel Maes and Jozef Peeters. One finds incidental contributions by Van Ostayen, Éluard, Picabia, Pound, Iwan Goll, Cendrars and Kassak.
This correspondence has not much to do with the contents of the review, however, but in the first place with its struggle for life. Van Essche is trying again and again to convince booksellers to take his magazine. Too often the response is negative.
One of the folders contains series of letters by 'correspondants habituels', a.o. Raymond Colleye, Jean and Abel Lurkin and Arthur Pétronio with answers by Van Essche.
The third folder testifies of the contact with over fifty different young and modernist periodicals: Het Overzicht, L'Âne d'Or, De Sikkel, Cahiers d'Oasis, Le Merle Blanc, La Connaissance, Cosmopolis (Argentine), L'Esprit Nouveau, Falstaff, Les Feuilles Libres, Gandirea (Romania), Homo, Das Kunstblatt, Lumière, Cercle Médicis, La Nervie, NRF, Le Pal, Paris-Journal, Plus, Der Sturm, De Stijl and La Vache Enragée, to mention some. This folder accounts for the most beautiful or appealing letters, with a letterhead cut by Henri van Straten, or a printed postcard designed by Theo van Doesburg. The unprinted versos of two identical rare Flemish Van Doesburg pamphlets have been used for the carbon copies of Van Essche's letters. Some correspondents: Jean Paulhan, Louis Aragon, André de Ridder, Eug. de Bock and Paul Reboux.
The importance of this collection however is not the string of gems hidden in the mass of correspondence, but that it shows the inside, the working machinery of a famous and valued periodical in all detail.

  
   

Gosse, Edmund. Three autograph letters to Stuart Merrill. 1893 and 1912 (2). On letterhead paper; one on mourning paper. All measuring 17,7 x 22,5 cm. Recto and verso. Twice folded.

€ 350
Stuart Merrill (1863-1915) was a bilingual art critic, translator and Symbolist poet, born in Hempstead, Long Island. He lived in Paris and was an important herald of French literature to the English world, and the other way round. Edmund Gosse (1849-1928), poet, critic and translator, writes to him about a sociological enquiry in the literary magazine L'Ermitage (April 27, 1893), about the burial of his brother-in-law Lawrence Alma-Tadema 'in circumstances of very great pomp and beauty' (July 6, 1912), and thanks for sending of Le Masque (December 1912), to which Merrill had contributed some memories. 'How well I recollect the evening you describe - with poor Henry Harland and Moréas and all the rest! Alas, alas!' (December 19, 1912).

  
   

Grafiek Nu 8 & Poëzie. [Laren/ Amsterdam, Singer Museum/ Galerie Clement/ Galerie Petit, 1998]. 56 leaves in cloth box. 59,5 x 44,0 cm. Published in an edition of 50 copies.

€ 3800
Marvellous project, produced by 14 Dutch poets and 14 Dutch artists. The publishers asked seven poets to invite an artist to produce two prints, inspired by two poems, specially written for this occasion. Then, seven other poets were invited by seven artists to write two poems inspired by their two prints. The poets H.H. ter Balkt, J. Bernlef, Remco Campert, Hugo Claus, Jan Eijkelboom, Anna Enquist and Simon Vinkenoog invited the artists Lucassen, Dick Cassée, Rinke Nijburg, Wim T. Schippers, Diana van Hal, Cees Andriessen and Theo Niermeyer. The artists Hans Andringa, Sjoerd Bakker, Herman Gordijn, Frans de Jong, Vincent van Ojen, Ronald Tolman and Frits Marnix Woudstra invited Eva Gerlach, Th.A. Sontrop, Gerrit Komrij, Rutger Kopland, Ed Leeflang, Esther Jansma and Kees van Kooten. Grafiek Nu 8 & Poëzie contains 28 large original prints in various techniques (lithographs, etchings, woodcuts, and a collage) numbered and signed by the artists, and 28 previously unpublished poems, all handwritten (!) by the poets. Most copies of this huge and stunning production have been reserved for the contributors, only very few were put into trade.

  
   

Kafka, Franz. Das Stadtwappen. Kleine Fabel. Heimkehr. Der Aufbruch. Eine alltägliche Verwirrung. Er. Der Schlag ans Hoftor. (With 7 original lithographs by Jan Bons). [Amsterdam, privately printed], 1943. 29 x 20 cm. Original wrappers. (40) p. Printed on Barcham Green [by J.F. Duwaer] in 30 numbered copies only. Covers slightly discoloured along edges. Bookplate on inside front cover. Inscription ('Sloterdijk, 31 Januari 1944.') on first free endpaper.

€ 650
Published in secret during the German occupation. De Jong 438. Simoni K 4.

  
   

Keats, John. Letters of John Keats to Fanny Brawne. With three poems and three additional letters. Introductory Note by J.F. Otten. (With woodcut-portrait by John Buckland Wright). Maastricht, The Halcyon Press (A.A.M. Stols), 1931. Full giltlettered morroco with gilt vignette by John Buckland Wright on front cover. Top gilt. Marbled endpapers. In slipcase (L. Malcorps). (12), 120 p. Printed in 356 numbered copies. Very fine copy from the library of Johan B.W. Polak.

€ 1400
One of 30 copies on Charles I handmade paper, containing a double set of loose proofs of the woodcut-portrait, signed by John Buckland Wright. The Halcyon Press 11. Van Dijk 246. Reid A6b.

  
   

Masereel, Frans. Large collection of letters and ephemera concerning Frans Masereel.

€ 1200
Very interesting collection of Masereel-ephemera and correspondence from the late Masereel collector Rolf Spiegel. Spiegel intended to realise a series of publications about Masereel. During the years 1930-1975 he maintained a lengthy and intensive correspondence with Masereel's publisher Pierre Vorms, which resulted in 35, mostly extensive letters. Vorms was one of Masereel's closest friends. These letters yield an accurate picture of his career as an illustrator. Vorms also sent him two postcards, co-signed by Masereel. Furthermore, this collection comprises a large quantity of ephemera concerning Masereel: 30 prospects, over 20 booklets/brochures, some loose prints, accounts, Masereel's obituary notice and two photographs of Masereel.

  
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