In the complex and varied antiquarian market the figure of the autograph collector is one of the most interesting. Like the bibliophile who wants to possess the first edition of a book as it is the one that comes closest to the idea of its creator, the autograph collector will try to grab one piece that brings with it a high symbolic value: that author’s signature or, even better, his autograph. Fascinating and charming, this hunt is mainly aimed at celebrities as great writers, scientists, artists, statesmen, and may hold many surprises. In recent years Aste Bolaffi achieved good results in this field and the new season will also feature a number of letters, documents and autographs of some relevance. Musical autographs are experiencing a certain growth, and we have the pleasure to sell at auction letters by Clara Schumann, Giacomo Puccini, Umberto Giordano and Giuseppe Verdi, the latter present in the next. sale with several letters like the one addressed to Francesco Maria Piave in which the Maestro also speaks about politics: “wanting or having to write my biography as a member of Parliament, one would only need to print in large letters in the middle of a blank sheet of paper: not 450 but 449 [MPs], because Verdi as a MP does not exist”. But the most unusual of Verdi memorabilia for sale is undoubtedly a lock of his hair, coming from the heirs of Giulio Ricordi, friend and companion of his whole life.

Another current trend is to collect artists letters and documents, especially the ones that deal with their work. The December sale we will feature a long letter written by Gian Domenico Tiepolo and one of the most important Norwegian Symbolist painter, a 1904 letter that Edvard Munch wrote to his friend and correspondent Max Linde in which he speaks of the famous portrait of Hermann Schlittgen that he was about to finish and that now hangs at the Oslo Munch-museet. As for the Italian poetry, our forthcoming catalog will feature of a poignant letter by Ugo Foscolo sent from Frankfurt in 1816 to his family, at the time when the poet was leaving for the London-based exile: “Pray to God for me, and rest assured I’m fine health, and I go to England with high expectations, and well-prepared things. Goodbye, goodbye my dear; Farewell from the depth of my soul - goodbye; and Mother, send me your holy blessing. Ugo “.

BY Cristiano Collari