The Autographs and Collectible Memorabilia Blog

Titans on the Met Podium, 1907-1909: Mahler and Toscanini

HEINRICH CONRIED FIRED BY MET BOARD In June 1907, when Heinrich Conried announced “the engagement of the very best of all musical directors Gustav Mahler,” his own days as impresario of the Metropolitan Opera were numbered. The Board, deeply dissatisfied with his decisions about repertoire and casting, and his crass...

Ned Rorem: American Composer and Diarist

"Divine fires do not blaze each day, but an artist functions in their afterglow hoping for their recurrence." —Ned Rorem. Ned Rorem was perhaps a little humble when he spoke these words, as his output, both musical and written, is nothing short of prolific. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Music...

Haydn Wohnhaus - Where an Era Ended

On a recent trip to Vienna, we stepped into the world of one of the greatest classical composers of all time at the Haydn Wohnhaus Museum. Housed in the very building where Joseph Haydn lived and worked for much of his life, this museum offers a unique opportunity to learn...

Cosima Wagner: The ideal companion

INTRODUCTION Francesca Gaetana Cosima Liszt was the second daughter of Marie d'Agoult and Franz Liszt. She was born on December 24, 1837. Her unusual third name was derived from the lake in Italy where he parents had gone to wait for her birth. Cosima lived to reach ninety-two, outliving her...

Recently Acquired - Composer Christopher Rouse Autograph Collection

We have just acquired a fantastic collection of autographs that belonged to American composer Chris Rouse (1949-2019). See more details at the bottom of this article - Let´s first know a bit more about the person and the composer. CHRIS ROUSE - THE MAESTRO OF EMOTION Born in Baltimore on...

Gustavo Dudamel Next Music Director of the NY Philharmonic

Gustavo Dudamel will be the new Music Director for the New York Philharmonic. The energetic and charming conductor will take up his new post in 2026 and is determined to develop something memorable and profound with his new orchestra. The New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the...

Autograph Signature vs. Autograph Inscription vs. Autograph Sentiment

These three terms are frequently used and often confused in the autograph collecting world, so we thought it would be a good idea to clarify their true meaning. In the photograph below, we have highlighted what each term means, and we describe them further in the rest of this article. ...

Hariclea Darclée - Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore: The life and times of the first Tosca

Hariclea Darclée Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore | The life and times of the first Tosca Author: René Seghers 500 pages Hardcover with dustwrapping, printed on luxurious paper Over 110 colour(ed) and meticulously restored photographs Including a 78-page Chronology, discography, index of names Limited edition of 100 copies Publisher: Darclee.com Author...

Leonard Bernstein Conducting the New York Philharmonic, 1958 to 1969

Born a few months before the end of the First World War, it’s impossible to put a single label on Leonard Bernstein - even ‘musician’ seems inadequate, as he was equally important and influential as both music educator and humanitarian as conductor and composer. One of the most influential Americans, let alone musicians, of the twentieth century, Bernstein was also the first conductor both born and trained in America to be Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Prince Memorabilia - A Wide Range of Collectibles

Born Prince Rogers Nelson in 1958, the artist known as Prince died unexpectedly of an accidental overdose in 2016 at the age of 57. Within his life, however, the acclaimed musician sold more than 100 million records worldwide, a feat that marks him as one of the best-selling musicians of...

Apollo's Angels: A Short History of Ballet

THE BIRTH OF BALLET When Florentine Catherine de Medici married french king Henry II in 1533, she introduced early dance styles into court life in France. Catherine brought the Italian influence to the French courts. She introduced chariots, floats, and parades, all of which demonstrated meaningful stories. Her sons, the...

Cleo de Merode: The Start of the Celebrity Culture

It’s easy to think of celebrity culture as being a modern phenomenon. Fueled by social media, celebrity is now a throwaway term, as anyone with a successful YouTube channel or Instagram account demonstrates. However, in terms of how we understand celebrity in the twenty-first century, Cleo de Merode was the...

Mozart Manuscript Scores and Documents: Mankind's Treasure

The biography and works of Mozart can only be traced down using several historical documents, mainly The Wolfgang family letters, contemporary documents, and Mozart’s autographs. THE WOLFGANG FAMILY LETTERS The Wolfgang family letters can be divided into several collections depending on when they are dated. However, it is important to...

Opera War: Met Opera versus Manhattan Opera House 1906-1910

The Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager Heinrich Conried’s troubles were not confined to earthquake, fire, and censorship. In 1906 he had to face the strong competition of a rival opera company performing in a brand-new auditorium just a short walk from the Met. This was the start of an “opera war”...

The Royal College of Music Museum—A Visit

One great place to visit on a trip to London if you are a fan of music, especially classical music, is the Royal College of Music Museum. This gorgeous space is an homage to important music history throughout the centuries, housed in an institution that produces some of today’s best...

Ernesto Lecuona: Celebrated Cuban Composer and Pianist

Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) was beloved by his native Cuba and gained worldwide recognition during his lifetime. He traveled the globe extensively, performing for packed theaters and concert halls. His musical talents were appreciated by fellow musicians and the general populace alike, with well-known hits such as "Always in My Heart"...

John Wayne Memorabilia and Collectible Treasures

Legendary Hollywood icon, John Wayne continues to be loved by throngs of fans. Generation after generation has not only come to revere his films, but also to seek out memorabilia and collectibles related to the actor's life and films. Whether posters and autographed photos or books and film props, John...

Operetta - A Theatrical History and Timelines

An Operetta is a form of theatre combined with a light opera. It grew out as an independent genre around the middle of the nineteenth century. It originated, in Paris in the 1850s from the French opéra-comique, to satisfy a need for short, light works to contrast with the full-length...

Italian Conductor Guido Cantelli: His Life and Times

Guido Cantelli was a renowned Italian conductor whose brief yet fruitful journey allowed him to conduct in some of the most famous concert halls of the world. So promising was Cantelli’s career that Maestro Arturo Toscanini once stated, "He [Cantelli] will, I feel sure, be my true successor." Sadly, Cantelli’s...

Signed Bookplate: What it is and Why it Exists

Before signed bookplates existed, people used to tip in or add autographed cards, signed programs, and even handwritten notes signed by the authors. A bookplate is a sticky piece of paper that is attached or glued to one of the first pages of a book, so a signed bookplate will...

Pavarotti's Home Museum in Modena, Italy: A Treasure Trove of Art and Culture

When you think of Modena, Italy, the first thing that comes to mind is probably opera. And for a good reason – the city is home to one of the most famous tenors of all time, Luciano Pavarotti. But there's more to Modena than just its operatic heritage. The city...

Autograph Dealers Fake vs Real - 12 Things to Consider (and Not)

Regardless of whether you’re an experienced autograph collector or simply a casual buyer looking for an autograph as a gift, you need to consider if the sellers are reputable, honest autograph dealers. Below we list some of the key things you need to know in order to evaluate who you...

Anna Pavlova - Dying Swan and the Making of her Only Film

Anna Pavlova is one of the greatest and most influential dancers of all time, constantly being revered as one of those figures that helped dancing take a much clearer and fascinating form. In that regard, there are a lot of interesting facts and stories regarding her life and work, which...

Historical Documents - A Window to the Past

Any official document which can be relied upon as the basis or as a support document for anything related to history is a historical document. A historical document can be from any field from politics to medicine, or any field of human experience. They are frozen moments in time, a...

THE AUTOGRAPH BLOG

Titans on the Met Podium, 1907-1909: Mahler and Toscanini

Ned Rorem: American Composer and Diarist

Haydn Wohnhaus - Where an Era Ended

Cosima Wagner: The ideal companion

Recently Acquired - Composer Christopher Rouse Autograph Collection

Gustavo Dudamel Next Music Director of the NY Philharmonic

Autograph Signature vs. Autograph Inscription vs. Autograph Sentiment

Hariclea Darclée - Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore: The life and times of the first Tosca

Leonard Bernstein Conducting the New York Philharmonic, 1958 to 1969

Prince Memorabilia - A Wide Range of Collectibles

Apollo's Angels: A Short History of Ballet

Cleo de Merode: The Start of the Celebrity Culture

Mozart Manuscript Scores and Documents: Mankind's Treasure

Opera War: Met Opera versus Manhattan Opera House 1906-1910

The Royal College of Music Museum—A Visit

Ernesto Lecuona: Celebrated Cuban Composer and Pianist

John Wayne Memorabilia and Collectible Treasures

Operetta - A Theatrical History and Timelines

Italian Conductor Guido Cantelli: His Life and Times

Signed Bookplate: What it is and Why it Exists

Pavarotti's Home Museum in Modena, Italy: A Treasure Trove of Art and Culture

Autograph Dealers Fake vs Real - 12 Things to Consider (and Not)

Anna Pavlova - Dying Swan and the Making of her Only Film

Historical Documents - A Window to the Past

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