HAHN REYNALDO: (1874-1947) Venezuelan-born French Composer and Conductor. A prolific composer, best known for his Mélodies. A close friend of Sarah Bernhardt and Marcel Proust. Hahn, a Jewish descent, was appointed Director of the Opera in Paris in 1945, returning from Monaco where he took refuge during WWII. Two short and interesting A.Ls.S., Reynaldo Hahn, one and two pages each, 8vo, 4^th April 1931, the second on the Casino Municipal of Cannes printed stationery, to Noel Charavay, in French. Hahn, like Stefan Zweig, was an autograph collector. On these letters he pays some autographs and also asks for few more to be kept for him. To the first letter, Hahn states in part `J´accepte ce que vous me proposez, a savoir l´échange des lettres que je vous ai envoyé contre les 1300 fr qui vous sont dus pour mes derniers achats (Louis XIII et Turenne)..´ (“I accept what you suggest, that is the exchange of the letters that I sent you against the 1300 fr which are due to you for my last purchases (Louis XIII and Turenne)”) The second letter is a list of autographs of a catalogue that Hahn wishes to get booked, stating `Veuillez, je vous prie, me réserver les numéros suivants de votre catalogue, 94472 (Turenne) - 94441 (Montesquieu) - 94388 (Gounod) - 94352 (Diderot)´ A letter of good association. The first letter is postmarked and stamped to the verso. G to VG, 2

 

The Maison Charavay, Paris, was probably the first bookseller specialized in autographs since mid XIXth century.