L'ouverture d'un bal. Original hand-coloured engraving by [DANCE - Social] - 1825

London: Leoni Lee & Coxhead, 1850. Folio, 342 x 242 mm. Lithograph by J. Brandard, signed by the artist in the stone. Printed by M. & N. Hanhart. Depicting a young woman seated at the keyboard with a gentleman looking on and children in formal dress dancing. Somewhat worn, soiled, and creased; tears to margins; laid down to mounting sheet. Contemporary signature to upper right corner faded, slightly cropped. Cover only. John Brandard (1812-1863), an English lithographic artist, was a master of the illustrated sheet music cover, designing hundreds of title pages, primarily for ballets and operas.

London: Ashdown & Parry, 1860. Folio, 348 x 247 mm. Coloured lithograph by Concanen depicting fashionably dressed children dancing within an arched border framed by holly leaves and berries at lower corners; a group at right background admires a Christmas tree. Slightly worn, browned, and stained; slightly trimmed, affecting one word of titling at upper margin; left margin of verso reinforced with light tape. Small circular embossed publisher's stamp to upper left corner. Cover only.

United States & France: Unpublished, 2001. (33) color images & (20) black & white and photographs of this party-dance scene; folks drinking, dancing...generally having a good time, in an unidentified venue; these were acquired in NYC circa 2007. Approx. 4" x 6" format; the color images were printed on AGFA photo paper; B & w & color photos all dated 06. 12.01 on the reverse. Light wear; in very good condition.. Photography. Very Good.

London: Jullien, 1848. Folio, 347 x 248 mm. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. Brandard depicting a couple in dance pose, the lady wearing a bridal dress with roses in her hair, the gentleman in evening dress, their arms around each other's waist and their free hands joined, all within an arched border of white roses with green leaves. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), [1] (blank), 2-17, [i] (blank) pp. Signed by the artist in the stone Small composer's facsimile signature stamp and price annotation in ink to lower outer corner of title. Slightly worn and browned; spine reinforced with tape and strengthened on verso; verso of title reinforced all along inner margin and at center of outer margin. Possibly based on Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. John Brandard (1812-1863), an English lithographic artist, was a master of the illustrated sheet music cover, designing hundreds of title pages, primarily for ballets and operas. Jullien was a French composer, conductor, and music publisher. "Considered… Read More

Paris: Goupil et Vibert, 1844. Image size 247 x 190, sheet size 353 x 267 mm. Printed on China paper laid down to publisher's card mount with publisher's small oval embosssed handstamp to lower left corner. A charming depiction of a couple dancing the polka.

London: Jullien, 1845. Folio, 337 x 250 mm. Attractive colour lithograph by J. Brandard printed by M. & N. Hanhart depicting a couple in Bohemian dress dancing the polka within Jullien's characteristic decorative border gilt. 1f. (recto illustrated title, verso blank), [1] (full textual instructions for dancing the polka together with publisher's advertisements), 2-7, [i] (blank) pp. With composer's facsimile signature handstamp to lower right margin. Disbound, with small stab holes to inner margins. Light uniform browning; scattered foxing; first folio slightly split at head. The subjects depicted are thought to possibly be the important dancer and choreographer Jules Perrot (1810-1892) and the noted Danish Romantic ballerina Lucille Grahn (1819-1907). With an intriguing "second rule" for dancing the polka: "... never to imitate the theatrical figure taught by some dancing masters de Bas étage, which perfomance is very amusing in a Theatre, but in a distinguished ball-room totally mauvais ton."… Read More

Sheet size 290 x 375 mm. Executed in black ink with white highlights with an ornamental border to upper margin and titling within a tambourine motif to lower. Small circular embossed stamp of "Goodall's Bristol" (English paper manufacturer) to lower left corner. A humorous drawing set in a dance hall depicting a fashionably-dressed seated woman with five young men lined up on their knees before her, nervously awaiting ther turn to ask the beauty to dance; an older man standing behind the woman (possibly her father?) smiles at the mens' predicament. Three young ladies in the foreground are busy chatting, while in the background a monocled gentleman asks a seated lady to dance, another lady appears to be napping, while a gentleman seated several feet away laughs. With smaller drawing to lower left outside the border of the primary drawing depicting a horse and carriage in front of a building (possibly the dance hall) with a number of figures scurrying in the rain and one male figure with a peg leg.… Read More

London: Jullien, 1843. Folio, 340 x 251 mm. Colour lithograph by J. Brandard heightened with gold depicting dancers Forgeot and Albert in identical costumes of white knee-length ballet dresses with bolero jackets and red and gold sashes and hats with feathers, both facing front with hands on each other's shoulders, en pointe, hands clasped in front. Within decorative gilt border. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), [1] (directions for performing the polka and publisher's advertisements), [2]-5, [i] (blank) pp. Signed by the artist in the stone. Printed by M. and N. Hanhart. Small composer's facsimile signature stamp to lower outer corner of title. Slightly worn, browned, foxed, and stained; small binding holes to blank left margin; slightly trimmed, affecting last line of imprint; spine reinforced with tape; loose, but with original stitching present. NYPL catalogue id b19758956. Scarce. NYPL/Chaffee suggest that this is an image of the dancers Fanny Cerrito and Camille. John Brandard (1812-1863),… Read More

2 pp. of a bifolium. Quarto, ca. 198 x 161 mm. Dated Philadelphia, January 28, 1824. In black ink. With integral address panel with remnants of original seal. On wove paper. With minor autograph corrections. A charming piece of American social history, evidently written by a schoolboy to his mother pleading for permission to take dancing lessons: "for it is very unpleasant for[!] to see people all knowing how to dance." Cousin Abbey had come to town to attend dancing school for half a quarter, and the young boy writes: "if I begin the first of February I shall have a quarter but if you thing[!] a quarter will cost to[!] much permit me to go half a quarter... Sister Francis says I better go now this winter and then subscribe next winter to the cotillion parties wich[!] will be but a dollar and a half. I wish you would let me know so that I can get a pair of shoes for it... I want to go very much." Somewhat worn and browned; creased at folds, with minor loss to blank areas; small portion of upper… Read More