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an old manuscript with black ink on a white backgrounda handwritten letter written in black ink on a piece of paper
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962 - KONSTANTIN BALMONT (1867–1942) and ELENA (1880–1943)
See original version (French)

Estimate €3,000 - €3,500
Sale commission
Description
KONSTANTIN BALMONT (1867–1942) and ELENA (1880–1943) Autograph letter from Mr and Mrs Balmont to V.F. Zeeler. Noisy-le-Grand, 9 March 1937 2 pp.; 21 x 13 cm. The bulk of the letter is in the hand of Elena Konstantinovna Balmont, who requests clarification regarding an article by the correspondent L.D. Lioubimov published in the newspaper ‘Vozrojdenié’. The article ‘was prompted by Miliukov’s actions towards the poet Balmont. <...> these actions have aroused the indignation <...> of many other members of the Union. Neither K.D. nor I understand or know what this is all about’. She also enquires about the status of his identity papers, as without them it is ‘not entirely safe to go out’. On the second page, a handwritten postscript by K.D. Balmont, who expresses outrage at the ‘brutal persecution of V.F. Zeeler and P.N. Milioukov’. The poet’s signature appears at the end of the text. Vladimir Feofilovich Zeeler (1874–1954), a politician and public figure, jurist and lawyer, was a prominent figure in the Russian émigré community. He sat on the council of the ‘Union of Russian Lawyers’ and of ‘Rapid Aid’, which provided support to Russian émigrés, and later became one of the founders of the newspaper ‘Russkaya Mysl’. He played a significant role in the life of the poet K.D. Balmont following his emigration to France in 1920. As General Secretary of the ‘Union of Writers and Journalists’, V.F. Zeeler tirelessly assisted Russian writers and poets, including K.D. Balmont, for 30 years, particularly when the poet fell seriously ill and found himself in dire straits. Provenance: archives of the Union of Russian Writers and Journalists in Paris. At the buyer’s request, we shall be happy to provide a general report on the condition of the lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise potential buyers to carry out their own inspection or to consult a specialist of their choice to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the lot’s condition. Descriptions of items provided in the catalogue or by correspondence are for information purposes only and should not be regarded as a definitive assessment. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD ‘AS IS’, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.
See original version (French)
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About the sale RARE BOOKS & MANUSCRIPTS: Antique books § Autographs, rare editions, photographs § Works on paper
Auction location
Auction time 10/29/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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