BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945) - photo 1
BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945) - photo 2
BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945) - photo 3
BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945) - photo 4

BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945)

Lot 100
14.12.2022 10:30UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 1 134
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 870700
Lot 100 | BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945)
Estimate value
£ 1 800 – 2 500
BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945)

Autograph letter signed ('Bartók Béla') to Stefi Geyer, Piora, Switzerland, 1 July 1933.

In Hungarian. 3 1/4 pages, 290 x 190mm and 146 x 190mm.



On holiday in the Swiss Alps. Piora is a 'wonderful place', and Bartók will stay for 12-14 days if the weather continues as favourable: there are very few holiday-makers – indeed, at his previous hotel at Ambri he was the only resident and had his choice of the rooms, although he suffered from the cold: 'On occasion there I had to put on everything I had in order to be warm – 3 pairs of thick socks, 2 big shirts, a cardigan, 2 waistcoats, coat, mac and scarf'. He is contemplating some mountain-climbing, although hampered by the deep snow: on one trip 'I had to guess the depth using a pole to avoid sinking in up to my knees or up to my waist, hemmed in between huge rocks ... I could see a snow storm on the surrounding peaks ... Promise me, though, that you will not make fun of me when we go out on a trip, for example when seeing me walk carefully on the large stones in my ungainly way. Professionals would certainly do it differently'. He looks forward to Geyer's arrival, and sends some instructions for her arrival, and a request for her to bring 100 francs so that he can buy his ticket back to Budapest.



The Hungarian violinist Stefi Geyer (1888-1956), who had been the object of Bartók's youthful admiration, lived at this time in Zurich with her husband, the composer and impresario Walter Schulthess: Bartók had stayed with them en route to his holiday in the Alps.





Special notice


This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
Place of origin:Eastern Europe, Hungary, Europe
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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10.12.2022 – 13.12.2022
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