Description:

Chevalier Maurice 1888 - 1972 Superb Maurice Chevalier signed photo postcard and ANS

The lot is comprised of note card, envelope, and enclosed photo post card. Thick gray note card on actor's letterhead, with embossed "MC" monogram upper left corner, and matching envelope, both with deckle edges. All three items are inscribed in blue ball point pen in Chevalier's relaxed and confident free form French script. The 6.375" x 4" note card reads in part: "Tuesday, Dear Mr. Vollon, I will visit you tomorrow Wednesday at 2:30 pm with Miss Nita Raya and I am anxious to see the new painting that you did for me ... See you very soon, Maurice Chevalier".

The photo post card depicts a black and white publicity still of a smiling Chevalier in black tie tuxedo on front, inscribed: "Thank you dear Mr. Vollon and Good luck, Maurice Chevalier", and is blank verso. The envelope is addressed to artist "M. Alexis Vollon, 100 Que de la Tour, Paris, 16 th", and both card and photo post card are addressed to "Dear Mr. Vollon". The envelope carries a cancelled 90 centime République Française stamp and was postmarked from Boulevard Malesherbes on February 7, 1939. All items are in very fine condition, with a few isolated minor water stains to left of note card front, a few stray pen marks on post card back, and photo post card with overall toning. Also comes with an original 20 th C. auction lot description.

Maurice Chevalier (1888-1972) was an internationally recognized French musical actor. Despite his humble beginnings as a failed acrobat and sometimes unpaid vaudevillian singer, Chevalier met with great success in Hollywood in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Chevalier's trademarks were his heavily accented singing voice, his mischievous grin, and his straw hat. By the late 1930s, Chevalier had starred in commercially successful musical vehicles with Claudette Colbert and superstar soprano Jeanette MacDonald. In addition to being among the highest paid actors in Hollywood, he also released popular songs back in France. His hit song Ça fait d'excellents français came out the same year that this note was penned.

Alexis Vollon (1865-1945), the recipient of Chevalier's note and signed photo post card, was an artist of the Barbizon School celebrated for his sentimental genre scenes depicting women and children. He was trained by his artist father, Antoine (1833-1900), and received acclaim for his work during the late nineteenth century. It is not known exactly which painting Chevalier mentions in his note to Vollon, but Chevalier remarks that he is filled with "joy" upon being elected its recipient.

In the note, Chevalier mentions that he will be accompanied by "Mlle Nita Raya". Chevalier's second wife, Nita Raya (1915-2015) was a revue singer, dancer, and actress of Romanian Jewish descent who married him two years before, in 1937. Immediately before the outbreak of World War II, Chevalier still doubted that the Nazis were a serious threat to European territorial integrity. Yet after the Nazis invaded Paris in 1940, Chevalier and Raya hid out in the Dordogne home of Austro-Hungarian photography model and ballerina Desha Delteil (1899-1980). Chevalier's decision to stay in France during the occupation was a dangerous one, but as he explained, "when the mother is sick, her sons must not leave".

Overall, amazing pieces related to Hollywood history on the eve of World War II.

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June 14, 2017 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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