ALS: "G. Verdi", 1p, 4½x3½. Sant'Agate, 1889 November 18. To his close friend, Maria Massari Waldmann. In Italian, partially translated. In part: "Thank you, my dear Maria, and thanks to your kind Duke for the affectionate remembrance...Greetings to the Duke and a warm handshake...." On February 8, 1872, mezzo-soprano MARIA MASSARI WALDMANN starred as Amneris in the Milan premiere of Aida under Verdi's direction. At the time of this letter, Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) spent part of the year at the Villa Verdi at St. Agata diBusseto, close to his birthplace in Le Roncole, and part in Genoa in an apartment in the Palazzo Doria. Inscription on verso of Verdi's letter, in Italian: "To my dear/friend Margherita/from/Maria Massari/Zavaglia/Ferrara, 22-1-905". There is a collection of nearly 100 letters from Verdi to Waldmann in La Biblioteca del Conservatorio "G.B. Martini" in Bologna, Italy. Lightly stained. Overall, fine condition.

Thomas "Fats" Waller signs an autograph musical quotation. Autograph Music Quotation signed: "Best Wishes/Thanks/Thomas 'Fats' Waller", 1p, 6x8¼. Bar of music identified by the jazz pianist as "Ain't Misbehavin!/No! No!!" Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943) left DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, New York, in 1917 after one year because he felt he was wasting his time. "There isn't any rhythm in algebra" he complained. His father was a well-known violinist, so Thomas was allowed to leave Clinton to get a job so he could afford piano lessons. He was only 17 when he pressed his first records and made his first piano rolls, and at 19 he initiated his first radio broadcasts. In 1929, Waller wrote the score for the Broadway hit Hot Chocolates. His most famous song "Ain't Misbehavin'" was introduced in the show, which featured Louis Armstrong. Waller was only 39 when he died of pneumonia. Two unrelated autographs, dated 1939 on verso (no show through). Irregular left edge. Lightly shaded at margins. Light diagonal stain touches the top of the "T" in Thomas. Overall, fine condition.

Magazine Photograph inscribed and signed: "To Rick/love/Madonna". Color, 8x11. Madonna rocketed to stardom in 1984 with her album, Like a Virgin, followed by her hit song "Material Girl", which reached number two on the charts in 1985. She has won four Grammy Awards for performing and one for composing ("Beautiful Stranger" from Austin Powers The Spy Who Shagged Me). Although the Razzie Awards named her "Worst Actress of the Century", admirers of her work in films like A League of Their Own (1992) and Evita (1996) will dispute that verdict. Lightly creased. Moisture stain (1x1½) in lower left corner. Otherwise, fine condition. Accompanied by Roger Epperson COA and PSA/DNA LOA.

Framed display (46x30) featuring the t-shirt from Caribou Ranch studio given to Lennon when he recorded there with Elton John, accompanied by an authentication signed by Lennon's lover at the time, May Pang, and by a photo of Lennon and Pang together Comprises: (1) DS: "May Pang". 1 page, 8x5. No place, no date. In full: "From John Lennon's T-shirt collection, Caribou Ranch t-shirt. Given to John during his visit to Caribou Ranch Studio, when he and Elton John recorded 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'". Fine condition. (2) Extremely Rare Caribou Ranch T-shirt. Long-sleeve Collegiate Pacific, cream-colored, size 34-36. Slightly stained. Fine condition. From October 1973 until March 1975, JOHN LENNON (1940-1980) and MAY PANG lived, loved and worked together. During the Lennon-Yoko Ono separation and at Ono's instigation, their young, personal assistant became his constant companion. Deeply emotional and trying "to find himself", Lennon worked diligently to create the songs for his 1974 album Walls and Bridges, in which he dedicated one song to Ono and "Surprise Surprise" to his lover. Old friend Elton John sang backup on that song and played accompaniment on "Whatever Gets You thru the Night".

This fantastic (and huge) 33¾x63¾ color poster is a promotion for TNT's 1999 spectacular An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash, and is signed by Johnny Cash and three members of his backing bands the Tennessee Two and Tennessee Three - Marshall Grant, W. S. Holland and Bob Wootton - along with Kix Brook and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Emmy Lou Harris, Marty Stuart, gospel singer Wilson Waters, Jr. and host Jon Voight. Poster signed "W S Holland", "Kix/Brooks", "Marshall/Grant", "Ronnie Dunn/'99", "Bob Wootton", "Marty Stuart", "Wilson Waters Jr", "E L Harris", "Kris Kristofferson", "Johnny Cash", "Jon Voight" and "Lyle Lovett", all in silver ink. With six unidentified signatures. Color, 33¾x63¾, mounted on foamboard. Promotional poster for An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash, originally broadcast on TNT on April 18, 1999. ©1999 Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash was just that - a tribute to the Grammy-winning Man in Black by musical acts like Bruce Springsteen, Trisha Yearwood, U2, Cash's wife June Carter Cash, Sheryl Crow, the Dave Matthews Band, Kris Kristofferson, the Mavericks, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Chris Isaak, Wyclef Jean and others.

Third Person ALS: "Mr. Mendelssohns" in English, 1p, 4¼x4½. Hobart Place, Eaton Square (London), 1844 June 29. In full: "Mr. Mendelssohns (sic) Compliments to Mrs. Maxwell; he regrets to say that he does not give lessons, and his stay in this Country being so very limited now, he finds himself not even at liberty to fix a time at which he could play to Miss Maxwell and hear her play, which under other circumstances he would certainly have done with the greatest pleasure." At the time of this letter, German composer Felix Mendelssohn was in London during a recess from his duties as Headmaster of the Leipzig Conservatory. Mendelssohn's works include the overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, the symphonies C Minor and Reformation, concertos and chamber music. He died in 1847 from overwork and nervous exhaustion following the death of his sister, Fanny. He was 38. Uniformly tanned except for a few light spots. Hole at paper to the left of the "2" in date, touching part of it, and in text, touching 2 words. Upper left and lower right corners missing. ½-inch diagonal tear and pinhead-size nick at blank left margin.

Carbon Typed Document Signed: "George Gershwin" and "Ira Gershwin", 1p, 8½x13. Los Angeles, California, 1936 September 30. In part: "GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN each, being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That he is one of the parties to the written agreement dated July 29, 1936, executed by and between RKO STUDIOS, INC. and GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN, under the terms and conditions of which the said George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin are employed by the said RKO Studios, Inc. and under the terms and conditions of which the compensation payable to the said George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin is paid to them jointly, without any allocation between them. That under the terms and conditions of an agreement existing between the said George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin all compensation received by them pursuant to the terms and conditions of said contract, has been and will be divided and allocated between them in the ratio of sixty per cent (60%) to the said George Gershwin and forty per cent (40%) to the said Ira Gershwin…That this affidavit is made and delivered to the said RKO Studios, Inc.…"

His handwritten notes on ruled notebook paper for a high school history test, framed with his phototo an overall size of 34x24. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, 1 page, 7¾x10 ruled notebook paper. No place, but Lubbock, Texas, no year. Holly has written an outline of four points, likely to study for his history class. Headed: "Questions on American History/Chapter I". In full: "1. List some of the contributions of the following ancient peoples to our life today./a. Phoenicians/b. Greeks/c. Romans/2. State briefly how the following contributed to the discovery of America./a. The Renaissance/b. The Crusades/c. Marco Polo and other travelers/d. The invention of printing/e. the commercial revolution/3. Spanish Explorers - Date - Scene of Ex. Import/a. Balboa/b. Magellan/c. Cortes/d. Pizarro/e. Ponce de Leon/4. French Explorers - Date - Scene of Ex. - Import./a Verrazano/b. Cartier/c. Champlain". During his high school years in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy did his history homework, as evidenced by this manuscript, on which Holly has written a "1" at the upper right corner. But Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (1936-1959) was no ordinary high school student.

The Legendary Beatles guitarist signs check on Apple Records, Inc. account during period of significant musical projects. Check signed: "George Harrison", blue ink, 8x3½. National Westminster Bank Limited, London, England, May 20, 1971. Drawn on the account of Apple Records Inc, payable to Elloway & Co for £35 and 75 pence. Around the time this check was signed, Harrison was involved in several significant musical projects that included his collaborative work with John Lennon on the song “How Do You Sleep”, organizing a benefit concert in Bangladesh, and producing Badfinger's album “Straight Up” Bank cancellation stamps at mid-section. Small ink notation intersecting the "rr" in Harrison, with two hole-punches along check's top edge. Overall, fine condition. George Harrison (1943-2001) was an English musician, singer-songwriter, and guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Born in Liverpool, England, Harrison developed an early passion for music, influenced by skiffle and rock and roll. He joined John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the Quarrymen in 1958, which evolved into the Beatles.

The Italian composer signs this touching sentiment on a photograph mount. Photograph Mount inscribed and signed: "Alla bella & gentile Signorina / Marietta Stern, / ricordo / Giacomo Puccini / Roma Gen: 1918" Photograph of Puccini by Vuillemenot Montibone, 6½ x 8½, 11¾ x 17 photograph and mount overall. Puccini was in Rome preparing for the European debut, on January 11, 1919, of his opera, Il trittico. This was a trilogy of three one-act operas including Il tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. Photograph is creased and toned. Photograph mount creased. Framed to an overall size of 24½ x 27. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), the greatest Italian opera composer of his time. He wrote a number of operas, including his three most famous works, La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly, while living at Torre Del Lago, the home he had purchased in 1891. Puccini and his family lived at Torre Del Lago until 1921, and the home became a museum after the death of Puccini's wife in 1930. Light partial postmark to the right of Puccini's head.

Framed display (35x25), including Berlin's signature on a card attached to a musical biography; and a typed letter signed by Sibelius in 1953, politely declining to answer the question of whether Berlin is "America's greatest composer". Typed Letter Signed: "Jean Sibelius" in English, 1 page, 6x8½. Järvenpää, 1953 June 4. To Cyril Clemens, President, The International Mark Twain Society. In full: "Many thanks for your latest letter with your account of my life and career. It was very well written, indeed, with much ability and sympathy. Please accept my cordial thanks for it. The article about Irving Berlin I have read with much interest. His works are indeed performed here very often. If he is America's greatest composer, is of course difficult to say. America has many prominent composers by now. It is almost impossible to say such a thing about any composer. With all my kindest regards". Mid-horizontal fold, not at signature. Fine condition. In this letter to Cyril Clemens of the Mark Twain Society, JEAN SIBELIUS (1865-1957) expressed the difficulty of calling any one composer a country's "Greatest Composer".

A signed autograph note on a postcard giving instructions to a music publisher in London. Addressed in his hand and mailed from Prague in 1892. Both sides of the postcard can be viewed in the frame! Autograph Note Signed with two musical quotes: "A. Dvorak" in English, 5½x3¾. On verso of stamped postcard addressed by Dvorak to: "Novello & Ewer/ 1 Berners Street/London", postmarked Prague, March 24, 1892. In full: "I have no objection to it, when the two bars notes the Viola [c note] page 291. 207 are to be omitted and given to the Cello [two bars, two notes]". Czech composer Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) is best known for his symphony in E minor, From the New World, composed in 1893. He is also noted for success in adapting folk music to serious romantic music. Dvorak was the Director of The National Conservatory of Music from 1892-1895. Note side is soiled, worn torn edges (all intact). Corners torn away affecting some writing and 1 musical quote. Address side is soiled and worn, edge flaws are framed over. Light stains. Framed to an overall size of 36¾x22¼.