Item Details
Pre-World War I Swiss / French song book of lyrics and postcard.
Lausanne, Switzerland: c.1880-1912. Unique. Boards. A very illustrative and provocative manuscript songbook written by a Swiss / French regimental officer during World War I, named from the postcard citation, F. Mayor and that he signed it "Lausanne" suggesting he is writing, from, and/or stationed in Lausanne, Switzerland. The research on the manuscript eludes to the creator as Frédéric Mayor. It is not clear however if Mayor penned any of the lyrics in the notebook himself or this manuscript serves as a pictorial notebook of contemporary French language songs.
The drawing styles suggests the postcard and notebook were hand drawn by one and the same. The historical account of these types manuscripts are full of possibilities including a lower ranking officer entertaining fellow troops with sordid tales of higher officer's exploits of sexual encounters with French sex workers with national song lyrics and drawings. The style of the uniforms illustrated point to Zouaves, North African based regiments, tropical uniforms with topee headgear, Imperial chasseur heavy cavalry wearing a cuirass suggesting the soldiers were engaged in the French Algerian War (1st) or these are French Foreign Legion officers by the red kepi/trousers worn. The women's fashion is illustrative of last quarter of the 19th century with pink gowns, frothy petticoats, and high up-do's indicative of Imperial age and exaggerated corsage, lingerie and balcony shape of the 1890s. These were high class French sex worker women of the late 19th century or turn-of-the-century. [J. Kearns].
The song lyrics, questionably are from a few named traditional songs of the period, for example: "Oh Bel Ange"; "À Travers des Barreaux de L'escalier"; "Je veux aller au Bal." Songs chosen for these types of songbooks “endeavored to include a fair proportion of songs according to the following classification: national and patriotic songs, folk songs, popular songs of the day, and hymns." [Morgan-Ellis, Esther M. "Warren Kimsey and Community Singing at Camp Gordon, 1917-1918." In Journal of Historical Research in Music Education Vol. 39, no. 2 (2018)]. In this case, many love songs.
Otherwise, the lyrics may have been modified for whimsical purposes or mess hall entertainment. Songbooks of this example, were meant to be uplifting and kept the soldiers attached to idea of normalization ahd homelife, but also as a distraction in fantasy and sexuality. The postcard is dated 11-11-[19]12. The verso of the postcard is annotated: Sentinelle, No. 4 avancer [Advanced Guard] with one soldier in uniform labeled "Corporal." and addressed to Monsieur Paul Chesillol, Sargeant Fournier. The text inscription is loosely translated: Dear Sir: What are you doing? I am starting to get impatient. So I write myself. Never met to [shake hands], other than in written form. [indescipherable]... What can I say, this card is about me? I drew it for us. It's a changing of the guard at the barracks in Lausanne. They are soldiers of the 2nd French from the 7th Battalion Infantry...I'm waiting for news with impatience. With good greetings.[sic]--F. Mayor.
It appears F. Mayor is writing to his friend, another soldier. Not uncommon, however, this collection of lyrics and illustrations are exceptional from the detail of the uniforms to the fashion of the women depicted in the pages. They are inked in black, with colored pencil. It is both playful and suggestive, a wonderful example of late 19th century French military history, fashion, and the recognition of sex work in the 19th century. Very Good+. Toning, rubbing, and evidence of dampstaining, else in very condition. Canvas tapebound over stamped board lined manuscript notebook. Pen and ink color illustrations with handwritten text. Approximately 180pp. [90pp blank], 60 color illustrations. With illustrated two-sided postmarked postcard with color pen and ink. Item #11254
Price: $6,500.00