APOLLINAIRE GUILLAUME: (1880-1918) French poet, playwright, novelist and art critic, an impassioned defender of Cubism and a forefather of Surrealism. A.L.S., Guillaume Apollinaire, two pages, 8vo, n.p. (Paris), 12^th September 1917, Jean-Emile Laboureur ('Ami'), in French. Apollinaire announces 'Je suis au courant de vos avatars militaires. Avant que la guerre ne soit finie vous serez japonais c'est la grace que je vous souhaite' (Translation: 'I am aware of your military avatars. Before the war is over you will be Japanese, it is the grace that I wish you'), continuing to express his hope of meeting Laboureur next time he is in Paris and further remarking 'Je vous felicite des jolis dessins dont vous avez le livre de Billy' (Translation: 'I congratulate you on the pretty drawings you have made for Billy's book'). Apollinaire concludes by stating that he has a letter from his correspondent's friend, Johnson, whom he will write to today, and encloses a cheque 'que je n'ai pas ete toucher et qui doit etre perime. Je vous laisse le soin de le dechirer' (Translation: 'that has not been touched and which must be expired. I'll leave it up to you to tear it up'). Accompanied by the original envelope. Together with the cheque referred to, made payable to Apollinaire for the sum of three francs, signed by Laboureur and dated 13^th November 1916. The cheque was evidently torn into eight pieces, but has since been reassembled and neatly mounted. Two small neat splits to the edges of the central fold of the letter, otherwise about VG, 2

 

Jean-Emile Laboureur (1877-1943) French painter, designer, engraver, lithographer and illustrator. Laboureur was conscripted during World War I and acted as an interpreter for the British Army and American troops.