G. PUCCINI, THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS AND THREE AUTOGRAPH POSTCARDS, TO SYBIL SELIGMAN, 1911

About La fanciulla del West (“La Girl”) and his visit to Liverpool, informing her of the gift of a tie-pin encrusted with diamonds and rubies from Queen Alexandra (“...c’era unito un grazioso spillo di diamanti e rubini...”), thanking her for news about “La Girl” at Covent Garden, reporting productions at Brescia, Lucca (“benissimo”, although he attended reluctantly), and, in English, at  Liverpool (“...sarò a Liverpool per la Fanciulla inglese…”), lamenting that she will be not be in London when he returns south, describing how dull England is without her, reporting the rehearsals in Liverpool, and lunch with the Lord Mayor (“...Come è Triste il sol del Nord! E senza Sybil l’Inghilterra val poco davvero!...La Girl a sistema ridotta andrà domani sera. Lord Mayor domattina mi da un grande colazione al Palazzo…”) 6 items, 8 pages in all, 8vo, 2 on "Torre de Lago" letter-cards with autograph address-panels (c.24.5 15.5cm), 3 on postcards, one showing Puccini on his motorboat, wearing a hat ("Il maestro Puccini nel lago di Massaciuccoli"), postmarks occasionally obscuring the text, Torre del Lago, Milan and the "Adelphi Hotel" Liverpool, c.26 June to 5 October 1911

Three of these six items are published in Vincent Seligman, Puccini among Friends (1938), pp.209-210; Budden, Puccini, (2005), p.332.  

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Alexandra, Queen to Edward VII, was the dedicatee of the vocal score of La fanciulla del West.  It was staged in English in Liverpool on 6 October 1911, with a reduced orchestration. Puccini attended the performance and might have stayed longer had Sybil not been at Cernobbio on Lake Como at the time.