![[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] & Schütte, Agathe. (1835–1909) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934) Portrait, Correspondence, and Death-notice of Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold)](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Brahms_Agatha_Schutte_Lot_18567a.jpg?v=1722189691)
![[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] & Schütte, Agathe. (1835–1909) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934) Portrait, Correspondence, and Death-notice of Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold)](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Brahms_Agatha_Schutte_Lot_18567b.jpg?v=1722189691)
![[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] & Schütte, Agathe. (1835–1909) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934) Portrait, Correspondence, and Death-notice of Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold)](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Brahms_Agatha_Schutte_Lot_18567e.jpg?v=1722189691)
![[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] & Schütte, Agathe. (1835–1909) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934) Portrait, Correspondence, and Death-notice of Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold)](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Brahms_Agatha_Schutte_Lot_18567d.jpg?v=1722189692)
[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] & Schütte, Agathe. (1835–1909) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934). Portrait, Correspondence, and Death-notice of Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold).
An intriguing collection of rare materials relating to Agathe von Siebold. The daughter of a professor in Göttingen, Agathe was a gifted young singer who entered into a romantic relationship with Brahms in autumn 1858, inspiring the 14 songs and duets by Brahms in that period, as well as the melodic motifs on her name of Opp. 36 and 44 no. 10: A-G-A-B-E (A-G-A-H-E in German notation). When Johannes broke off their brief love affair, Agathe destroyed their letters and gave away his music manuscripts. In 1868 she married a physician, Carl Schütte. Including in the present grouping are the following:
- Full-profile portrait of Agathe von Siebold at age 14. Delicately and sensitively rendered, signed lower right in pencil by the artist, possibly Fanny Wöhler or a relation, dated 1849. Drawing; pencil on paper. 7.5 x 11 inches (19 x 28 cm) with slight wear to edges, corners darkened, possibly from former display in album, else fine condition.
- Two postcards from E. Oesterley, Hampstead, October 7, 1908, to [Sir] E[dward] Speyer, Esq. at Ridgehurst in Shenley, Hertfordshire. The German text includes biographical information about Agathe, including her place and date of birth, and also the name of Sophia Wöhler, and a brief question in English. 2 postcards, 3.5 x 4.5 inches (9 x 11.5 cm) each. Some marginal prickings, perhaps formerly bound. Fine condition.
- Postcard from Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold), Göttingen, October 29, 1908, to E. Oesterley, Esq., Lyndhurst Gardens, Hampstead, London. The German text includes a references to Joseph Joachim. 5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm). Creased along central vertical axis, formerly folded, two marginal pin holes, otherwise fine condition.
- Death announcement of Agathe Schütte, Göttingen, March 1, 1909. Lithograph; bottom: Druck von Louis Hofer. Somber, thick black border and mixed typefaces, giving the names of bereaved family members and the time and place of burial.
Edward Speyer (1839–1934) and his wife Antonia (née Kufferath, 1857–1939) cultivated a private, genteel center of musical life in their family estate of Ridgehurst in Hertfordshire, north of London, starting in 1894. Their circle included Carl Mozart, Rossini, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Brahms, Joachim, Clara Schumann, and Elgar, as well as the present correspondent, E. Oesterley, Esq., of Hill Top, in Lyndhurst Gardens, Hampstead, London, who was a supporter of music and one of the guarantors of the London Symphony Orchestra concert series in 1879 (Sir George Henschel, Musings and Memories of a Musician, pp. 318–23).
The letters from E. Oesterley are likely from Emil Oesterley, representative of the London-based German firm Ernsthausen and Oesterley in Calcutta, and from 1860 British Consul.
[Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897)] & Schütte, Agathe. (1835–1909) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934). Portrait, Correspondence, and Death-notice of Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold).
An intriguing collection of rare materials relating to Agathe von Siebold. The daughter of a professor in Göttingen, Agathe was a gifted young singer who entered into a romantic relationship with Brahms in autumn 1858, inspiring the 14 songs and duets by Brahms in that period, as well as the melodic motifs on her name of Opp. 36 and 44 no. 10: A-G-A-B-E (A-G-A-H-E in German notation). When Johannes broke off their brief love affair, Agathe destroyed their letters and gave away his music manuscripts. In 1868 she married a physician, Carl Schütte. Including in the present grouping are the following:
- Full-profile portrait of Agathe von Siebold at age 14. Delicately and sensitively rendered, signed lower right in pencil by the artist, possibly Fanny Wöhler or a relation, dated 1849. Drawing; pencil on paper. 7.5 x 11 inches (19 x 28 cm) with slight wear to edges, corners darkened, possibly from former display in album, else fine condition.
- Two postcards from E. Oesterley, Hampstead, October 7, 1908, to [Sir] E[dward] Speyer, Esq. at Ridgehurst in Shenley, Hertfordshire. The German text includes biographical information about Agathe, including her place and date of birth, and also the name of Sophia Wöhler, and a brief question in English. 2 postcards, 3.5 x 4.5 inches (9 x 11.5 cm) each. Some marginal prickings, perhaps formerly bound. Fine condition.
- Postcard from Agathe Schütte (née von Siebold), Göttingen, October 29, 1908, to E. Oesterley, Esq., Lyndhurst Gardens, Hampstead, London. The German text includes a references to Joseph Joachim. 5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm). Creased along central vertical axis, formerly folded, two marginal pin holes, otherwise fine condition.
- Death announcement of Agathe Schütte, Göttingen, March 1, 1909. Lithograph; bottom: Druck von Louis Hofer. Somber, thick black border and mixed typefaces, giving the names of bereaved family members and the time and place of burial.
Edward Speyer (1839–1934) and his wife Antonia (née Kufferath, 1857–1939) cultivated a private, genteel center of musical life in their family estate of Ridgehurst in Hertfordshire, north of London, starting in 1894. Their circle included Carl Mozart, Rossini, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Brahms, Joachim, Clara Schumann, and Elgar, as well as the present correspondent, E. Oesterley, Esq., of Hill Top, in Lyndhurst Gardens, Hampstead, London, who was a supporter of music and one of the guarantors of the London Symphony Orchestra concert series in 1879 (Sir George Henschel, Musings and Memories of a Musician, pp. 318–23).
The letters from E. Oesterley are likely from Emil Oesterley, representative of the London-based German firm Ernsthausen and Oesterley in Calcutta, and from 1860 British Consul.