KENT ROCKWELL Group of correspondence to Hildegarde Hirsch

Sale 1986 - Lot 157

Price Realized: $ 1,495

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,000

THE CONSUMMATE ROMANTIC KENT, ROCKWELL. Group of correspondence to Hildegarde Hirsch. 3 post cards, 1 ALS, 2 manuscript notes, 2 photographs, and one pencil sketch. Nd, but likely circa 1916-20

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Hildegarde Hirsch was perhaps Kent's most well-known mistress. They met in 1916 in New York City when she was a Broadway dancer. Immediately smitten with each other, Hirsch became his model in late 1917-18, mostly for his reverse paintings on glass. He created a monogram for her incorporating a man (himself) tenderly hugging a deer, as hirsch means deer, or stag, in German. The strongest letter in this group is written on stationery bearing that monogram: " . . . I've waited so long and I can be so wonderfully sweet to you. I'll be a glorious lover to you on that day!" Hirsch and Kent would often correspond in German and two small cards here bear greetings in German, with mounted printed illustrations by Kent; both dated August 1916. Two of the three postcards are addressed to Hildegarde, the third to her sister Frieda, also a good friend of Kent. The photographs are of Kent only; one is a studio portrait, the other other of him on horseback, both with some wear; the pencil portrait of Hildegarde was likely executed by Kent, but it is not certain; it is initialed H. H. Lastly, an unrelated piece is addressed to his daughter Clara and bears a sweet little 5-line rhyme. See Wien, Jake. "His Mind on Fire--Rockwell Kent's Amorous Letters to Hildegarde Hirsch and Ernesta Drinker Bullitt 1916-1925." Columbia Library Columns. Volume XLVI, No. 2, Autumn 1997.