Armes Anciennes. Collection Charles Draeger
Monaco 1987 /katalog aukcyjny Sotheby's/
Stron 180. Papier kredowy. Katalog wydany w formie albumu muzealnego.
213 przykładów inkrustowanej, rzadkiej lub unikatowej broni, przeważnie palnej od XVI po XIX wiek. Prezentowane są także Komplety pojedynkowe, nietypowa broń biała. Każdy eksponat jest opatrzony kolorową fotografią i opisem technicznym. Lekko poprzecierana obwoluta.
Charles Draeger was born in Paris 12 November 1899 into a family of well-established art printers of high repute, and from an early age was expected to assist his elders with the business. In the evenings, whilst the next day's work was in preparation, he listened with interest and excitement to the reminiscences of his grandparents - of wars and adventures in the early years of the century. He learned that his great-grandfather was rescued from the Turks by Napoleon's bodyguard, became a standard bearer in the Imperial Guard and received 27 wounds during the ensuing campaigns. He was rewarded with the Legion d'Honneur. These tales aroused his interest in things military - La Gloire - but to his chagrin, due to his youth, he was unable to join the Army until January 1918. After the war he served under Marechal Lyautey in Morocco until 1922. The comparative quiet and isolation during the peace-keeping operations in the Atlas Mountains gave him the opportunity to study Tart mUitaire' and the history of weapons, which became his lasting passion. On returning to France, Andre Citroen invited him to join the desert expedition known as the 'Yellow Crossing', but the demands of the family press were paramount; he rejoined his father, uncles and brother Jaques.
He learned to work with the premier designers of the day and the press - Draeger Freres - became noted for the fine reproduction of the works of Dufy, Matisse, Dali and Picasso amongst many others.
The technical finesse necessary in his work influenced his choice of specimens now that he was able to collect in earnest and the impressive results may be seen in this catalogue. It is obvious that, with very few exceptions, he bought with care, taste, knowledge and with good advice. He was also competitive, securing many pieces greatly desired by other serious and wealthy collectors.
Nevertheless, the range of values is remarkable, as is the coverage; 2,500FF to perhaps more than 500,OOOFF, the late 16th century to the early 20th century and matchlock to semi-automatic pistols. It is interesting to see that, in spite of the overall excellence, he also enjoyed the romance associated with the common Western 'Frontier' arms, of which a few well-worn specimens are offered.
Two major groups in this collection are particularly worthy of attention. First, the fine and varied selection of Brescian pistols of the 17th century - the extremes of this remarkable regional style being illustrated by the purity of the pair of wheel-locks and the single pistol by Pelegrino - the chiselling densely populated, almost animated and certainly pornographic. The second group, of considerable interest to the discerning collector of French arms, illustrates the artistic skill and technical sophistication of the masters Boutet and Le Page, evinced by the pair of pistols with differing lock systems by the former, the latter epitomised by the double-barrelled superimposed-load rifle with four locks and a single trigger. Even these, arguably, surpassed by the superb pair of pistols by Simon of Paris.
Probably the most exciting, even to those with no great interest in weapons, are the arms with a Royal or Republican historical significance, of which the prime examples must be the magnificent wheel-lock gun believed to have been in the Cabinet d'Armes of Louis XIII and the silver-gilt and enamelled talwar presented by Napoleon to General Desaix in Egypt - both epitomising the highest forms of the armourers' and decorators' art.
Charles Draeger, who died in 1977, was a truly private collector. Shown and known in its entirety to only a few contemporaries with similar interests, the collection is virtually unknown to the acknowledged latter-day authorities and students of arms and is, therefore, worthy of study far beyond the scope of this catalogue.
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