COLETTE – Set of eleven autograph letters on the pleasures of the senses.

Sidonie Gabrielle Colette , known as COLETTE (1873.1954)

Set of eleven autograph letters signed to Maurice Carrère.

Including a letter dictated by Colette.

Eleven pages in-4° and nine pages in-8° (two decorated with collages with floral motifs)

Slnd [1945-46]

“The last drop of Corsican jasmine having left me, I am again forced to consume yours in indecent quantities.”

Charming correspondence relating to the perfumes created by his friend Carrère and to the pleasures of the senses exalted by tea, rum and port.

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I. “Dear Maurice, I didn’t know that so much “black” could dazzle! My joy is complicated by a little remorse, at the idea that because of me you could be beaten. From under my covers I extend to you my old, chilly and grateful paw. Won’t I see you before the 28th (Hélène Morhange talk)? I can guarantee you an exceptionally interesting text from this friend and interpreter of Ravel, and Jean-Michel Damase – sixteen years old – is a prestigious virtuoso. Allow me to tell you that by changing the organization of your afternoons, you would achieve quite remarkable success. We definitely need to talk about it, the sooner the better. Dear Maurice, I embrace you with a very affectionate heart, and Maurice remembers you in a friendly manner. I hope the cats are doing well! Colette. The devil be with human weakness! It was enough for you to give me this excellent tea for me to start drinking tea again – not every day, but often! »

II. “Dear Maurice, I do not have many revenges at my disposal: I send you my “Embroidery”, and all the friendship of Maurice and Colette. »

III. “Dear Maurice, where is the second perfume? I can't wait to taste it. I am cloistered – oh! a little more, a little less… – having caught a cold. I'm working. Well, nothing really new. But let me know about you. Guilty of having made me love tea again, you made me love port again. It is true that this would convince the most recalcitrant. The beloved Maurice is dragging out the end of a cold. And… we married Pauline! Would you like to have the first passer-by (try to be that passer-by!) give me a little Carrère perfume? The last drop of Corsican jasmine having left me, I am once again forced to consume yours in indecent quantities, so that neither my home, nor me, nor my couch, nor my cupboards smell of the shut-in, the sick, nor, above all, … the Royal Palace ! THANKS. Dear Maurice, we embrace you with tender friendship. Colette. »

IV. “Dear friend, what a lovely middle of the day. Maurice's cold suddenly forced him to retreat. Your speaker called me to tell me how happy she was with her success. I can't help but think of your kind suggestion of... fuel. As I hate it when my friends expose themselves for my sake, I implore you – in case you succeed – to be careful regarding delivery. Maurice will soon have a tiny car, and he would very much like to collect the precious commodity in small quantities. Because I very much fear that the charming Simone Berriau, very busy with many things, has forgotten that she spoke to me about anthracite... Dear friend, your old friend kisses you, and Maurice affectionately shakes your hand. Colette. »

V. “Dear Maurice, the bottle is charming. Finally a very feminine bottle, and inspired by an era that I love. The perfume also seems on point: a little more “dry”, a little less sweet! I am wrong ? Thanks to all the Maurices, and to a Yves who I don't know yet? The little one left for Curemonte first, then for lunch. But you know all that! And as I am better without feeling well, we leave to applaud Moreno at the Athenaeum in the morning; Jouvet was kind enough to send for me. Now you know everything – and also that we are both your friends who love you and embrace you. Colette. »

VI. “I was furious last night. You all dined on my beard, that of my flu, (and that of Bebé) and you didn't even climb my floor and a half! I'm fining you a visit, and a perfume that prevents my home and myself from smelling like the Old Lady with the Flu. I said. And I kiss you, but quite severely. Colette. »

VII. “So many bottles, dear Maurice! The Rum one is a marvel – container and content – ​​We have just treated ourselves, both, with one of these grogs… Thank you for everything. Pauline is going to celebrate her first fortnight of marriage, to your health: Colette, yours, works like a horse, – no joke. But it is above all for the benefit of Fraternité , which pays him beans. It's a shame. Today a beautiful issue of Vogue , where she has pretty paper and a pretty portrait, on two pages. Yes, for the house, if you didn't call him at all? It will be “the house of the fields” and that is enough. Oh ! Yes, a lunch in the heart of the fire! We are looking for a car. But... I'm waiting for you, we're waiting for you. We embrace you with all our hearts. And one… for the eminent composer Leibowitz! Your. Colette. »

VIII. “Dear Maurice, I received a very successful trinket. Bottle, glazed box are charming. What's even better is the contents of the bottle. “Vent fou” just has a little old-style breath which is – to my nostrils – a great merit. I would like to see you more often, but at the moment, besides arthritis, it's work that keeps me going (Complete Works). So… Denise Bourdet tells me that Germaine Beaumont sold one of her houses? The bitch doesn't write to me. Dear Maurice, thank you. Maurice and I are your friends with all our hearts. Colette. »

IX. “My little Maurice, you’re just this and that. We no longer see you, and I no longer have a drop of “Signature” to perfume my home and myself. I kiss you with great cold dignity and we wait for you. Colette. »

X. “Again another bottle of eau de toilette!!! My little Maurice, you are far too wasteful to enrich yourself! Yet your old friend persists in wishing you a thousand prosperity without excluding the most material. I still suffer constantly, and I am putting my hopes at the moment in a Swiss doctor who is to come to Paris. We'll see. These three words constitute a very honorable motto for me. You are a sweetheart and we both kiss you wholeheartedly. If you want to remind me of the memory and sympathy of your family, you will give great pleasure to your old friend. Colette. »

XI. “Happy New Year, dear Maurice. I waited to send these wishes until the crowd of wishers had passed. And also that 46 is there. People generally have the imprudence to start sending New Year's greetings even before being assured that we are really going to change the year, which risks making them look completely ridiculous, in case the government of at the top would decide at the last minute that it's still 45 that continues. Where we clearly see human thoughtlessness. And my remarkable insight. If these tufts arrive rotten – as I am predicted here – you will have to blame the unusual heat of this January, the PTT, and tell me. That way, next year, I'll send you onions, or potatoes, – or truffles. I `m kissing you with all my heart. Colette. PS. I am now going to the south. And will return at the end of January. »

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Owner of a cabaret restaurant, decorator, show organizer, Maurice Carrère launched his first perfume, “Signature”, in 1946.