Georges MÉLIÈS – Autograph letter signed to Auguste Drioux.

Georges Méliès (1861.1938)

Autograph letter signed to Auguste Drioux.

Four pages in-8°. Paris. June 24, 1929.

"The stock of memorabilia related to Robert Houdin's theatre is far from being exhausted."

A very nice letter about the special issue of Passez Muscade dedicated to him. Méliès also evokes the memory of Robert Houdin and the illusionist Jules-Eugène Legris.

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"Dear Mr. Drioux, I am returning the article on Zirka written by Mr. Clément of Nice. Actually, it's not my place to correct an article written by someone else, but since you ask, I'd like to point out a careless mistake at the beginning. One cannot say 'the illusionist dedicates an article to to someone; or else it should be: 'the illusionist writes an article on Zirka. ' The best approach is to keep the text as is, replacing the word ' on' with 'to '. The rest is perfect. "

Indeed, there's a bit of a print run for the special issue [of the magazine Passez Muscade], but I expected that, as I wrote to you from the start, the price was considered too high. No matter, sales are progressing little by little, and I'm receiving one or two requests every day. It's mainly our trade associations that have been stingy. One took 11 copies, the other 12, for a total of 23. As for individual requests from the provinces and Belgium, they've reached 20 so far. That makes a total of 43 copies sold. It's obviously not much, but I think it's premature to announce that there are a few copies left , etc., because the advertising abroad hasn't even been able to go out yet, these publications being almost all monthly; (For both the special issue and the Robert Houdin photograph ) we must therefore wait for the results of this publicity, and we should expect a month to a month and a half before resorting to other means for the remaining balance. Furthermore, in October, when we resume our meetings, I will certainly have a number of copies purchased by my trade association; the association will pay for them and will then, if necessary, sell these copies at full price to those who missed out. What can you do? Neither you nor I are at fault in any of this, and we will do our best.

For your future PM [Passez Muscade] , I am available to increase the number of issues if you wish; the stock of memorabilia from the RH [Robert Houdin] is far from exhausted. There's plenty to work with! Provided I don't kick the bucket before I've finished the job. The idea of ​​a Christmas issue isn't bad, but only if we don't put you in the same financial burden as with the special issue.  Our current experience with the enthusiasm of our followers isn't very encouraging  ! So, let's be cautious .

I envy you going to the seaside! The sea is what I love most of all ; especially wild coastlines. Unfortunately, I can only go around August 20th, until September 12th or 15th. In the meantime, I get so mad every day seeing the endless stream of people passing through Montparnasse station and heading off on holiday , lucky them, while I'm stuck on my stool!

I will write you, as you request, an article about Carmelli ; but I don't have any photographs of him. In any case, I won't be able to say about him what I said about Legris; he was a man of a completely different kind, but there are interesting things to say about him from an artistic point of view, because, in his genre, he was practically unrivaled. Enjoy your holidays, and give my regards to your friends in Nice, whom, unfortunately, I don't have the pleasure of knowing. Yours sincerely, G. Méliès.

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Georges Méliès ceased all filmmaking activity in 1913. A widower, ruined by the First World War, and forgotten by the art world, he remarried, to Jehanne d'Alcy. She ran a small toy and candy shop within the Montparnasse train station. Méliès then took over the business with Jehanne. During the long hours spent running the toy shop, seven days a week, Méliès was bored and suffered in this confined environment—as he testifies in this letter; but he continued to draw (even sketching himself chained to the station walls). It was there that Léon Druhot, editor of Ciné-journal, found him. One morning, like any other, a passing café owner greeted Méliès with a resounding, " Good morning, Monsieur Méliès! " Léon Druhot , who was there, couldn't believe his ears; he had imagined Méliès to be long dead. He called out to him: "Are you related to Georges Méliès, who made films before the war?" – "Why, it's me."

Auguste Drioux (1884.1937), recipient of this letter, was a recognized conjurer at a very young age. In 1916, he founded the Revue Passez Muscade , the quarterly bulletin for conjurers. Apart from the regular publications, Drioux published a special issue in honor of Georges Méliès (1929) who is mentioned in this letter.