[Luke, Sir Harry / Joseph Harry Lukach / J.H.Lukach / J.H.Luke].
Collection of late 19th century letters of Joseph Harry Lukach, Sir Harry Luke’s father. Including a mourning card with mourning poem for a daughter, (Jennie), which Joseph Lukach and his wife, Eugenie Zamarsky, lost in the year 1890. The heartbreaking photograph of the deceased girl, surrounded by flowers, is a perfect example of 19th century sepulchral culture on cabinet photographs. Also included is a juvenile love-letter by Joseph Harry Lukach to his later wife (‘Papa’s consent) and a letter of the younger Joseph Harry Lukach to his mother from boarding school. One lengthy letter by Joseph Harry Lukach to ‘My darling wifie’ from Hotel Bellevue in Paris on December 7th, 1890, where Joseph Harry Lukach makes his first business connections, reports about Monte Carlo and several important people he met (Theodore Seligman) and finally his apology: ‘I am so sorry I was absent on Harry’s birthday…’ – With love to you and the babies, Your loving Joseph’.
[Austria], c.1870 – 1890. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.