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Lot 523

YEATS, WILLIAM BUTLER (1865-1939, Irish poet) and SEAN O'CASEY (1880-1964)

8 May 2013, 13:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £3,125 inc. premium

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YEATS, WILLIAM BUTLER (1865-1939, Irish poet) and SEAN O'CASEY (1880-1964)

CARICATURE PORTRAITS OF YEATS AND SEAN O'CASEY BY SIEGFRIED SASSOON (1886-1967), WITH TWO UNPUBLISHED DITTIES AND A DRAWING OF A SWAN, Yeats wearing a hat, spectacles and a cape, both pieces 6 lines, the second beginning: 'When Ireland's old and earth is growing cold...', 1 page, small quarto, on headed paper of Heytesbury House, Wiltshire, not dated

Sean O'Casey & Butler Yeats
Hied to Coole to cool their pates;
Said Willie Yeats to silly Sean,
'White on the water swims a swan'.
To whom replied the great O'Casey,
'Shure, Willie, and 'tis so; be aisy.'

Sassoon's caricaturing skill (perhaps encouraged by his great friendship with Max Beerhohm) is well documented.

PROVENANCE: Siegfried Sassoon; George Sassoon.

Additional information

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