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Rilke’s Briefcase, Writing Implements & Inkpot | A Past Auction Find

Rilke's briefcase, writing implements and inkpot, from the collection of the poet Regina Ullmann - Sotheby - 2024
Image (slightly edited) from the Sotheby’s listing

Sold back in June 2011 for £27,500GBP.

“…comprising the leather travelling briefcase (c.24 x 33cms), leather wallet containing Rilke’s wooden pen-holder, nib and ivory pen-knife, and a glass ink-pot; together with an autograph letter by Rilke signed (“Rainer Maria Rilke”), to Herr Keller of the publishers Insel-Verlag, about Ullmann’s poems “Erntetag”, “Der Knecht” and “Vor der Ernte”, and enclosing a corrected proof of Ullmann’s poems, 2 pages, 4to, with an autograph envelope addressed to Ullmann, Munich, 13 January 1919; a few ink stains (on) the briefcase.”

Related posts: Dear Madam | Beyond The Savage Creative Storm, Rilke’s Desk, The Man Watching, The Reason Within | A Guide For All Creatives & Time With Rilke | A Rhapsodic Swiss Side Quest.
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Dear Madam | Beyond The Savage Creative Storm

Been reading a bunch of Rilke lately and during a random crawl of the web for related materials, I came across a vast amount his letters on e-manuscripta.ch (a portal for digitised manuscript material from Swiss libraries and archives).

I’m enchanted by the greeting, the flourish in his script, especially in the delicately nuanced letter ‘d’, that stem is majestic, as well as slight slant of the line.

The above “Chère Madame / Dear Madam” was written on Sunday 10th December 1922, from Château de Muzot in Veyras, Switzerland, (where the author completed the famed Duino Elegies in ‘a savage creative storm’ earlier that same year):

Full letter here

Even though Rilke was Austrian and wrote most of his prose / poetry in German, he could also speak and write in French, in which this letter was penned to a lady called Marie Morisse (who I can’t find anything of online). Using a translation app on my phone and others online here’s the whole letter in English (apologies to any native speakers and any mistakes):

“Dear Madam,

The misfortune is not great. Nothing is easier than to reconstitute the small list: here it is, (minus the “Letters to Lieutenant Dupont” that I received at the same time as your letter.) If I ask for something, it is only the absence of of a few follies images in my missive of the other day which could have amused your little boy, for the rest he flatters me that he feels so attracted by my peril that he prefers it to all others.

Again: it would be good to hurry to have The Last Years by Marcelle Tirel on Rodin. I was just reading this morning that the family makes efforts to make it possible to get out of business! X

Accept, dear Madam, the assurance of my feelings sinuously devoured –

RMRilke

*This book anchors me to the moment! Thank you. However, I would like to make sure that a second copy that I would like to make cadean (sp? / name?) to my friend for Christmas.”

The two books referenced are The Last Years of Rodin by Marcelle Tirel which starts in the Preface stating: here is a very curious book about Auguste Rodin (Rodin was a friend, inspired this essay from Rilke and had died five years previous to this letter), and Letters of Lieutenant Duponey / Dupont (which might relate to this chap / book who was an Admiral not a Lieutenant, maybe not).

His penmanship is different in many other letters, probably due to what we all suffer from like basic tiredness, lack of focus and / or other things going on (Rilke was nothing but feelings personified).

Such a delight to explore and ‘trace’ through a correspondence written over 100 years ago by an author whose words and sentiments echo through me!

Now where is my fountain pen‽

Related posts: Time With Rilke | A Rhapsodic Swiss Side Quest, The Man Watching & Rilke’s Desk.
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Leaving To Return / Returning To Leave | My Recent Europe Adventure

Captured in one of the many churches explored in Brussels.

“Eang yw’r byd i bawb.” / “The world is wide to everyone.”

A few days ago I came back from a 10 week trip in Europe. It was my first international travel in 3 years and the main aim was to reconnect with family, friends, the fatherland plus reignite my wanderlust which has been dormant since Covid and other confidence-damaging events.

I didn’t have a return flight booked but had a couple of gigs already booked in beginning of November to provide a backstop.

I spent the majority of time in the valleys of Wales as well as side trips / escapades to Scotland (Glasgow and all over Isle of Skye), Ireland (Dublin and Tramore), England (London), Germany (Munich), Switzerland (Winterthur—see Time With Rilke | A Rhapsodic Swiss Side Quest—Raron, and Basel), France (Lille and Basel), plus Belgium (Brussels, Antwerp, and Bruges):

When you’re away for 2.5 months things change. Buildings and roadways which were once familiar are different. Vistas which are known have a fresh look. My flat seems bigger. The world feels smaller.

I’m brimming with gratitude, energy and hope from the experience.

Am tired but hungry to build / collaborate.

I yearn for stability although am looking for new streets to wander for the first time, again, already.

I’ve changed and I guess that’s the lesson: when you leave, the return creates just another opportunity to depart, again.


Whilst away was very lucky to continue working fulfilling several opportunities whilst on this trip, which included my online ‘Presenting Engagingly Online’ talk / demo to NZTA, ACC, MinterEllison, Sports Wales, Liverpool Port City Innovation Centre Accelerator.

For my lovely ongoing client of Teulo got to MC the August monthly event (took a break for September) as well as a couple of sessions for a group of speakers they are sponsoring for the upcoming ArchiPro event in Auckland next month.

As mentioned, delivered two masterclasses for Accenture global R&D department at The Dock. Also delivered an in-person ‘Purposeful Storytelling’ talk for the start-ups of FinTech Wales and spent two afternoon consults / ideation sessions with friends businesses.

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Time With Rilke | A Rhapsodic Swiss Side Quest

Rilke bronze bust at Kunst Museum Winterthur
Rilke bronze bust at Kunst Museum Winterthur.

Figuratively and literally.

A few days ago, on a wonderfully fresh summers morning, I entered the Kunst Museum Winterthur in Northern Switzerland (twenty minutes outside of Zurich) for a private viewing of the Fritz Huf bronze head sculpture of poet Rainer Maria Rilke (see above). On the same day I traveled the two and a half hours into the Swiss Alps and to a tiny municipality called Raron (population nearly two thousand), to visit the grave of Rilke (see below):

Rilke's grave in Raron.
Rilke’s grave in Raron.

This story started in November 2018 when I came across this web article featuring the sculpture. It moved me deeply and after some research I found the museum which housed the piece and reached out to inquire as to its status. It was held in the archive and not currently shown.

The wonderful staff there sent me some information on it and also shared it was owned by a small Swiss municipality (on the Italian border), Commune di Collina d’oro (whom I tried to contact to no avail).

Apparently, the artist Huf had met Rilke in 1915 and the next day a portrait session occurred, although he went on to complete the work from memory. And what a sensitive and attentive creation it is. Small but bold, it evokes so much of the character of the subject through the slightly embellished elements of the features: from the gentle amplification of the brow, the plumpness of the round closed eyes, to the withdrawn cheeks to reveal the cheek bones and the fullness of the lips under the sweeping moustache.

So from first discovering this artistic impression of a poet who has spoken to me for so long, here I am, nearly four years later, spending over an hour in its company. It was very hard to leave:

There you are. In repose. Tenderly positioned, offering yourself to the darkness, again. A vulnerable attempt of being. Be careful what you find, please. But thank you for taking the plunge into the depths of the emotional landscape; a journey as an attempt to create connections between the worlds. A dimensional shift in experiencing the slavering potential of the soul.
Did it spare your spirit? How enriching to your present state was it? Where did the dangerous adventures finally exact its toll?
For such quests of longing and braveness means risking yourself for what: words? Ideas? Metaphor?

You will never know the admiration. The gratefulness of others. How impressive you are to us. Then again would you care? It would probably arrest you for the briefest of time until you again hear the call of the black, sweet space between here and the deeper realms. And you would close your eyes, once more, and retreat into your melancholic kingdom.

What followed was an equally arresting afternoon trip and experience of visiting Rilke’s final resting place. Through and into the Swiss Alps via two train stops, just a short walk from the Raron’s train station I found myself at the foot of the rock spur which aloft sits the 16th Century St. Romanus Church and the aforementioned grave. At the foot is also the St. Michael rock church, which was created by carving out 6000 m3 of rock and opened in 1974 with a capacity for 500 people.

To get to the grave is a steep climb upwards and around the hill which whacks the breathe out of you⁠—although what a reward!

Apart from the small but impressive church and the grave of the poet, it’s the view out from where Rilke lays which is heavy in beauty (so much so i nearly missed my connecting train back out of the valley, so lost was I in the present vista):

The view of Raron from Rilke's grave
The view of Raron from Rilke’s grave

Of course you would be buried in such a luscious place like this.
Away from us all, elevated, remote, surrounded by splendid scenes to excite and overwhelm.
Teaching us still, that at the end of any challenging journey there’s potential for peace.

After reading so much of the mans words over the past twenty years and tweeting far too many of his lines (neatly curated here if you care), this has been an adventure in coming closer to a poet who’s work is soaked in over-thoughts and drenched in metaphor.

For those who are a fan if his work and find themselves in this part of Europe I urge you to explore the above locations as I guarantee it will be fuel for the soul which will echo deep within. As the man wrote:

Like someone on the final hill, which one more time shows him his entire valley, who turns, pauses, lingers—and so we live, constantly saying farewell.
Rainer Maria Rilke

The deepest of thanks to Angelika for making the bust available to view at the fantastic Kunst Museum Winterthur.
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#31 July 2021 | Monthly Digital Breadcrumbs

Go for a digital adventure by following some / all of the links below which I tweeted last month.

READ

Venezuela exodus reaches record levels: “More than 5.6 million have left the country since 2015, when it had a population of 30 million, escaping political, economic and social hardships.”

How in Argentina, cheap government-issued netbooks sparked a musical renaissance.

Be careful what you say to Baby Boomers, they are more sensitive than Millennials (study showed).

WATCH

EXPLORE

Google / Android are making it harder to opt-out of targeted ads (tracking, basically) so here’s how to do it.

An all-in-one browser called Vivaldi.

Slide Ace Ventura is why the web was invented.

An illustration of how we grow around grief / trauma.

Two audio episodes which are delightful: On Being discussing the new Rainer Maria Rilke translation of Letters To A Young Poet and Monocle chatting with Sir Tom Jones about his new album ‘Surrounded By Time’.


Image credit: “Pontty ty praid – the New Bridge over the River Taaffe in Wales”, former owner: George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820.
All monthly digital breadcrumbs posts.
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#28 April 2021 | Monthly Digital Breadcrumbs

Lets your digits do the clicking with some curated niceties.

READ

TEDxWellington 2021 cancelled (ouch).

How Kenya is harnessing the immense heat from the Earth, seriously.

How the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands thinks they got rid of COVID19 by competence and luck.

WATCH

EXPLORE

Keep Being Human poster.

Listen to ambient sounds inspired by movies & TV.

Here’s an infinitely-zooming in or out painting.

A tool to explore the view of Earth’s globe from 750 millions ago until today.

The whole of the Louvre collection is now available online.

Image credit / check out Olga’s other colourisation work.
All monthly digital breadcrumbs posts.
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The Reason Within | A Guide For All Creatives

Read by Dan Stevens, produced by Penguin Audio.

When did one letter ever hold more advice, challenging steerage and tantalising insights than this. Listen with openness, hunger and potential (you can also read it in full here).

Written by a 27 year old poet to a man only 8 years his younger.

If your everyday life seems poor, don’t blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches; because for the creator there is no poverty and no poor, indifferent place.

Read all letters
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2013 | Create / Curate

Creating / curation is the new black.

And my 2013 theme:

rilke create quote

Creating is action.

Doing.

“Where I create, there I am true”
Rainer Maria Rilke

Public speaking for me is a hugely innovative exercise. Many folks don’t understand the work and expressive energy that goes into a presentation and its delivery (especially if you don’t use a script or practice like me then the execution itself is very much an inventive act).

I. Want. To. Do. More. And. Get. Better.

But, also, taking the time to craft the opening video here or the images which compliments the text, is part of what I mean.

It’s the realisation of discovering what you’re good at plus what you’re passionate about then using that to spark creation.

Deconstructing. Starting. Expanding. Mashing up ideas. Disrupting. Smiling. Thinking.

Look out 2013 for lines in the sand and new ventures.

clay shirky curation quote

There are two areas of curation which hold my interest: developmental and experiential.

“Curation solves the problem of filter failure.”
Clay Shirky

Developmental

How do you / your organisation / company view curation? What role does it play in broadening discussions and skill development internally? How are you using it to celebrate those in your industry or even as a way of extending yourself?

The rise of the individual digital curator (thanks to sites like Tumblr / Pinterest) allows for a wider interpretation of the more traditional role. Although, the leaders in the field (Tina or Jason or Maria or Shaun etc) demonstrate a higher purpose rather just serving individual tastes, but that of aiming to inspire, educate, challenge, explode wonder, intrigue, curiosity, in their audience.

The idea of curation as a(n online) skill is hardly ever discussed in articles / conversations around social media. My argument is that it will become increasingly crucial to individual and organisational development—as the signal vs noise ratio of companies / organisations, let alone a sector or industry, continues to increase, so to is the need to understand how to navigate and sift through the information and concentrate it into action.

This is sucking the juicy wisdom out of the web and humanising it for good.

Experiential

TEDxTeAro (I’m the license holder) is an example of experiences as curative event.

There are two things to be announced in the New Year around stretching the idea of traditional events: one for Wellington-based creatives (to be made public next week) and the other for social media mavens like myself who want to explore the next set of questions (who understand the difference between strategy and culture and who want to get away from ‘how to use Twitter / Facebook’ to advertise in a slightly different way and sell stuff).

More to follow but thinking it’s time play around with event formats and offer attendees more than a seat and people talking at them.


What’s your 2013 theme? What do you think of mine? Leave a comment below you lovely tribe of readers you.

Clay Shirky image attribution
Video music via Oddworld
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Rilke’s Desk

Rilke in the Hotel Biron, Paris

Totally intrigued by this image of my literary mentor, Rainer Maria Rilke.

The bare room.

The sturdy desk.

The overbearing chair.

And then there’s the look… away… reaching… not to notice the scene but more as a gesture to placate the task in which the mind is now dutifully attending—beauty builds in the pause before the creative act!

Related post: The Man Watching
Image credit
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