GOLDEN BOOK. Album, Les Hôtes du Pavillon Henri IV. Souvenirs; large folio album (30.7x23cm), 31 sheets of strong paper mounted on tabs (plus blank ff.); rich garnet morocco binding, wide framing lace and gilt fillet and fleuron decoration with the arms of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (cradle surmounted by a fleur-de-lys) on the inner corners of the boards, gilt title on the upper board.purple moire linings and framing roulette with inserted objects, purple moire endpapers; 5-rib spine forming 6 caissons decorated with the royal cradle, with bookbinder Gruel's signature at the tail; gilt edges; edged folder titled Jacques Coutant - Souvenirs, slipcase (a little rubbed). Rich guestbook from the Pavillon Henri IV hotel-restaurant in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, run by Georges Barbotte after his father. On the album's pages, through autographs, thoughts, poems, drawings and music, the Pavillon's guests parade by: writers, musicians, painters, actors, politicians... A few drawings have been added and pasted onto the pages. The last pen by Adolphe THIERS (who died at the Pavillon on September 3, 1877) and 3 brushes by Ernest MEISSONIER have been inserted inside the 1st cover of the binding, secured with small tricolored ribbons. L.A.S. from Ernest MEISSONIER, Poissy September 11, 1877, to M. Barbotte (2p. in-12 in his cipher, mitered): "I'm afraid the brush you've found, if it's big enough and used for watercolors, isn't one of those I used to paint Monsieur Thiers; but if you'd like to have the ones I used, I'll send them to you, understanding that you want to preserve all the memories of this great event that now makes your house more historic than ever. This is where the tireless steps of the greatest of citizens stopped, this is where the thought of one who never ceased to give all of his to his country, which he loved more than anyone else, stopped: if ever a place deserved to be consecrated, this is it, and you will be doing a noble deed in doing so"... Autograph poem by Henri MEILHAC, J. Offenbach, evoking the memory of the composer (who resided at the Pavillon on several occasions), 9 lines: "Is there a single corner on earth / Where his name is not known?"... Drawing by Édouard DETAILLE, signed and dated "St Germain en Laye 7bre 1881": officer with one hand on his saber, the other holding a cigar, pen and Indian ink. Musical P.A.S. from Victor MASSÉ, quotation from Paul et Virginie: "par quel charme dis-moi m'as-tu donc enchanté?", September 1881 (one line of music and lyrics). P.A.S. by Philippe GILLE, excerpt from his play Les Charbonniers. P.A.S. by Léo DELIBES, excerpt from the ballet Sylvia (Les Chasseurs), 7 bars on 2 staves Allegretto marcato, "Forêt de St Germain 1882". P.A.S. by Albert WOLFF, Au Vautour! apostrophizing the vulture brought back from Africa by Alexandre Dumas and evoking the "great novelist who wrote Les Mousquetaires and Monte Christo at the Pavillon Henri IV"... - Opposite, drawing of the vulture with the Saint-Germain-en-Laye coat of arms, Indian ink, signed "Th. Darros Lecourt" (?), dated November 1889. Quatrain a.s. by Raoul TOCHÉ, August 8, 1882: "S'efforçat-on sous un baillon/ D'étouffer une rude franchise,/ Je crierais que ce Pavillon/ Couvre une bonne marchandise". P.A.S. by Anna JUDIC: "Si j'avais su j'serais pas descendue", August 8, 1882. Drawing by François BONVIN: woman working under the lamp, signed and dated 1883, pen and ink (14.5x17cm). Drawing by Jean-François MILLET: path in a forest, graphite, studio stamp (9x6.5cm). Signature "Princess Yourievsky, Widow of H.M. Emperor Alexander II" [Ekaterina Dolgorouki, "Katia"]. P.A.S. by Ludovic HALÉVY, "Letter from Pauline Cardinal", from Petites Cardinal, September 9, 1883. Musical P.A.S. by Jules MASSENET, excerpt from Act II of Manon: "C'est fête au Cours la Reine!... Il est temps qu'on se régale!..." (6 bars), September 16, 1883 "(avant le dîner)". Musical P.A.S. by Henri HERZ, Valse pour piano (8 bars), September 16, 1883 "(après le dîner)". Drawing by Jules-Émile SAINTIN, rocks in a forest, dated "August 84", graphite (12.5x21 vm); in margin, signature of René WALDECK-ROUSSEAU. Signature and date of Louis PASTEUR: "L. Pasteur ce 17 juillet 1885". Autograph poem signed by Henri de BLOWITZ, Peut-être! 9 quatrains, July 1887: "J'aime le Pavillon, mais je hais le Vautour"... Menu of July 28, 1887, illustrated with a watercolor by Édouard DETAILLE depicting Louis XIV in a saucepan. P.A.S. from Louis GANDERAX, August 29, 1887: "What a pleasure, if you love history, to live in this house"... P.A.S.