Property of a Descendant of Rosabelle C. Edelman

Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904-1989)
Don Quixote, 1956
Signed and inscribed ‘Pour RC Edelman Hommage de S. Dali 1956' (across inside front cover)
pen on paper
4 x 7 in.
This work is drawn on the frontispiece of the book, Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904- ) A Portfolio in Full Color, Cleveland, Ohio, 1955 and is dedicated to The Reynolds-Morse Foundation.

Although not commonly found among his works, a similar human male figure is found riding horseback in Dali’s sketch, Don Quixote (circa 1970). Wielding what seems to be a spinning shield and lengthy sword, the figure is comprised of lines quickly drawn in a circular fashion with little detail.

Provenance: Gift of artist to Rosabell C. Edelman;
Thence by descent to present owner.

$3,000-5,000

Rosabelle C. Edelman was born in 1910 to Russian immigrant parents of Jewish descent who immigrated to the United States in 1900.[1] As an employee of the United States Treasury Department at the Alien Tax Center in New York City it was Miss Edelman’s job to ensure that resident aliens had paid their taxes before exiting the country, as no resident alien could leave the country without paying taxes owed to the United States government. As was stated in a 1954 New York Times article, “The government wants to be sure it has its money before he gets away.”

Many of the people who visited the center were notable actors and actresses, musicians, and artists who in gratitude for Ms. Edelman’s assistance gave her gifts in the form of autographed pictures. Salvador Dali was one of her more famous clients and gave her seven of his published books in which he created drawings personally inscribed to Ms. Edelman. They are dated from 1954 to 1963. They were inherited upon her death by the present owner. Upon her retirement from the Treasury Department in 1964, Miss Edelman received the Albert Gallatin Award, the highest honorary career service award issued by the United State Treasury Department, recognizing her long and honorable service at the Treasury Department.[2]

Citations: 1. Bureau of the Census, “1910 United States Federal Census,” 2. The Internal Revenue Service, Part 6. Human Resources Management, Chapter 451. Employee Performance and Utilization, Section 1. Policies, Authorities, Categories, and Approvals. 6.451.1.18 Albert Gallatin Award.