Sylvester & Harris (Firm)

Romola Nijinsky was the wife of legendary Russian dancer Waslaw Nijinsky. Sylvester & Harris was American law firm who acted on Romola Nijinsky's behalf in the United States, negotiating her contracts with publishers Simon ans Schuster, literary agents, petitioning with the US Immigrations authorites for visas, and taking care of other legal matters.

From the description of Sylvester & Harris correspondence concerning publication of Romola Nijinsky's "Nijinsky" 1923-1983 (inclusive), 1931-1951 (bulk). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 635882627

Romola Nijinsky de Pulszky was the wife of legendary Russian dancer Waslaw Nijinsky. In 1919 Nijinsky suffered a mental breakdown which ended his career and left him mentally disabled for life. In order to provide for her family and to pay for her husband's medical treatment, Romola Nijinsky wrote her husband's biography, which was published both in Europe and America. In 1940 she obtained permission from the US authorities to bring her husband to the United States to continue insulin shock treatments, but was not able to raise money for the trip. When World War II ended, she resumed her efforts to renew Nijinsky's visa to America and to find financial support for his treatment, but her efforts were cut short when Nijinsky passed away in the spring of 1950.

Charles L. Sylvester and Sydney Harris were American lawyers who knew Romola Nijinsky through mutual friends. Romola Nijinsky became their unpaid client, they acted on her behalf in the United States, negotiating her contracts with publishers and literary agents, petitioning with the US immigrations authorities for visas, and taking care of other legal matters.

From the guide to the Sylvester & Harris correspondence concerning publication of Romola Nijinsky's, Nijinsky, 1923-1983 (inclusive), 1931-1951 (bulk)., (Harvard Theatre Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)