LITERATURE

BAYARD TALYOR ~ WRITING TO THE AUTHOR OF:  TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST,  RICHARD HENRY DANA  ~ OF HIS EXTENSIVE TRAVELS IN INDIA IN 1853

TAYLOR, BAYARD.  (1825-78).  American author; the first great American travel writer.  Remarkable Autograph Letter Signed, “Bayard Taylor”.  Two very full pages, large octavo.  “Capital of the Great Mogul (Delhi)”, January 26, 1853.

SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE  — THE CREATOR OF “SHERLOCK HOLMES”  —  DECLINES TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION

DOYLE, SIR ARTHUR CONAN.  (1859-1930).  British physician, novelist and detective-story writer.  Autograph Letter Signed, “A. Conan Doyle”.  One page, octavo.  “2 Clarence Parade, Southsea”, September 8, no year.  Very fine condition.

AN ATTRACTIVE CDV OF HARRIET MARTINEAU

MARTINEAU, HARRIET.  (1802-1876).  English essayist, novelist, journalist, and economic and historical writer who was prominent among English intellectuals of the 19^th Century; one of the first female writers to support herself by her own talent; considered the first female sociologist; observed a link between slavery and the oppression of women’s rights; considered one of the first feminists.  A CDV of Martineau depicted in old age, seated in a chair. 

SAMUEL CLEMENS WRITES A CHECK FOR $750 TO HELP BUY A PIPE ORGAN FOR THE PARK CHURCH IN ELMIRA,  N.Y. — A PLACE THAT WAS TO BE CENTRAL TO HIS SPIRITUAL LIFE

CLEMENS, SAMUEL L. [MARK TWAIN].  (1835-1910.)  American humorist, lecturer and writer.  Partly-Printed Check Signed, “S.L. Clemens”.  One page, oblong octavo.  New York, January 31, 1907.  Fine condition.  Drawn on Knickerbocker Trust Company and made out to ‘The Hope-Jones Organ Co.’ in the amount of “seven hundred fifty” dollars.

T.E. LAWRENCE a.k.a ‘LAWRENCE OF ARABIA’  ~~  IN A REMARKABLE LETTER REVEALS: ”I DO NOT WRITE. YEARS AND YEARS AGO, IN 1922 TO BE EXACT, I TRIED FOR THE THIRD TIME TO WRITE A BOOK, FAILED AGAIN, AND DECIDED TO PACK UP WRITING FOR GOOD. ONE HAS TO BE BORN TO IT, I FANCY. OLD G.B.S. AND THE REST TURN IT OUT LIKE SAUSAGES. I SWEAT AND SWEAT… ”

LAWRENCE, T(HOMAS) E(DWARD) [Lawrence of Arabia].  (1888-1935). British adventurer, soldier and author.  Wonderful Typed Letter Signed, “Yours sincerely, T.E. Shaw”.  One full page, quarto.  “R.A.F. Mount Batten, Plymouth”, October 30, 1931.  Very fine condition.  To Flight Lieutenant John G. Hawtrey.  Accompanied by two letters from Hawtrey to British poet Sigfried Sassoon describing the circumstance surrounding the creation of these letters. 

MARK TWAIN WRITES TO RUDYARD KIPLING’S ATTORNEY, A.T. GURLITZ:  “AN AUTHOR IS INJURED BY THE PUBLICATION OF ANY UNAUTHORIZED EDITION OF HIS WORKS”  ~~ CLARIFYING HIS VIEWPOINTS ON COPYRIGHT LAW FOLLOWING A HIGH PROFILE CASE DURING WHICH TWAIN HIMSELF PROVIDED TESTIMONY IN DEFENSE OF AUTHORIAL RIGHTS

CLEMENS, SAMUEL L. [MARK TWAIN].  (1835-1910.)  American humorist, lecturer and writer.  Autograph Letter Signed twice, “S.L. Clemens” and “S.L.C.”  Three very full, separate pages, octavo.  Ampersand, N.Y., September 14, 1901.  Very fine condition. 

CHARLES DICKENS ~~ THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP

IN THE PUBLISHER’S PRESENTATION BINDING OF FULL POLISHED CALF  ~~  BOLDLY INSCRIBED TO:  “WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR – FROM HIS HEARTY FRIEND, CHARLES DICKENS”

THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.   London: [Bradbury and Evans for] Chapman and Hall, 1841.   Gilt-ruled on covers, gilt-decorated on spine, deep green/black and red morocco lettering pieces, all edges gilt, ink stamp of Chapman and Hall on front free endpaper and of the binder Hayday on rear free endpaper. Housed in a vintage custom full leather embossed slip case, of excellent quality.  Boldly Inscribed to:  “Walter Savage Landor – From his hearty friend, Charles Dickens”, on the title page.