LITERATURE
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.
THE HOLY GRAIL FOR ALL CHARLES DICKENS COLLECTORS! ~~ A SIGNED AUTOGRAPH QUOTATION FROM “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”.
“AND SO, AS TINY TIM OBSERVED, GOD BLESS US EVERY ONE!”
WITH A LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FROM WILKIE COLLINS
Simply superb Autograph Quotation Signed, “Charles Dickens”, being the most famous quotation from his timeless Christmas classic: A Christmas Carol, penned on his imprinted Gad’s Hill Place, Higham by Rochester, Kent stationery, with a bold paraph under his name. One page, small square octavo. [approx. 4 1/5 x 5 inches]. “Saturday, 13th February 1869”.
J.M. BARRIE, THE AUTHOR OF “PETER PAN” WRITES TO “LAWRENCE OF ARABIA”
HOPING TO GET ON THE SUBSCRIPTION LIST FOR T.E. LAWRENCE’S MONUMENTAL SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM AND NOTING THAT THE THOMAS HARDYS’ ARE STAYING WITH HIM DURING THE STAGING OF HARDY’S TESS OF THE D’URBERVILLES, WHILE IN THE MEAN TIME, THE GEORGE BERNARD SHAWS’ RESIDE JUST ACROSS THE STREET, AND MAY COME FOR A VISIT!
BARRIE, SIR JAMES MATTHEW. (1860-1937). Scottish novelist and dramatist. Outstanding Autograph Letter Signed, “Yours sincerely J.M. Barrie,” on imprinted Adelphi Terrace House, Strand, W.C. 2 letterhead. Two pages, octavo. January 3, 1926. To “My dear [T.E.] Lawrence.”
CHARLES DICKENS ~~ HIS SIGNED AND ADDRESSED MONOGRAMMED BLACK-BORDERED MOURNING ENVELOPE
DICKENS, CHARLES. (1812-1870). English novelist. His free-franking signature, Charles Dickens , on the front of his monogrammed black-bordered mourning envelope. [approx 3 ½ x 5 inches]. Addressed in Dickens hand to Henry Austin Esquire, Board of Health, Whitehall, London.
DYLAN THOMAS ~~ SIGNED AGREEMENT FOR THE SALE OF HIS: ‘THE FOLLOWERS’, WHICH WAS TO BE PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM AS: ‘ADVENTURES IN THE SKIN TRADE AND OTHER STORIES’ AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1955
THOMAS, DYLAN. (1914 – 1953). Welsh poet and prose writer whose works include radio broadcasts of: ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ and ‘Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog’; the poem ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’. Scarce Agreement Signed: “Dylan Thomas”, being his acknowledgement at the conclusion of a Typed [carbon] Letter Signed to him from the ‘American Library of World Literature, Inc.’ One very full page, New York, August 25, 1953. [just 3 months before is death.]