LITERATURE

MARK TWAIN AND HIS FELLOW HARTFORD, CONNETICUT CITIZENS SEEK TO ARRANGE A LECTURE ON MADAGASCAR!

CLEMENS, SAMUEL L. [MARK TWAIN].  (1835-1910.)  American humorist, lecturer and writer.  Manuscript Letter Signed, “Mark Twain”,  in committee and by other prominent Connecticut residents. Two pages, quarto. Hartford, October 9, 1884.

“THESE LONDON TRADES EXERCISE NO SORT OF INFLUENCE OVER THE OPINIONS AND CONDUCT OF THE GREAT BODY OF THE WORKING WORLD.”

DISRAELI, BENJAMIN.  1ST EARL OF BEACONSFIELD. (1804-1881).  British statesman and conservative politician; Prime Minister (1868 and 1874-1880); only Prime Minster to have been of Jewish origin.  Good Autograph Letter Signed, “D.”  Four full pages, octavo.  Grosvenor Gate, [London] April 23, 1850.  Very fine condition. 

J.R.R. TOLKIEN PLANS REVISIONS TO HIS HOME LIBRARY

TOLKIEN, J[OHN] R[ONALD] R[EUEL]. (1892-1973). English writer, poet and professor. Tolkien is best known as the author of the classic fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Uncommon Autograph Letter Signed, “J.R.R. Tolkien,” on his imprinted Professor J.R.R. Tolkien stationery. Two pages, octavo. “19 Lakeside Road, Poole, [England] September 25, 1968.” 

BERTRAND RUSSELL TO HIS TYPIST: ”…YOU WERE GOOD AT DECIPHERING BAD HANDWRITING. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE ENCLOSED MANNUSCRIPT”.

RUSSELL, BERTRAND [EARL]. (1872-1970). British philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate. Typed Letter Signed, ”Bertrand Russell”, on imprinted Telegraph House stationery. One full page, octavo. ”Harting, Petersfield”, March 12, 1937.

DICKENS – OLIVER TWIST

WRITING ABOUT THE PUBLICATION OF OLIVER TWIST IN BENTLEY’S MISCELLANY, FROM HIS EARLY 48 DOUGHY STREET LONDON RESIDENCE, WHERE THE MANUSCRIPT WAS WRITTEN

DICKENS, CHARLES. (1812-1870). English novelist.  Superb early, Autograph Letter Signed, “Charles Dickens”. One full page, quarto. ‘48 Doughty Street, London, January 19, 1838’.  To Thomas Lydely.  

ORNATE CHECK SIGNED BY PETER PAN CREATOR,  J.M. BARRIE  — MADE PAYABLE TO HIS DOCTOR

BARRIE, SIR J[AMES] M[ATTHEW].  (1860-1937).  Scottish dramatist and novelist[ Creator of Peter Pan.  Partly-Printed Check Signed, “J.M. Barrie”, drawn on Barclay & Company Limited Bank.  London, July 11, 1908.

JAMES BOSWELL  ~~  AN EXCESSIVELY RARE LETTER FROM THE SCOTTISH BIOGRAPHER OF DOCTOR JOHNSON

BOSWELL, JAMES.  (1740-1795).  Scottish lawyer and biographer of Samuel Johnson.  Excessively Rare Autograph Letter Signed, “James Boswell”.  Four very full pages, small quarto.  London, March 14, 1792.  Very fine condition.  To “Andrew”, the overseer of Boswell’s estate.