Lot 110
Melville, Herman (1819-1891) American novelist, essayist, and poet; Moby Dick is considered his masterpiece. Autograph Letter Signed "H Melville," 2pp (single sheet), 9¾"x7¾", Pittsfield (Mass.), 1854 July 7. Fine. To his publisher, George P. Putnam. In part:
"I send you…some sixty and odd pages of M.S.S. The first M.S. is a short article…the "Lightning-Rod-Man"….The second M.S. is part of a story called "Israel Potter"….when finished will embrace some 300 or more M.S. pages. I propose to publish it in your magazine at the rate of five dollars per printed page, the copyright to be retained by me….$100 to be remitted to me as an advance…the price of the subsequent numbers to be remitted to me upon each issue of the magazine as long as the story lasts….I engage that the story shall contain nothing of any sort to shock the fastidious. There will be very little reflective writing it it; nothing weighty. It is Adventure. As for its interest, I shall try to maintain that as well as I can…."
"Lightning-Rod-Man" was first published in 1856, five years after Moby Dick, as one of six stories in The Piazza Tales. Israel Potter was Melville's only historical novel, based on the eponymous Revolutionary War figure, and featured characters such as Benjamin Franklin and Ethan Allen. Melville promised his publisher not to "shock the fastidious" with this work because his previous novel, Pierre, had shocked readers and brought much criticism upon the author.
Estimated Value $9,500 - 11,000.
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| Realized $17,400 |
