Lot 353
Hammett (Samuel) Dashiell (1894-1961). One of the fathers of modern detective fiction, Hammett created the archetype of a hard boiled detective working to clean up his underworld milieu.
Typed Letter Signed ("SDH") . One page, quarto, Aleutian Islands, April 3, 1945. To "Pru darling", writer Raoul Whitfield's daughter, Sue. Several red pencil and blue pen marks in margins. One spelling correction by Hammett in pencil. Very minor crumpling at top edge. Overall condition is very good to fine.
Hammett spent most of WWII in the Aleutians editing the local military newspaper. This wonderfully personal letter has a very different tone than the usual Hammett writing available: "A small shower of four letters from you makes me feel very opulent today and also as if God does indeed reward those who live right…It's a little past eight in the evening--not yet dark--and our world's cool, damp and all greys: it's like being inside an oyster…only I'm hungrier than I'd then be…Since the novel--if I stay here and do it instead of flitting off elsewhere--will deal with a painter in Alaska I'm filling my spare time with whatever books on painters and painting I can scrape up…Anyhow, I'm having a good time, especially right now with Henri's THE ART SPIRIT. He was a dialectical materialist at heart, tho it's possible he never knew it. I must find out if his book has ever been translated into Russian. They'd like it…Love and kisses…"
Estimated Value $1,750 - 2,250.
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| Realized $1,955 |
