Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 45

Manuscript, Collectibles and Aerospace Auction

Authors

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 823		Clemens, Samuel L ((1835-1910) American humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer; better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. Autograph note paper with Double Signature, "Saml. L. Clemens / Mark Twain" and the date, "Sept 1875," 2½" x 4". Fine. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $805
Lot 824		Cooper, James Fenimore (1789-1851) American author; his most famous work is The Last of the Mohicans. Check Signed ("J. Fenimore Cooper"), 2½" x 5½", Cooperstown, 1836 Aug. 8. Paid to himself for $50.00. Fine. With a steel engraving of Cooper. Estimated Value $150 - 200. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $90
Lot 825		Doyle, Arthur Conan (1859-1930) British author; creator of "Sherlock Holmes." ALS ("A Conan Doyle"), 1 p, 7" x 5¼", 15, Buckingham Palace Mansions, S.W.1., 1927 June 30. To Mr. Gustav, in part: "I am very glad to hear of the Paris deal and I have no doubt it will prove a success. I am repeating my address…at 6:30 on Sunday…in case you are doing nothing." Estimated Value $800 - 1,000. Robert Batchelder, 1979. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $546
Lot 826		Kipling, Rudyard. 1865-1936) British novelist and poet; winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature (1907). TLS on personal letterhead, 1p, 10½" x 8", Bateman's Burwash, Sussex, England, 1933 Nov. 23. A thank-you note from the great writer to Miss Comstalk at the publishing firm of Doubleday, Page, & Co Ltd., thanking her for "sending me my Diary for 1924 in such good time" and hoping to see her again "when Mr. Doubleday takes another of his flying trips." Estimated Value $300 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 827		London, Jack (1876-1916) Novelist, short-story writer, and adventurer. ALS, 1p, 11" x 8½", Piedmont, Alameda County, California, 1903 Mar. 16. To Arthur Bartlett Maurice, associate editor of The Bookman, with copies of three related typed letters from the magazine to London, all regarding a short-story thriller the magazine was publishing. London writes: "I hope you find 'Stranger than Fiction' available. I am glad to hear that the 'Bookman' is likely to publish of the 'unpublishable' horror tales. You ask me if I have one up my sleeve. I haven't a 'real' horror tale, but I shall take great pleasure some time in writing you one. However, I am sending you one wrapped up in final and incomprehensible gore. You will recognize the invisible-man theme--nay, it is almost an extravaganza." In addition to this letter, there is a copy of the initial letter from The Bookman, to which London is replying, as well as two other letters from the magazine, including the reply to this letter, telling London that they like the story he sent, "The Shadow and the Flash", and plan to publish it. They advise him that they have deleted about one hundred words at the end of the story to "make the climax more dramatic." London was paid $60 for the story, which was published in the June issue of the magazine. In the same year that London was furnishing The Bookman with this "gory extravaganza," his best-loved book, The Call of the Wild, was published. A wonderful-content, literary letter, made even more interesting with the related correspondence. Estimated Value $2,000 - 3,000. The consignor has owned this letter since 1988. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,128
Lot 828		London, Jack. Partly-printed Check Signed three times, twice on the front and once on the back, 2¾" x 6¾", Honolulu, Hawaii, 1915 April 27. Written on The Bank of Hawaii, accomplished in London's hand, payable to himself for $230, and endorsed by London on the verso. Small spindle hole and PAID handstamp. Prior owner's identification stamp on verso. An unusual London check, bearing three signatures and written nineteen months prior to his death. Estimated Value $800 - 1,000. Purchased from James Lowe Autographs, Ltd. in 1989. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 829		London, Jack & Charmian (1876-1916) American novelist and short-story writer. His best-known novels include The Call of the Wild, The Sea Wolf, and White Fang. Charmian Kittredge London (1871-1955) was Jack's second wife and soul mate; they married in 1905. PS by Jack and Charmian, 4½" x 3¾", Los Angeles, 1914. Fine. A rare signed photograph of the couple. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $630
Lot 830		Sandburg, Carl (1878-1967) American poet and biographer. Autograph Note Signed, 1 p. 6"x4", n.p., n.d. (1962). This note was returned with a book to Tony van Renterghem, who was working with Sandberg in 1962 on the research for a motion picture on the life of Christ (The Greatest Story Ever Told). Written in red ink. Fine; one closed tear; three blue ink marks affect last part of "Sandburg." In full: "I swear before god / I did not desecrate / pages herein with / foul lead pencil / evidence of some / dirty stinker. Carl Sandburg." The story of van Renterghem's association with Sandburg is typed on the verso of the note. With image of Sandburg. Estimated Value $300 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 831		Schopenhauer, Arthur (1788-1860) German philosopher. Autograph Manuscript Signed, being a draft for the 6th chapter of the second volume of Schopenhauer's last work, "Parerga and Pralipomena," 12pp (3 double folio sheets), in German, n.p., n.d. (1851). Written on one column of each page, with extensive corrections, deletions and insertions written in the other column; the entire first page has numerous marked-out lines through it but is still legible. Light toning, else fine. The manuscript is housed in a custom-made, red leather case with gold lettering and decorative border. Schopenhauer attempts to determine why the planets are in the locations where they appear, why they have the velocity of revolution that they retain, and why they have a given particular density. He discusses these questions and uses the theories of Newton, Keppler, and Kant to corroborate his conclusions. In particular, he theorizes that the sun occupied the entire solar system, rotating slowly (according to Keppler's laws) and also contracting in size (and increasing in rotational velocity according to Keppler's laws). As it reached a critical size it would release material at its surface, leaving that material as a revolving planet with a velocity of revolution equal to the rotation of the sun at that time. He even shows that the inclination of the plane of revolution of each planet approaches the inclination of the plane of revolution of the sun the closer one gets to the sun. He discusses the existence or non-existence of these phenomena based on the existence of a consciousness to record them. A brief excerpt: "Generally speaking, it is not entirely safe to infer an absence of life from a lack of air and water….The phenomenon of animal life might easily be brought by means other than respiration and blood circulation; for the essential point of all life is simply the constant change of matter with permanence of form. Of course, we can imagine this as happening only through the medium of what is fluid and vaporous. But matter generally is the mere visibility of the will which, however, everywhere aims at the enhancement step by step of its phenomenal appearance. The forms, ways and means of attaining this may be very varied. On the other hand, it should again be borne in mind that most probably the chemical elements not only on the moon, but also on all the planets, are the same as those on the earlth. For the whole system has been evolved from the same primordial luminous nebula to which the present once extended. This certainly permits one to surmise a similarity also of the higher phenomena of the will." After numerous observations and considerations, Schopenhauer writes: "Thus, on the one hand, it must be admitted that all those physical, cosmogonical, chemical, and geological events existed even before the appearance of a consciousness and so outside this since, as conditions, they were necessarily bound to precede such an appearance by a long interval of time. Yet, on the other hand, it cannot be denied that, as those events first appear in and through the forms of a consciousness, they are absolutely nothing outside it and are not even conveivable. In any case, it might be said that, by virutue of its forms, consciousness is the condition of the physical events in question, but that again these condition it by virtue of their matter. At bottom, however all those events that cosmogony and geology urge us to assume as having occurred long before the existence of any knowing creature are themselves only a translation into the language of our intuitively perceiving intellect from the essence-in-itself of things which to it is incomprehensible. For those events have never had an existence-in-itself; any more than have present events. But with the aid of the principles a priori of all possible experience and following a few empirical data, the regressus leads back to them; it is itself; however, only the concatenation of a series of mere phenomena that have no absolute existence. Therefore even in their empirical existence, in spite of all the mechanical accuracy and mathematical precision of the determination of their appearance, those events still always retain an obscure and enigmatical core, like an inscrutable mystery lurking in the background. Thus we see it in the natural forces that manifest themselves in those events, in the primordial matter that bears these, and in the necessarily beginningless and hence incomprehensible existence of such forces. to explain this obscure and enigmatical core on the empirical path is impossible. Here, then, metaphysics must appear which, in the will in our own true nature, makes us acquainted wiith the kernel and core of all things. In this sense, Kant has also said that 'the primary sources of the effects of nature must obviously be dealt with entirely by metaphysics.' And so from the standpoint which we are here considering and it is that of metaphysics, the physical explanation of the world which is acquired by such an expenditure of effort and ingenuity appears to be inadequate…". Estimated Value $75,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 832		Scott, Sir Walter (1771-1832) Scottish poet, novelist and historian. ANS ("Walter Scott"), 1p with integral address leaf, 7¼" x 4½"n.p., n.d. To Mrs. Schustem, "Rely on my careful attention to the public. Always sincerely / Yours…." Very good; previous pasting remnants at top of address leaf, which has manuscript postage and red wax seal. Estimated Value $300 - 400. Robert Batchelder, 1985. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 833		Steinbeck, John (1902-1968) American writer; 1939 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath; 1962 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. ALS ("John"), 3pp, written in pencil on rectos only, on ruled legal paper, 12½" x 8", n.p., n.d. (autumn 1955). To Mark and Jim Pope, proposing to cover the Democratic and Republican conventions in 1956. With a 19-page autograph essay/letter, written in pencil on rectos only, on ruled legal paper, 12½" x 8", n.p., n.d. (late 1955). Addressed to "Dear Richey" (editor of the Democratic Digest) about the Democrats' strategy in the 1956 election. Both manuscripts are in fine condition; they are encased in a quarter red morocco folding box. The intended recipients of the letter were James S. Pope, Editor-in-Chief of the Louisville Courier-Journal, and Mark Etheridge, publisher of the paper, whom Steinbeck had met on a trans-Atlantic crossing aboard the Andrea Doria and with whom he corresponded afterward. In this letter, Steinbeck outlines his plans to cover both the Democratic and Republican 1956 conventions for the newspaper, suggesting the initial terms and that they contact his business agent, Elizabeth Otis, to finalize the agreement. In part: "I will definitely go to both conventions and…I will file a number of stories from each one…The intentions of the stories will be toward lightness, a humor of a Curse on both your Houses type…." Terms, expenses, etc. are sketched out in some detail. Steinbeck continues, "I am working on a novel and am deeply involved with it…." [the novel would be The Short Reign of Pippin IV] and closes, "And I seem to feel that Jim Pope is a kindred soul and might be one hell of a poker player…." He signs "John" and adds, jestingly, "(vice president of the Nixon Memorial Assn.)" Steinbeck did cover the conventions for the Courier-Journal and syndicate; some thirty-four papers ran his dispatches. The second item is a remarkable political document advising the Democratic party on how to prevent President Eisenhower from winning a second term. Steinbeck was a strong supporter of Adlai Stevenson, and had written speeches for his campaign of 1952. He writes, "It is generally considered that novelists are not good politicians. As candidates I should [think] this would be true but as designers of political method the reverse is probably true." His first principle is "attack is the best defense….no defense is necessary if your attack is effective." He says that the Republicans have turned to advertising and "The Big Lie-the statement so outrageous that people believe it must be true since it couldn't have been invented" to win the 1956 election, and suggests that the Democrats fight fire with fire, "…I do not believe there are nor have been many moralities in politics any more than in war…." His major suggestion for Democratic dirty tricks is that Eisenhower's heart attack should be used to scare voters away, rather than allowing the illness to attract votes of sympathy: "…people do not like sick people…I believe there should be a section of every Democratic political speech devoted to the illness…Great emphasis should be put on this--that in electing him we are electing half a president…Profit should be made of Dulles' admission that for a number of days he was out of touch with the government." Steinbeck suggests that "the myth of prosperity should be thoroughly explored" and that Eisenhower's folksy image be debunked, "Has he in fact any access to anybody except corporation heads?" Steinbeck closely examines the scandals of the day, hoping for advantage: "The Israel mess should be exploited. Why is Saudi Arabia favored?" He suggests "slogans and catch words: Agonized reappraisal; brink of war; part time president; Chairman of the Board; golf mobile…" and runs through over twenty different ideas. His final suggestions include increased use of direct canvassing by telephone, especially by celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Burgess Meredith. The document ends without closing, but seems to be fairly complete. There is no evidence of any publication of either document. Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $11,500
Lot 834		Stowe, Harriet Beecher (1811-1896) Author of Uncle Tom's Cabin; suffragist; abolitionist. Autograph note paper with signature, place and date, "H B Stowe / Hartford, Conn / Sept 20 1875," 2½" x 4". Small corner creases, else fine. Estimated Value $200 - 250. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $132
Lot 835		Whittier, John Greenleaf (1807 -1892) American Quaker poet. Autograph Quotation Signed "John G. Whittier," 4x6¾", n.p., n.d. Light toning; neatly penned and signed. Whittier quotes another poet, in full: "'Be good, young friend, & let who will be clever, Do noble deeds not dream them all day long / And so make life, death & that vast forever / One grand sweet song.' I cannot do better than to commend the above words of an English poet, Canon Kingsley…." Estimated Value $300 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 836		Holmes, Howe, and Longfellow. Three 19th century poets: (1) Autograph note paper with Signature, place and date, "Oliver Wendell Holmes, Boston Mass., Sept 10th 1875," 2½" x 4" (2) Autograph note paper with Signature, place and date, Julia Ward Howe, Boston Mass, Nov. 24th 1875"; and (3) 2¼" x 4" piece of lightly-toned paper signed "Yours truly Henry W. Longfellow," n.p., n.d. All fine. Estimated Value $250 - 350. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $156
Lot 837		Swinburne, Algernon C., John Greenleaf Whittier, & Pearl S. Buck. Swinburne Signature and date ("Dec. 9th 1875") on 2½" x 4" autograph note paper; Whittier Signature in purple ink on a 1¾" x 3" card; Buck 1964 TLS on personal letterhead, 7" x 7¼", with an engraving of Whittier and an FDC featuring Miss Buck. Estimated Value $250 - 300. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold