Lot 341
Aleichem, Sholom (1859-1916). Russian born author. Aleichem produced over 40 volumes of stories, plays and poems in Yiddish and was the first author to write in Yiddish for children. Called the "Jewish Mark Twain," Aleichem's works have been widely translated.
Autograph Letter Signed ("Sh. Aleichem") . In Russian. Two pages, small octavo, "Somewhere between Vilnius and Minsk," July 6/7, 1905. To P.S. and L. T. Levin. Two horizontal mailing folds, some soiling at center fold. Overall in fine condition.
Filled with puns, double meanings and jokes, this letter reads like one of Aleichem's stories! He writes about travel, clothes, his child and friends. The centerpiece of the letter revolves around Aleichem's difficulty reaching the Osipoviches; "Such is the fate of the editor of a Jewish newspaper! There is no Osipoviches on the map or in geography. Only one cashier found a ticket there, and, issuing the above looked me searchingly over…I am dreaming of how I will arrive at these Osipoviches, how the Osipoviches will greet me, how I will destroy them, these Osipoviches, to the devil." Aleichem continues in this humorous vein, using a literary device that does not quite translate -- the family name Osipovich is used in a grammatical form that would indicate a city or country. Clearly this is a wonderful personal letter by one of the warmest and wittiest humor writers in modern times. Interestingly, Aleichim usually signed personal correspondence "S. Rabinowitz", instead of the nom de plume he uses to close this letter.
Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000.
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| Realized $2,185 |
