Lot 119
Steinbeck John -- TLS "Self-Conscious" Request Recommending a Friend For Employment at the Historic Holman's Dept Store in Pacific Grove, CA (1902-1968) Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize winning American author who wrote 33 books and is considered one of the greatest novelists of the 20th Century. Some of his best-known works are "The Grapes of Wrath", "Tortilla Flats", "Cannery Row", "Of Mice and Men" and "East of Eden."
Typed letter signed, one page, 11 x 8½", Los Gatos, California, March 10, 1938. With original transmittal envelope. To Mrs. W.R. Holman (Zena Holman, wife of Wilfred Rensselar Holman) a storied, historic department store that started humbly as a dry goods store and then in 1924, the family built a huge store, a building that still exists today as condominiums. As this was a family business, John Steinbeck has written to her recommending a close friend for their art department. This letter evidently began a lasting casual friendship (note the other letters in this auction by Steinbeck.)
What is noteworthy is Steinbeck's humility and self-deprecating humor. He writes "I feel a little self conscious in writing to you in as much as I have never met you…….And I do know that you knew my parents when they were living and you [an ink blot here blacks out letters] know of my work." He then writes enthusiastically about his friend, Ritchie Lovejoy and concludes: "There I have done it and it was difficult because I have never done any such thing before. There must be rules for recommending a man to a job, but I have never learned them." He concludes, "In my own interest, may I thank you, Mrs. Holman for your interest in my work and for your efforts in creating an interest in my books on the Peninsula. I hope I many meet you some time." Signed in black fountain pen ink. An extremely fine example of Steinbeck's signature.
The close friendship between Steinbeck and Lovejoy is common knowledge. Ritchie Lovejoy is the man to whom Steinbeck famously gave his $1000 Pulitzer Prize cash award.
Logically partnered with this lot is a letter to Zena Holman by the very Ritchie Lovejoy Steinbeck recommended, postmarked August 7, 1941, three years later. He writes of a partially published piece for new writers that likely was "Between Pacific Tides" for which he created a great many line drawings. "Tides" is a classic work of marine biology, a favorite for generations; it has now been completely revised and expanded and in its 5th printing and Lovejoy is very much credited. He writes to Mrs. Holman who clearly reached out to him about seeing the partial publication in New York. Yes, Holman's Department Store hired Ritchie Lovejoy. Estimated Value $1,250 - UP
The W. R. Holman Collection, Pacific Grove.
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| Realized $660 |
