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.
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| Realized $2,128 |
