MARGARET MITCHELL Letter to fellow author and literary booster Edwin Granberry, accepting congratulations for her Pulitzer Prize but expressing a desire to preserve at least a little personal privacy. Typed Letter signed: "Margaret", 1 page, 7¼x10½. Atlanta, Georgia, 1937 May 12. On personal letterhead to ""Dear Edwin", [Granberry], in full: "That was certainly a grand, long letter and John and I appreciated it immediately. Thanks again for the congratulations about the Award. I am just beginning to come up for air and realizing that it is really true. Since the news came so much has happened - flashlights going off, reporters slithering out of the cracks in the floor and the house full of people - that I have had no chance to really think. One of the nice features of the affair was that Harold Latham, who dug up the book, just happened to be in Atlanta on the day the Award was announced. He gave me a party complete with newspaper friends, as many orchids as a Kentucky Derby winner and barrels of Champaigne. While you and Herschel kept telling me last summer that it would undoubtedly work out this way, I just couldn't believe it. read more...

MARK TWAIN AND "INSIDER TRADING" IN 1876: A MILLIONAIRE MINE-OWNER ADVISES HIM ON MINING STOCKS!   SAMUEL L. CLEMENS (MARK TWAIN). Autograph Letter Signed: "Mark", 4p, 5x8, conjoining leaves. No place, [1876] March 7. To Nevada journalist Dan DeQuille, pen name of William Wright. In full: "O, you good old slow-coach! D[ea]r Dan: I supposed that Mackey would be nearly all the time in San Francisco but thought you would consult him by telegraph or letter. I didn't suppose you would see the stock droop to 81 & then rise figure by figure, day after day & then write me at last that you were still waiting for that man to come, & the stock already crept up to 92! Why didn't you telegraph me? I hope you will telegraph me next time, if it costs me $50. Did telegraphing me or Mackey never once occur to you? When I saw California go away down into the 80's, 3 weeks ago, I came near telegraphing you to put in $1500 more for me. Well-never mind-it isn't any matter to bother over a thing that has already gone by. I hope you have bought by this time, on your own judgment, even if you have had to pay 125. read more...

MARGARET MITCHELL Writing to friend and fellow author Edwin Granberry, she complains of the constant invasions of her privacy following publication of Gone With the Wind; Typed Letter signed: "Margaret", 1 page, 7¼x10½. No place, no date, but undoubtedly written from her home in Atlanta in the late in the late 1930s, before the appearance of the film. On personal letterhead to Edwin and Mabel Granberry in full: "I've been intending to write to you for a long time - but you see how far my wants have gotten me. The reason was that when I went to N. Y. to see about the movie contract, my over strained eyes practically gave up the ghost. Herschel B [Brickell, a friendly literary critic], loaded me on the train in a bad way and since that time (up until a week ago) I've been lying in a dark room with a black bandage over my eyes. No, there's nothing seriously wrong and I'm writing you all to tell you so far already the rumor is out that I've gone blind. I wouldn't like for you to hear that and not know the truth. My eyes just needed a rest and so did I. Now I have new glasses and can see very well. It may be some time before I can do any reading or writing but I'm glad enough at being out of the dark. read more...

HERMAN MELVILLE Author Herman Melville wrote this letter to publisher George P. Putnam from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It accompanied a proof of one of his stories. Melville's signature is one of the rarest of all, and handwritten letters by him are highly desirable. Autograph letter signed "H Melville". 1 page, 4¾x7½, with embossing in top left corner. Pittsfield, Massachusetts, dated "Jan 27th". Addressed to George P. Putnam, Esq., 10 Park Place, New York City. In full: "Dear Sir: Re-enclosed is the proof [not included]. Very Truly Yours". We believe this letter was written between 1852 and 1855, when Putnam's publishing company G. Putnam Broadway was based at 1010 Park Place, New York City. Melville published a number of short stories through Putnam's Monthly Magazine during this time, including Bartleby the Scrivener (1853), The Encantadas, or: Enchanted Isles (1854) and Benito Cereno (1855). GEORGE PALMER PUTNAM (1814-1872, born in Brunswick, Maine) published many important American authors, like Melville, through his publishing house of G. Putnam Broadway, which later became G. P. read more...

ERNEST HEMINGWAY Handwritten 1936 manuscript intended for publication in Esquire magazine, vividly describing the horrors of war, with his third person signature in the text Autograph Manuscript signed in text: "Mr. Ernest Hemingway" in pencil, 1 page, 8½x11. No place, c. 1936. Headed by him: "Please Mr. Ernest Hemingway by Paul Harris, The American Criterion, Dec 1935, about 'letters' appearing monthly in Esquire...." Ernest Hemingway was a frequent contributor to "Esquire" magazine. He wrote a total 31 "letters" which were published in "Esquire" in the 1930s. In the September 1935 issue, he wrote: "Notes on the Next War: A Serious Topical Letter". This may be a rough draft of one of the 31 "letters". Hemingway has made an "X", crossing out the entire letter. In part: "Mr. Hemingway, you were at the front. You saw people die? I was ten and I saw people, I saw something in them die and they had to go on making believe they were alive still with their guts out of them. I saw people age. I saw the unseeable, the drawn faces, the haunted eyes...A child is sensitive to change in those he knows [he is referring to an aunt, a cousin, involved in changes resulting from life in wartime]. read more...

DASHIELL HAMMETT Signed and notarized 1930 contract selling Paramount the rights to one of his stories Typed Contract signed: "Dashiell Hammett", 4 pages, 8½x11, separate sheets. No place, but County of Los Angeles, 1930 November 26. Contract between Hammett and Paramount Publix Corporation regarding the sale of the rights "to an original story entitled AFTER SCHOOL written by the seller [Hammett]." Hammett was paid "the sum of Five Thousand ($5000.00) Dollars, receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged." Countersigned by the Executive Manager of Paramount Publix Corporation. Lightly creased. Nicked at upper right blank corner of first page, file holes at blank left margins. Fine condition. Accompanied by typed notarized statement signed: "Alfred A. Grosser" as Notary Public, 1 page, 8½x11. Attesting that "personally appeared DASHIELL HAMMETT, personally known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument...." Lightly creased, chipped at upper right blank corner. File holes at blank left margin. Fine condition. After School became City Streets, released in 1931 and starring Gary Cooper. read more...

HERMAN MELVILLE His clipped signature, with his portrait, two first day covers of stamps honoring him, and a picture of a whale. One of the rarest of all signatures! Signature: "Herman Melville", 4½x4, with four unsigned items: a printed portrait of Melville; two first day covers of stamps honoring him; and a color illustration of a whale, presumably Moby Dick. Herman Melville (1819-1891, born in New York City) worked at a young age as a cabin boy and sailor on merchant vessels. During an unsuccessful whaling expedition, he took part in a mutiny, was jailed and escaped. His seafaring inspired many of his later works, including Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life (1846), Omoo, a Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas (1847) and his masterpiece, Moby Dick (1851). Moby Dick, unlike his earlier works, was neither a critical or financial success. Melville's later writings, such as Pierre (1852), The Confidence Man (1857) and the short stories Bartleby the Scrivener and The Encantadas reflected his despair and contempt for society's corruption, hypocrisy and materialism. Melville took a break from writing to work as a customs read more...

MARGARET MITCHELL She writes to close friend and fellow author Edwin Granberry about his new play, and mentions several prominent US actors and writers, including Alexander Woolcott and the Lunts. Typed Letter signed: "Margaret", 2 pages (front and verso), 7¼x10½. Atlanta, Georgia, 1941 February 3. On personal letterhead to "Dear Edwin and Mabel" [Granberry], in full: "The combination of Bretaigne Windust and Roual Pene duBois gave us as much delight as it did you. The show can't hep being 120 proof with two such names. I was inclined to agree with Frank Sullivan to agree with Frank Sullivan, however, and will have to see these two gentlemen myself before I believe in their names. We were so happy and proud at the good news and hope you will have time to keep us posted on progress. Naturally, we are bursting to know what the Lunts think. I am sorry they are on tour now because that will probably delay their decision, as their time is pretty well occupied with long jumps and one-night stands. Do I understand that the interest of Mr. W. and Mr. DuB. Means that someone has bought the play or intends to produce it if they can get the right stars? We hope so ardently for the Lunts and can hardly wait to know what happens. read more...

AS HER WRITING CAREER WINDS DOWN, THE FAMED AUTHOR SELLS THE INVENTORY OF SEVERAL OF HER PUBLISHED WORKS - BUT RETAINS CONTROL OVER HER LITERARY LEGACY   AYN RAND, ROBERT HESSEN and BEATRICE HESSEN. Scarce Typed DS: "Ayn Rand" on page 3, 3p, 8½x11, separate sheets. New York City, 1976 June 12 (dated by Rand). Letter of Agreement to Rand from Palo Alto Book Service. Begins: "Dear Ayn". In full: "This will serve as our Agreement for the Palo Alto Book Service for the purpose of promoting and selling the remaining inventory of The Ayn Rand Letter, The Objectivist, the bound copies of The Objectivist Newsletter, and the pamphlets published by The Objectivist Newsletter and The Objectivist. We will receive the physical inventory of the above as well as any remaining stock of your novels and non-fiction works, including Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, all of which are held by The Objectivist Book Service, Inc. The inventory will be shipped to us, insured, via book rate, or by truck, if that method should prove less expensive. We will share the cost of shipment with the Objectivist Book Service, Inc. read more...