DASHIELL HAMMETT Photo of the author, inscribed on the mount with his extremely rare dual signature, "Dashiell Hammett/The Thin Man." Rare Photograph Mount inscribed and signed: "To Joe -/Dashiell Hammett/The Thin Man/July 13, 1938". B/w, 8x10 overall, image 5x7 (two surfaces). Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) was a private detective for eight years before becoming a detective story writer. Although he wrote only five novels, he created three of the most memorable characters in crime fiction: detective Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon (1930) and detectives Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man two years later. Later a Hollywood screenwriter, Hammett was also known for his left-wing politics and his 30-year romance with writer Lillian Hellman. Hammett autographs are scarce in any form. Those incorporating "The Thin Man" are rare and desirable. Mount slightly soiled. Ink notes (unknown hand) on verso. Photo lightly creased with pinhead-size surface nicks. Mounting adhesive visible at corners of photo and at upper blank background. Overall, fine condition. read more...

[SAMUEL CLEMENS] FREDERICK W. PEABODY Remarkable document! A copy of the Christian Science Church Manual, signed by its owner, Peabody, with handwritten notes by Mark Twain, who used it in preparing his famous 1907 polemic against Mary Baker Eddy and the church she founded. Book signed: "Frederick W. Peabody/Notations by Mark Twain" on title page, 95 pages, 5¼x7¼, hardcover. Church Manual of the First Church of Christ Scientist by Mary Baker G. Eddy, The Christian Science Publishing Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1899, 11th Edition. Label affixed to front cover: "Church Manual of the First Church of Christ/Mark Twain's Copy With Annotations". This book, which belonged to Peabody, has been annotated by Clemens, the noted author and lecturer who was known for his efforts to debunk frauds - especially those whom he deemed as religious charlatans. FREDERICK W. PEABODY has been described as a "detached or critical" biographer of Mary Baker Glover Eddy. SAMUEL L. CLEMENS, popularly known as "Mark Twain", directed his scorn toward both Mrs. Eddy and her religion in his 1907 book, Christian Science read more...

MARGARET MITCHELL Mitchell, always shy about the spotlight on her following Gone With the Wind, confides to friend and fellow author Edwin Granberry that "it is tempting fate to ever write a book or a play. If you do, everything except a plague of grasshoppers arrives." Typed Letter signed: "Margaret", 2 pages (front and verso), 7¼x10½. Atlanta, Georgia, 1941 November 11. On personal letterhead to "Dear Mabel and Edwin" [Granberry], in full: "We were very distressed to learn of your illness, Mabel, and I was glad to see Fred Hanna at a party Sunday night and learn that you really were up and about. Don't you think you Granberrys have managed all the plagues of Egypt now? I never knew any family, except us, to have as much trouble. (And, as Michael Arlen remarked in 'The Green Hat,' 'the Marches are never let off of anything.') Things are well with us now but I remember, with no pleasure, the first five years we were married when everyone in our family seemed to have something happen to them. Perhaps it is something all couples must go through with, but I hope the Granberrys are really through now. Edwin, you know it is tempting fate to ever try to write a book or a play. read more...

MARGARET MITCHELL The year she received the Pulitzer Prize for Gone With the Wind, she writes of fending off law suits, including a plagiarism suit, and desires to visit friends in Florida only if her visit can be kept secret from reporters and autograph seekers. Typed Letter signed: "Margaret", 2 pages(front and verso), 7¼x11. Atlanta, Georgia, 1937 July 27. On personal letterhead to ""Dear Mabel and Edwin", [Granberry], in full: "If your offer of hospitality still holds good I would like to come to visit you two for three days, preferably around the end of this week (arriving Saturday the 31st or Sunday the 1st). However, if this date is not convenient to you for any reason, please do not hesitate to tell me so and to fix your own dates. John will not be able to come with me. His own work at his office is very heavy at present and my business affairs which he is handling at night show no signs of slacking. We have two new lawsuits in addition to the plagiarism suit! I'll tell you about them when I see you. I think I know you two well enough to ask for frankness. Please tell me (1) just when it will be read more...

J.D. SALINGER Exceedingly rare handwritten letter, instructions to his maid, signed by Salinger in 1989. Items autographed by the reclusive Salinger are very seldom offered for sale! This one offers unique insight into the author's frame of mind and personality. Exceedingly rare ALS: "J.D. Salinger", 1 page, 8½x11. No place but probably Cornish, New Hampshire, 1989 March 12. On his JSD monogrammed stationery to Mary. He tells her that before she leaves for her vacation she should do all her errands so that he would not have to be bothered with those activities, thanking her in advance. As many collectors are well aware, J.D. Salinger (1919-2010) was extremely guarded about his personal life, so much so that he sought injunctions against authors and autograph dealers attempting to publish his letters. J.D. Salinger's first novel, The Catcher in the Rye (1951) immediately became a Book-of-the-Month Club selection and won huge international acclaim. It still sells about 250,000 copies annually. His novellas, Franny and Zooey, were published in "The New Yorker" in 1955 and 1957, respectively. 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...

TWO RARE ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT PAGES FROM THE GILDED AGE, ONE IN THE HAND OF MARK TWAIN, THE OTHER IN THE HAND OF HIS COLLABORATOR, CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER (WITH A SUGGESTION BY MARK TWAIN) THE GILDED AGE: SAMUEL L. CLEMENS and CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER. Comprises: (1) SAMUEL L. CLEMENS (MARK TWAIN). Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, 1p, 5x8. From Part 2, Chapter XI of The Gilded Age. Clemens has penned: "396" at upper margin (it has been crossed out and renumbered "307" by Warner). Clemens writes, in full: "he saw the pathetic sorrow in their faces when they asked for more & there was no more to give them, he hated himself for his stupidity and pitied the hunger famishing young things with all his heart. The other matter that disturbed him was the dire inflation that had begun in his stomach. It grew & grew, it became more & more supportable. Evidently the apples turnips were swelling fermenting. He forced himself to sit still as long as he could, but the distress steadily augmented till his anguish conquered him at last. read more...

SAMUEL L. CLEMENS (MARK TWAIN) Visiting Sweden in search of a cure for his daughter's epilepsy, Clemens asks a bookseller to send him some "the very best of Clark Russell's sea-tales". Autograph Letter Signed: "SL C.", 1p, 5½x8½. Sanna, Rosendala, Sweden, 1899 July 16. "Telegraphic address: Sanna Jonkoping, Sweden". To bookseller "C&W". In full: "Please send me a couple of the very best of Clark Russell's sea-tales that you've got in stock. If any of my photos are only about as big as this page, we shall be glad to have them here - but bigger ones we prefer to leave with you for the present. If you haven't heard from Clara when this reaches you, please drop her a line. Jonkoping is pronounced Zhenshepping - think of that!" Samuel, his wife Olivia and their daughter Jean had arrived in Sweden early in July 1899, and remained until October. JEAN CLEMENS (1880-1910), then 19 years old, suffered from epilepsy. Clemens had heard of an osteopathic treatment as practiced by Heinrick Kellgren in Sanna. Kellgren's method was known as the "Swedish movements". read more...

SAMUEL L. CLEMENS (MARK TWAIN) The American author famous for his characters Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer signed and wrote this framed letter in 1895! Autograph Letter Signed: "S L Clemens", 2p, 3¾x6, conjoined leaves. On letterhead of Villa Viviana Settigano, (Florence, Italy). Written from Hartford, Connecticut, 1895 February 20. To "My Dear Mrs. Bronson". In full: "Mrs. Clemens sends her best bow & thanks with mine for your steadfast kindness in regard to the glass. I shall drop Moses of the Tower a line & propose as you suggest. I shall drop Mr. Forbes a line, too, & ask him to waive rank & call on me, & as soon as I get a chance I will pay back in kind. Florence is 4,000 miles from here & I hardly ever attempt the achievement of going there. This further off than any place that I've got friends in except heaven Hell, & sometimes even that resort doesn't seem so far. (But I didn't need to make that correction - it doesn't seem to disexaggerate  (sic) the distance as much as I thought it would.) Mrs. Clemens' health is not improving, I am sorry to say, but the rest of us are without ailments. read more...