Autograph Collection.- Incl. Rebecca West & H.G. Wells

A large group of autograph and typed letters to Charlotte and Jan Boissevain from prominent literary figures, including: Rebecca West (36 letters and notes, discussing various common acquaintances, travels and covering various topics, “I am today repairing a most embarrassing error! I am sending the Viking Press a note telling them to include Jan’s name among those who have helped me in the book about Yugoslavia (“Black Lamb and Grey Falcon”). The omission may mean nothing to you but it fills me with shame”; “Noel Coward’s ‘Present laughter’ is now at the Haymarket…Noel is exquisite in ‘Present Laughter, the best he’s done for years but he’s had flu and jaundice…and was very ill, and looks ill. The real invalid, however, is Ivor Novello, who has had pneumonia and suddenly looks his age”; “I have sent you two books by Orwell. Animal Farm is the best, the other is too grim, he wrote it when he was very ill with the T.B. which killed him”; “I had supper with Odette Arnaud and Monica, who had just got back from Italy. They told me a nice story about Eva Peron. When she died she went to the gates of Heaven, and St Peter said “You are a bad girl” and she said “No, I was once but I have been quite good lately”, and then his heart softened and he said “Well, we’ll give you the test we reserve for girls who have been bad and say they’ve become good”, and he led her into the heavenly mansion and showed her a corridor of fifty years long, and said “If you can manage to walk along that corridor right to the end without having an impure thought, you can stay in heaven. But if one impure thought crosses your mind, you will find that the floor opens, and you fall straight trough into Hell”. The poor girls went ten yards, twenty yards, thirty yards, forty yards, then the floor opened, and she went through. But St Peter, who had been following just behind, had gone through himself a minute before. I think this a charming tribute to poor Eva….A little gossip has reached me. Alas, Noel’s play is a flop, it has had appalling notices, and I gather it is not expected to last long. He is selling his house in Jamaica, and keeping a bit of the grounds for a cottage…Gertie’s Lawrence’s death was due to some queer condition of the liver, possibly infectious jaundice, but it seemed to be connected with injections she had to have for a scratch which was infected by something like poison ivy”; Ibstone House, Ibstone, Metropole Hotel in Montpellier, 1941-1955); H.G. Wells (black and white signed photograph, severe fading to ink, two letters, one saying “Odette is still in bed, weak as a rat…I’m being an angel to her…Would you like to lunch with me and bring your Jan wone day next week?”, 9 March 1931, another one reading “Your slippers are a constant comfort. I am wearing them now”, 12 December 1949, with a postcard reading “My dear Charlotte I’ve just heard you’ve had some sort of operation in Paris. I’m so shocked and distressed. When I came out to lunch you seemed the picture of health and vigour”, 28 April 1931); W. Somerset Maugham (three letters signed as ‘Willie’, one reading “I was so distressed to get Jan’s letter this morning. You poor thing! You must have been so dreadfully worried, but what a comfort to think there was nothing malignant there…London is very nice, everyone seems very gay and I am going to far more parties than I should at my advanced age”, 24 October 1934, and one thanking Charlotte for “a lovely present”, 15 June, n.y., and one letter apologising for the delay in replying, n.d.); H. L. Mencken (eleven letters, “You have taken on devotion; if it turns out a nuisance, blame God! You were very charming to this decayed literatus. Don’t tell me when you are to sail. I’ll be at the dock and drag you off the ship. I am sending you some books. The burlesque book may amuse you…I hope you like them. It will be a secret vice between us”; “Some idiot printed and announcement of my marriage in the Evening Post of Saturday, and Saturday night I was hauled out of a noble beer-party to stand and deliver on it. Obviously, some wheeze set afloat by Nathan or Tom Smith. Little they know , those villains!”; “I’ll call you up as soon as I get in. Warning: your hand will be kissed , and if you are not very distant and standoffish you run a serious risk of being hugged. This week ahs been infernal, what with illness on all sides, and some work to do that simply refused to get itself done. Ah, the happy days when I was a piano mover! There was never a piano that absolutely refused to be moved”; 1524 Hollins Street, Baltimore, n.d.); also including a postcard photograph signed by Maurice Chevalier, an admission ticket to the White House and a few other items. (quantity)

Dimensions: in an evelope measuring 30 x 22cm