Author: CHRISTOPHER MORLEY
Title: C1930s-50s Compact Christopher Morley Archive and Library: One Tls, One Clipping and 5 Collectible Volumes
Description: NEW YORK, 1950. . On offer is a super, grouping of one [1] TLS, typed letter signed, one [1] ephemeral piece being a news-clipping, and a compact library of five [5] books, one signed others limited editions, by the noted American journalist, novelist, essayist, playwright and poet Christopher Morley. This is an ideal 'starter' archive or gift for a new Morley collector. Details: 1. Morley, Christopher, Typed Letter Signed. Written April 1, 1953, a mere four years before his death, in Roslyn Heights NY on Morley's letterhead with his New York City address hand-canceled in pencil. The letter to 'George', seemingly an old college and, perhaps, fraternity brother, turning down his request for Morley's presence at an event. Some first names mentioned, enticingly interesting but obscure. Many penciled corrections to the typescript, mostly proofreader's marks by Morley, and instances of his 'backing up' the carriage and typing over characters. Ends with the typed "Christopher Morley" hand-canceled and replaced by hand in pencil by "Chris." This is a chatty, personal manuscript relic which collectors and researchers will happily note with fascination that he typed the letter yet could not leave it until he had corrected and personalized it. Tri-folded to fit in an envelope, slight creasing at the left edge at one fold, head corners slightly rolled, slightly toned. Better than VG. 2. Morley, Christopher, newspaper clipping of Morley's column "The Bowling Green" from New York Evening Post, November 10, 1923. Twenty column inches of relentless satire and wit related to the "Transactions of the III Hours for Lunch Club." For example it opens with "It is recorded in the private minutes of the Three Hours for Lunch Club that the first stroke in the great campaign for Making New York and Philadelphia Love One Another was a plenary success. It is felt by the Club that the proud, reticent, yet inwardly tender and genteel bosom of the Oatmeal City was moved and stirred by the sudden foray of that daring band of kinspirits." Morley started this column in 1920 and it was a fixture in the Post for some time. Verso of the clipping extols the virtues of the Packard auto with its powerful "straight eight" engine. Clipping, browned, creased to fit into an envelope. VG. 3. Morley, Christopher, The Goldfish Under the Ice Elkin Mathews & Marrot, 1929, Limited Edition, Hardcover, 8vo 8" - 9" tall, 27 pp, VG/ VG. Offsetting next to hinge in the front and back, offsetting and tiny foxing next to hinge on inside edge only of head and tail of covers. Scattered, tiny, very occasional foxing to pages. Dust jacket has slight wear at corners, very slightly darkened at all edges. Price on inside front flap canceled in light ink. Morley's story the story of the Mistletoe family's dog Frisky (the real Frisky owned by Louise, Morley's daughter, and the Mistletoe family replicating Morley's own family) and his adventures on Christmas Eve. The Introduction tells that Morley asked Frisky what to write about and was told to write about "the goldfish." The book is divided into three parts: Part one about Frisky; Part two about the G. S. S. G. B. (Go to Sleep as Soon as you Go to Bed) club that the Mistletoes founded; Part three about Frisky building a fire on the ice to warm the the goldfish underneath. Who knew that a goldfish could shout? Edition of 530, this being signed by Morley and number 44 of 500 for sale. Set in Monotype Veronese and printed by Robert MacLehose & Co. at the University Press, Glasgow Scotland. This limited edition, copyright 1929 but issued 1930, is actually "first thus" compared to the first appearance of the work in McCall's Magazine, December 1928. [Lee 172]. Head of text block cut, otherwise uncut with rough edges to pages, endpapers slightly larger than text block. Tan, illustrated paper on boards, illustration matches the same on the dust jacket. Illustrated pastedowns and endpapers, same graphic device as illustration on boards and DJ. Publisher Elkin Mathews and Marrot was known for publishing belles lettres and were accommodating with this work. This book being from the Woburn Books series of 18 short novels/novellas of 500 copies each for sale. A fun book from the ever-eclectic Morley, VG in a VG dust jacket in mylar. 4. Morley, Christopher, Another Letter to Lord Chesterfield Ben Abramson, 1945, 1st Edition, Booklet, 16mo 6" - 7" tall, 6 pp, F/ Spine tail very slightly bumped. Morley's satirical essay on the pleasure and need or smoking by the general public. Written and typeset in archaic English in the manner of a letter from Samuel Johnson. In fact, the title page indicates authorship by Samuel Johnson and Christopher Morley which, of course, is impossible given the 'letter's' date of February 7, 1945. Pages numbered 3 through 6, though the essay consists of only 4 printed pages. Wraps formed by a single sheet of textured stiff brown paper folded in quarters, saddle stapled to the inside crease with no staples showing at the spine, head edge trimmed, else uncut. Silhouette, presumably of Johnson, to front cover. Stated first edition. Printed "for" Ben Abramson at the Argus Bookshop, his own shop famed for Morley-ana and promotion of Steinbeck's early work. The date of 1945 locates the place of publishing as New York where he resumed business after moving there from Chicago. This copy absolutely clean and Near Fine condition. 5. Morley, Christopher, Friends, Romans. The Ampersand Club, 1940, Limited Edition, Hardcover, Small 8vo 7½" - 8" tall, VG+/ VG, Book is sun-faded at the very edge of the spine tail and more so at the spine head. Dust jacket darkened along the spine, tiny chips to head and tail of spine, 1 1/2" closed tear from the spine tail proceeding up the front cover, small light blue mark to front. Christopher Morley's speech at the 50th anniversary of the Minneapolis Public Library and the 5th anniversary of Morley's membership in The Ampersand Club, he being the one who suggested the name of the club devoted to printing and the art of the book. The first publication of The Ampersand Club and this one being one of an edition of 535 copies. A rambling discourse on life, but somehow tied together with a topical thread of books and the library. Author is well known for his books Parnassus on Wheels, and The Haunted Book Shop, along with dozens of other Printed devices in read at the head of each beginning chapter page. In thin blue cloth on boards, title in printed panel to front, printed panel to spine. Sharp corners, clean. Conservatively Very Good condition and approaches Very Good +. A still-attractive Very Good DJ in mylar. 6. Morley, Christopher, The Haunted Bookshop Doubleday, Page & Company, 1921, Hardcover, 12mo 7" - 7½" tall, 289 pp, VG+/ Gilt dulled on spine, head and tall of spine slightly rubbed. A bit of faintly-browned offsetting to pastedowns and endpapers. The follow-up novel to Morley's "Parnassus On Wheels." After settling down Helen McGill (now Helen Mifflin) and Roger Mifflin open the bookshop Parnassus At Home which, of course, is the haunted bookshop. Intrigue and mystery ensue along with books, danger, a dog and quirky protagonists. Red cloth on boards with gilt title to spine and Morley's initials to front cover. This title from Doubleday's uniform edition in 12mo. 1921[1918]. A clean, nice, conservatively VG+ copy. 7. Morley, Christopher, Parnassus On Wheels Doubleday, Page & Company, 1921, Hardcover, 12mo 7" - 7½" tall, 190 pp, VG+/ Gilt dulled on spine, head and tall of spine slightly rubbed. A bit of faintly-browned offsetting to pastedowns and endpapers. Morley's first novel about Helen McGill who strikes out on her own after buying a traveling bookstore in a wagon from Roger Mifflin. Told in the first person by Helen, it's her adventure in independence, idealism, and literature. Charming, and I usually avoid the word, but charming in a good way. A humorous, fast read that's the precursor to Morley's "The Haunted Bookshop." Red cloth on boards with gilt title to spine and Morley's initials to front cover. This title from Doubleday's uniform edition in 12mo. 1921[1917]. A clean, nice, conservatively VG+ copy. ; 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall; KEYWORDS: MORLEY, CHRISTOPHER MORLEY, TYPED LETTER SIGNED, TLS, LITERATURE, LITERRY, HUMOR, HUMOUR, ESSAYIST, THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP, PARNASSUS ON WHEELS, THE AMPERSAND CLUB, LORD CHESTERFIELD, GOLDFISH UNDER THE ICE, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, JOURNAL, LOG, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, JOURNALS, LOGS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, AMERICANA, antiquité, contrat, vélin, document, manuscrit, papier Antike, Brief, Pergament, Dokument, Manuskript, Papier oggetto d'antiquariato, atto, velina, documento, manoscritto, carta antigüedad, hecho, vitela, documento, manuscrito, Papel,. Very Good .

Keywords: : Overview Diary 20th Century