Dec 6, 2024 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
702
The original autograph manuscript and typescript of Chandler's poem The Magic Shop
Estate / Collection: The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection of Raymond Chandler
RAYMOND CHANDLER
"The Magic Shop." An original poem by Chandler here present in two forms: the autograph manuscript as written on the fly-leaf of a book in 1920 and a typed-out version with hand-correction circa 1958. The original manuscript is written by Chandler on the front blank of Lord Dunsany’s book A Dreamer’s Tale, the poem is 28 lines written in a green ink, headed "The Magic Shop" and inscribed "From Ray to Cissy - August 14th 1920." Publisher’s cloth, some wear but fine overall. The typed version is on one sheet of Chandler's personal stationery and is 28 typed lines with a 3 1/2 line autograph notation at the foot and several hand corrections to the text and in the margin. The sheet 9 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches (24 x 22 cm). One spot in the margin, lightly handled.
A long, early Chandler poem written by him in 1920 and reconsidered 38 years later. The poem was written in the period between Chandler's return from World War I and his marriage to Cissy in 1924 (Cissy had divorced her husband in 1920 but Chandler's mother disapproved; they married when she died in 1924). The poem, with its description of the objects in the shop and the strange magician, dovetails nicely with the stories present in this collection in their use of fantasy.
The later typescript is equally interesting for Chandler's corrections and annotations. Under the typescript, Chandler has written "Jean not all mistakes. Some changes specifically in punctuation. How times change - even in this!" This last line referring to the near forty-year differential between writing and finally typing the poem, which remains unpublished. An unusual instance of Chandler reapproaching a piece written before his fame as an author and after.
Sold for $1,536
Estimated at $1,000 - $1,500
Includes Buyer's Premium
Estate / Collection: The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection of Raymond Chandler
RAYMOND CHANDLER
"The Magic Shop." An original poem by Chandler here present in two forms: the autograph manuscript as written on the fly-leaf of a book in 1920 and a typed-out version with hand-correction circa 1958. The original manuscript is written by Chandler on the front blank of Lord Dunsany’s book A Dreamer’s Tale, the poem is 28 lines written in a green ink, headed "The Magic Shop" and inscribed "From Ray to Cissy - August 14th 1920." Publisher’s cloth, some wear but fine overall. The typed version is on one sheet of Chandler's personal stationery and is 28 typed lines with a 3 1/2 line autograph notation at the foot and several hand corrections to the text and in the margin. The sheet 9 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches (24 x 22 cm). One spot in the margin, lightly handled.
A long, early Chandler poem written by him in 1920 and reconsidered 38 years later. The poem was written in the period between Chandler's return from World War I and his marriage to Cissy in 1924 (Cissy had divorced her husband in 1920 but Chandler's mother disapproved; they married when she died in 1924). The poem, with its description of the objects in the shop and the strange magician, dovetails nicely with the stories present in this collection in their use of fantasy.
The later typescript is equally interesting for Chandler's corrections and annotations. Under the typescript, Chandler has written "Jean not all mistakes. Some changes specifically in punctuation. How times change - even in this!" This last line referring to the near forty-year differential between writing and finally typing the poem, which remains unpublished. An unusual instance of Chandler reapproaching a piece written before his fame as an author and after.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Dec 6, 2024
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Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on December 6, 2024
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Books, Autographs & Maps
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held a successful auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps onDecember 6, 2024 showcased is a wonderful diversity of Americana, maps, autographs, early books and landmarks of literature and science.
Highlighting the sale was the first edition of Spinoza's Tractatus theologico-politicus from 1670 that soared to $70,350. Spinoza’s Tractatus is his only work published during his lifetime and remains his most significant. It presents a clear theory of natural right, asserting that the love of God leads to love for others. The state exists to ensure liberty, not oppression, with justice, wisdom, and toleration as key. Influential to thinkers like Blake and Goethe, it shaped Romanticism.
The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection offered the largest trove of unpublished Raymond Chandler stories, poetry, letters, books and personal artifacts to come to market. Best known for his Philip Marlowe detective novels including The Big Sleep (1939) and Farewell, My Lovely (1940) and as screenwriter of film noir classics such as Double Indemnity (1944) and The Blue Dahlia (1946), Raymond Chandler is considered one of the top writers in the hardboiled fiction genre alongside Dashiell Hammett and James Cain. Held for decades, the archive belonged to Jean Fracasse [later Vounder-Davis] who was first hired in January 1957 as Chandler's personal secretary but quickly became his close friend, confidant, fiancé and muse to whom he dedicated his last book.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
For information, please contact Peter Costanzo at 212-427-4141 ext 248, Edward Ripley-Duggan at ext 234, or Noah Goldrach at ext 226, or email Books@Doyle.com
