American & British Celebrities, Actors, Authors

A good group of 42 autograph letters, 2 typed letters and 2 portrait photographs signed by Harriet Beecher Stowe, "Buffalo Bill" Cody, Edwin Booth, Mary Anderson, Maude Adams, Thomas Carlyle, Henrik Ibsen, and others, 1881-1933, to Edward W. or Cary Bok and others, all in fine condition.



These are mostly responses to Bok's requests for autographs or photographs and sometimes arrangements for contributions to publications, appearances, or invitations:



Thomas Carlyle. Autograph letter, signed ("T Carlyle"), 1 1/2 pages (7 1/8 x 4 3/8 in.; 180 x 110 mm), London, 14 February 1842, to an unnamed addressee, asking after the health of Mrs. Welsh on behalf of Mrs. Carlyle. With a photographic carte-de-visite. — Henrik Ibsen. Autograph letter in Norwegian, signed ("Henrik Ibsen"), 3 pages (8 x 4 7/8 in.; 204 x 124 mm), Munich, 22 April 1887, with English translation, to an unnamed baroness, sending thanks for the translation of "The Wild Duck", remarks on the play "Rosmersholm", accepts her offer to translate "Love's Comedy". — Harriet Beecher Stowe. Portrait photograph (6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in.), signed on verso "Harriet Beecher Stowe for Edward W. Bok 1881" with 2 photo facsimiles of her handwriting — Mary ("Mamie") Dickens (daughter of Charles, 1838-1896). Autograph note card, signed, no place, no date — Thomas Bailey Aldrich. Autograph quotation from his poem "Thorwaldsen" on a note card, 4 lines plus signature, no place, November 1881 — Hamlin Garland (1860-1914, novelist). Autograph letter, signed ("Hamlin Garland"), 1  page (7 7/8 x 4 7/8 in.), on Century Association letterhead, New York, 13 October (no year), to Mr. Curtis, lunch invitation. — Walter Hampden (Dougherty, 1879-1955, actor). 2 ALS, 5 pages, Ridgefield, CT, 9 & 20 August 1920, regarding his dealings with the Schubert Organization and booking an appearance — Fanny Davenport Price (1850-1898, actor). 27 autograph letters signed (some signed, as an afterthought, through the initial text), 81 pages written, various sizes of 8vo, mostly without places or year dates but a few 1881, 1885, 1886 — William ("Buffalo Bill") F. Cody. ALS, 1 page on letterhead "[Buffalo (image)] Bill Combination of Twenty-Four Artists," no place, 11 January 188[?], sending his New York address — Edwin Booth. ALS, 1 page, New York, 15 January 1884 with portrait photograph signed, dated "November 1881" — Mary Anderson (de Navarro, 1859-1940, actor). 4 ALS, 1 autograph note card, 1 TLS, 11 pages written, Broadway, Worcestershire, 1901-1918 — Maude Adams (1872-1953, actor). ALS, 1 1/2 pages, Lake Ronkonkoma, Long Island, NY, 21 December 1920. — Leopold Stokowski. Typed letter, signed ("Prince", Bok's nickname for him), 1 page (10 1/4 x 8 1/4 in.; 260 x 210 mm), on personal letterhead, Philadelphia, 25 April 1933, invitation to the Cosmopolitan Club. — Ben Ames Williams (novelist, 1889-1953). Typed letter signed, 1 page (10 3/8 x 7 1/8 in.), on personal letterhead, Chestnut Hill, Mass., 28 December 1931.

In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.