Lot 1269

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Description:


(1835 - 1910) 'Mark Twain', American author of such classics as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Extraordinary A.L.S. 'S.L. Clemens', 1p. 3.5 x 5.25 in., [n.p., n.d.], related to his catastrophic bankruptcy after a misplaced investment. The letter, addressed to a Mr. Hutchins, reads in full: 'This is to introduce my friends Paige and Davis who desire to see the typesetter at work as per my conversation with you.' On the adjacent page, Clemens adds: 'Office of the Post'. Nicely double-matted and framed with a portrait of Clemens and a brass biographical plaque to an overall size of 18 x 30 in. Fine condition. Having spent a good deal of his teenage years setting type by hand, Clemens invested heavily in the Paige Compositor - a revolutionary new printing press that would use a mechanical arm to set the type. Expecting to make a substantial amount of the profits, he assumed the major financial responsibility of the project. At the mercy of inventor James Paige and mechanical expert Charles Davis, introduced in this letter, Clemens's investment slowly soured; as the project's development moved at a snail's pace, the new Linotype hit the market with great success, making Paige's machine obsolete. As a result, Clemens lost the bulk of his book profits and a substantial portion of his wife's inheritance, and in 1894, was forced to file for bankruptcy. A great association document, regarding the financial unraveling of one of America's finest authors.

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February 9, 2021 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000