72
WHISTLER (JAMES ABBOT MCNEILL) Two autograph letters and an autograph postcard
1/2
Please confirm your bid
You are about to place a bid of GBP
Timed Auction:Current bid:
Bids do not include VAT, buyer’s premium or delivery.
By confirming your bid, you agree that you have read and accepted the-saleroom.com and the auctioneer's terms and conditions. Confirming your bid is a legally binding obligation to purchase and pay for the lot should your bid be successful.
Please confirm purchase
You are about to buy this lot for
GBP.
Bids do not include VAT, buyer’s premium or delivery.
By confirming your bid, you agree that you have read and accepted the-saleroom.com and the auctioneer's terms and conditions. Confirming your bid is a legally binding obligation to purchase and pay for the lot should your bid be successful.
Proceed With Buy It Now?
We have noticed that your maximum bid is higher or equal to the buy it now price for this lot.
Would you like to discard your maximum bid and proceed with the buy it now option?
Warning
You cannot Buy it now until you are approved to bid.
Please contact the auctioneer (+44 20 7393 3900)
Your bid is off increment
Choose one of the quick bid options below:
Bids do not include VAT, buyer’s premium or delivery.
By confirming your bid, you agree that you have read and accepted the-saleroom.com and the auctioneer's terms and conditions. Confirming your bid is a legally binding obligation to purchase and pay for the lot should your bid be successful.
Your bid is below the current minimum bid
To place a bid select the minimum amount below:
Bids do not include VAT, buyer’s premium or delivery.
By confirming your bid, you agree that you have read and accepted the-saleroom.com and the auctioneer's terms and conditions. Confirming your bid is a legally binding obligation to purchase and pay for the lot should your bid be successful.
Description
WHISTLER (JAMES ABBOT MCNEILL) Two autograph letters signed ('J. Mc.Neill Whistler') and with his butterfly device, the first to the 'Gentlemen' of the Beefsteak Club responding to the suggestion of '...one or two culprits on the committee...' that he might present to the club some of the etchings '...which have won for me the bewilderment and scorn of an exasperated people...', hoping that by doing so '...it's reputation for culture yet remain unharmed...'; the second to 'Mrs George' ('...Tomorrow I dine with you with delight - and tell you the last incarnation of Howell the superb...'), 3 pages, the first docketed, dust-staining and marks, 8vo (157 x 100mm.), Tower House, Chelsea and Beefsteak Club, 1 January [18]89, the second undated but possibly 1890; with a postcard signed ('J. McNeill Whistler') presenting a copy of '...this irrelevant book...' [presumably The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, published 1890] to the Beefsteak Club, one page, docketed on reverse, light dust-staining, horizontal fold with slight loss, 8vo [n.p.], 17 February [1891] (3) Footnotes: 'ETCHINGS WHICH HAVE WON FOR ME THE BEWILDERMENT AND SCORN OF AN EXASPERATED PEOPLE'. Whistler's offer to present examples of his etchings to the Beefsteak Club, of which he was a member, was gratefully acknowledged by Henry George Calcraft on 2 January, and on 9 January the Club's secretary J.W. Sim wrote to formally accept the pictures and to thank him '...very heartily on the part of the members of the Club generally for your most liberal and valuable contribution to our somewhat limited collection of art treasures...'. Our second letter signed with his characteristic butterfly device is addressed to Elisabeth Lewis, wife of Whistler's solicitor George Lewis. In it he is looking forward '...with delight...' to gossiping with her about Charles Augustus Howell, a rather dubious character with a reputation for blackmail, who acted as a dealer and agent for the Pre-Raphaelites, and who is perhaps best known for organising the exhumation of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's wife Elizabeth Siddal in order to retrieve a volume of poems. '...The last incarnation of Howell the superb...' mentioned in our letter may well refer to Howell's murder in Chelsea in 1890. Whistler's letter of 1889 and the two replies from the Beefsteak Club mentioned above (refs.09253, 00266, 00483) and his letter of presentation (ref.09252) are published in 'The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler' online. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing
Auction Details
Shipping
T&Cs & Important Info
Ask seller a question
WHISTLER (JAMES ABBOT MCNEILL) Two autograph letters signed ('J. Mc.Neill Whistler') and with his butterfly device, the first to the 'Gentlemen' of the Beefsteak Club responding to the suggestion of '...one or two culprits on the committee...' that he might present to the club some of the etchings '...which have won for me the bewilderment and scorn of an exasperated people...', hoping that by doing so '...it's reputation for culture yet remain unharmed...'; the second to 'Mrs George' ('...Tomorrow I dine with you with delight - and tell you the last incarnation of Howell the superb...'), 3 pages, the first docketed, dust-staining and marks, 8vo (157 x 100mm.), Tower House, Chelsea and Beefsteak Club, 1 January [18]89, the second undated but possibly 1890; with a postcard signed ('J. McNeill Whistler') presenting a copy of '...this irrelevant book...' [presumably The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, published 1890] to the Beefsteak Club, one page, docketed on reverse, light dust-staining, horizontal fold with slight loss, 8vo [n.p.], 17 February [1891] (3) Footnotes: 'ETCHINGS WHICH HAVE WON FOR ME THE BEWILDERMENT AND SCORN OF AN EXASPERATED PEOPLE'. Whistler's offer to present examples of his etchings to the Beefsteak Club, of which he was a member, was gratefully acknowledged by Henry George Calcraft on 2 January, and on 9 January the Club's secretary J.W. Sim wrote to formally accept the pictures and to thank him '...very heartily on the part of the members of the Club generally for your most liberal and valuable contribution to our somewhat limited collection of art treasures...'. Our second letter signed with his characteristic butterfly device is addressed to Elisabeth Lewis, wife of Whistler's solicitor George Lewis. In it he is looking forward '...with delight...' to gossiping with her about Charles Augustus Howell, a rather dubious character with a reputation for blackmail, who acted as a dealer and agent for the Pre-Raphaelites, and who is perhaps best known for organising the exhumation of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's wife Elizabeth Siddal in order to retrieve a volume of poems. '...The last incarnation of Howell the superb...' mentioned in our letter may well refer to Howell's murder in Chelsea in 1890. Whistler's letter of 1889 and the two replies from the Beefsteak Club mentioned above (refs.09253, 00266, 00483) and his letter of presentation (ref.09252) are published in 'The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler' online. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing
Books, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs
Sale Date(s)
Venue Address
Montpelier St Knightsbridge
London
United Kingdom
SW7 1HH
United Kingdom
...
Important Information
You are advised to visit www.bonhams.com for any additional information regarding auction 29883 which may have come to light for any Lot after producing the catalogue, which will be included in a "Sale Room Notice" accompanying each Lot.
Terms & Conditions
Buyers' Obligations
ALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.
If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest client services team.
Buyers' Premium and Charges
For all Sales categories, buyer's premium excluding Cars, Motorbikes, Wine, Whisky and Coin & Medal sales, will be as follows:
Buyer's Premium Rates
28% on the first £40,000 of the hammer price;
27% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £40,000 up to and including £800,000;
21% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £800,000 up to and including £4,500,000;
and 14.5% of the hammer price of any amounts in excess of £4,500,000.
A 3rd party bidding platform fee of 4% of the Hammer Price for Buyers using the following bidding platforms will be added to the invoices of successful Buyers for auctions starting on or after 6th July 2024 – Invaluable; Live Auctioneers; The Saleroom; Lot-tissimo.
VAT at the current rate of 20% will be added to the Buyer's Premium and charges excluding Artists Resale Right.
Payment Notices
For payment information please refer to the sale catalog.
Shipping Notices
For information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licenses please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.
