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WHITMAN'S PROTEST AGAINST THE PIRACY OF LEAVES OF GRASS. WHITMAN, WALT. 1819-1892. Autograph Let...
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New York, New York
Description
WHITMAN'S PROTEST AGAINST THE PIRACY OF LEAVES OF GRASS. WHITMAN, WALT. 1819-1892. Autograph Letter Signed ('Walt') to John Burroughs asking for help in stopping the Worthington piracies, 1 p, 202 x 133 mm, 431 Mickle Street, Camden, NJ, November 26, 1880, with original autograph transmittal envelope. WITH: mimeographed letter of Whitman's first hand account of Worthington's pirated printings, about 30 words accomplished in autograph by Whitman, 2 pp, 267 x 203 mm. Provenance: Dr. Clara Barrus (Anderson Galleries, New York, April 29, 1931, lot 193); Estelle Doheny (from Barnet J. Beyer, June 29, 1931), sold her sale, Christie's New York, February 21 & 22, 1989, lot 2207; sold, (anonymous consignor), Christie's, New York, December 14, 2000, lot 178. WHITMAN'S FIRSTHAND CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF THE WORTHINGTON PIRACY OF HIS 1860-1 LEAVES OF GRASS. The third edition of Leaves of Grass, published by Thayer and Eldridge in 1860 went through two large printings, and was being prepared for a third when the publisher succumbed to the economic climate of the war, and some poor business decisions, and declared bankruptcy. The plates for Leaves of Grass were sold at auction, and ended up in the hands of Richard Worthington in 1879. Noting that Leaves had grown in the intervening years, Worthington approached Whitman about adding to the previous edition, and issuing a new edition incorporating the plates. Whitman declined, and forbade Worthington's use. He wrote this letter to John Burroughs, and another of similar tone to Richard Watson Gilder, enclosing the 2 pp mimeograph of his autograph description of the problem ('badly copied, but I can't write them out,' he notes here). Worthington sold a number of copies of his piracies throughout the 1880s, and Whitman never pursued legal action. He did however, take periodic 'royalty' payments from Worthington for his misdeeds, in a way sanctioning the copyright violations. The Worthington episode is an important aspect of Whitman's publishing history, and letters relating to it are rare, particularly with the immediacy reflected in his enclosed description of the crime. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing
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WHITMAN'S PROTEST AGAINST THE PIRACY OF LEAVES OF GRASS. WHITMAN, WALT. 1819-1892. Autograph Letter Signed ('Walt') to John Burroughs asking for help in stopping the Worthington piracies, 1 p, 202 x 133 mm, 431 Mickle Street, Camden, NJ, November 26, 1880, with original autograph transmittal envelope. WITH: mimeographed letter of Whitman's first hand account of Worthington's pirated printings, about 30 words accomplished in autograph by Whitman, 2 pp, 267 x 203 mm. Provenance: Dr. Clara Barrus (Anderson Galleries, New York, April 29, 1931, lot 193); Estelle Doheny (from Barnet J. Beyer, June 29, 1931), sold her sale, Christie's New York, February 21 & 22, 1989, lot 2207; sold, (anonymous consignor), Christie's, New York, December 14, 2000, lot 178. WHITMAN'S FIRSTHAND CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF THE WORTHINGTON PIRACY OF HIS 1860-1 LEAVES OF GRASS. The third edition of Leaves of Grass, published by Thayer and Eldridge in 1860 went through two large printings, and was being prepared for a third when the publisher succumbed to the economic climate of the war, and some poor business decisions, and declared bankruptcy. The plates for Leaves of Grass were sold at auction, and ended up in the hands of Richard Worthington in 1879. Noting that Leaves had grown in the intervening years, Worthington approached Whitman about adding to the previous edition, and issuing a new edition incorporating the plates. Whitman declined, and forbade Worthington's use. He wrote this letter to John Burroughs, and another of similar tone to Richard Watson Gilder, enclosing the 2 pp mimeograph of his autograph description of the problem ('badly copied, but I can't write them out,' he notes here). Worthington sold a number of copies of his piracies throughout the 1880s, and Whitman never pursued legal action. He did however, take periodic 'royalty' payments from Worthington for his misdeeds, in a way sanctioning the copyright violations. The Worthington episode is an important aspect of Whitman's publishing history, and letters relating to it are rare, particularly with the immediacy reflected in his enclosed description of the crime. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing
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