[Rarebooks] FS: T.S. Eliot - E. McNight Kauffer Archive: 3 letters & 1 Manuscript Poem

[Charles Agvent]

Another fine item from our just posted Holiday Catalogue containing over 
200 book and autographs, about half of which are new arrivals.  See the 
complete list at http://www.erols.com/agvent

ELIOT,  T.  S. [KAUFFER, E. McNight]. ARCHIVE  OF  THREE
        TYPED LETTERS  SIGNED (TLSs) and ONE MANUSCRIPT POEM.  London
        & Isle  of  Wight:  1945,1949,1954. Fine  grouping  of  three
        typed letters  totaling  more than 700 words SIGNED by  Eliot
        as "Tom"  and one MANUSCRIPT POEM in the hand of  illustrator
        Edward  "Ted" McKnight Kauffer, one of Europe's most prolific
        and influential  advertising poster and book artists. He left
        his first  wife  in  1923  and lived with  Marion  Dorn  (who
        became  an extremely successful textile designer) soon  after
        but only  married  in 1950. Kauffer likely met  Eliot  around
        1920 when  they  were both involved with the Arts  League  of
        Service  and later in more formal circumstances when  Kauffer
        began illustrating  some of Eliot's poems for the Faber Ariel
        series.  With much in common, including both having been born
        in the  United States and living in England, they became very
        close friends,   almost  brothers.  Eliot   would  stay  with
        Kauffer  on visits to the U.S., and they were to  make a
        riverboat  journey  down the Mississippi, which they  planned
        to record  in  words and pictures, but Kauffer's death on  22
        October  1954  in  New York put an end to that.  In  the  two
        letters  to  Marion  Dorn,  Eliot  inquires  about  Kauffer's
        health  and  discusses  travel  and work  plans.  In  Eliot's
        letter  to Kauffer, just three months before Kauffer's death,
        he wonders  why he hasn't heard from the artist. He closes by
        saying  that  John [Hayward], a bibliographer who lived  with
        Eliot,  also  sends his love and signs off with  "Always,  my
        dear brother,    Affectionately   yours,    Tom."   Kauffer's
        manuscript  poem, dated 1945, is a 24-line excerpt from  John
        Donne's  Song  (Go  and  catch a  falling  star).  Near  Fine
                                                             $4500.00

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CHARLES AGVENT 
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