[Rarebooks] FS: Three Revealing Zane Grey Letters, two to his wife and one from her, about writing, fishing, etc.

[Charles Agvent]

 From our latest Internet Catalogue which contains a truly amazing array 
of TWENTIETH CENTURY LITERARY MANUSCRIPTS, LETTERS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS, a 
total of 90 items, many quite scarce and remarkable as well as revealing 
of the creative process and personal lives of the subjects.  It includes 
a number of archives, some rather substantial, including Sherwood 
Anderson, W. H. Auden (SOLD), Robert Lowell, Norman Mailer (SOLD), John 
Masefield (SOLD), John O'Hara, Clifford Odets, Maxwell Perkins, E. H. 
Shepard, and Philip Whalen, among others.  We also have similar material 
from previous catalogues that can be found with our search engine on our 
web site:
http://www.erols.com/agvent

1.  GREY,  Zane. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS) to his wife. New  York:
March  1908. A three-page AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED as "Pearl" (Grey was
born  Pearl  Zane  Gray)  to  his wife  "Dolly"  on  three  sheets  of
illustrated  New Grand Hotel stationery with envelope postmarked March
1908.  Grey  discusses his rotten position: "I'm afraid I  can't  have
Outing  publish  my book until everybody's got good and ready  to  let
me....  And  I, like an idiot signed that paper, which  legally  gives
them  the right to my photographs. Why didn't you or Murphy see  that?
If  they don't choose to use the story & pictures I can't get the book
published  at all. It's most damnably sickening. I don't know what  to
do....  For  a measly little hundred dollars I have about  queered  my
chances....  Murphy  says it will work out allright [sic]. I hope  so,
but  tonight  I can't see anything but black. Will be on the  mountain
tomorrow."  Zane  Grey  decided  to become a writer  just  five  years
before  this  letter  when he wrote a fishing story that  appeared  in
RECREATION  MAGAZINE. Outing published Grey's third book, THE LAST  OF
THE  PLAINSMEN, in 1908 complete with Grey's photographs. It was based
on  a trip Grey made out West with Col. "Buffalo" Jones in 1907.  This
trip  was  the turning point in Grey's life, but his book about  Jones
and  his experiences in the Grand Canyon was not successful. It  would
be  a  few more years before Grey became a success with RIDERS OF  THE
PURPLE  SAGE.  An outstanding early letter revealing the torment  of a
struggling  writer.  Folds  from  mailing,   still  about  Fine,  with
envelope.                                                     $1500.00

2.  GREY,  Zane. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS) to his wife. Long  Key,
FL:  29 Jan. 1912. A one-page AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED as "Doc" to  his
wife  "Dolly"  with fine content on Florida East Coast Hotel  Co./Long
Key  Fishing  Camp  stationery  with envelope. In full:  "It  sure  is
hunting  my  forgotten  birthday! Let's see. I'll be 38. Gee!  I  feel
old.  But  maybe its this damned languorous climate. I've been  eating
too  much, also. There isn't any news. The sun shines, the winds blow,
and  time flies. I'll be home soon again. I have not been fishing yet.
This  matter  of  work  begins  to drag on me. If  I  don't  work  I'm
unhappy.  Yesterday  I  wrote some of the scenario of the  play.  I've
somehow  lost confidence since I read that play book. But things  will
come  to a head soon. I'm glad for this past week. I seem to be my old
self  again.  Aren't  you  glad?  I'd appreciate  a  letter  from  you
occasionally.  You'll be mad when you see that all this fat [?] letter
is  not  a love letter to you. With love to all, Doc."  Superb  letter
mentioning  his two loves--fishing and writing--addressed to his other
love. Folds from mailing, still about Fine, with envelope.    $1000.00

3.  [GREY,  Zane]  GREY, Mrs. Zane. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED  (ALS)  to
Zane  Grey  from  his  wife. New York: A  four-page  AUTOGRAPH  LETTER
SIGNED  as  "Dolly" and addressed to "Doc," entirely in  pencil.  Mrs.
Zane  Grey  discusses  being  ill and being in  New  York  with  their
children:  "Amelia says N.Y. reminds her of the Orange Co. Fair!" She
mentions  her  developing  telepathic powers: "However, I  better  not
tell  you all this. You might get frightened & never come home  again.
However,  I can tell you this. Somehow you never fall in my estimation
because  the contents of your mind are clear to me.... Listen--  don't
ever  attempt  to  give  away  any of the  pictures  of  me  with  the
children.  You've  given your friends about everything that  is  mine,
but  you  can't  give them my picture.... I do love you,  dear.  Don't
ever  forget  it.  It may have manifested itself in peculiar  ways  at
times,  but I've stuck through thick & thin, & that's the reason. Ever
yours,  Dolly."  Also  included  are two  typed  letters  from  Grey's
publisher  Harper  & Brothers dated 1910 and 1915 regarding a  request
for  dramatic rights to THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT and selling  copies
of his novels. Folds from mailing, still about Fine.           $100.00


-- 

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CHARLES AGVENT
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