Adam Andrusier Autographs Archives - Rare Book Insider

Adam Andrusier Autographs

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Phiilip K Dick – an illustrated signed letter on VALIS and his visions

Philip K Dick In an illustrated letter, Philip K. Dick expounds upon Platonic Forms and his VALIS vision An excellent typed letter signed by Philip K. Dick (‘Phil’), three pages, August 11th 1981. A lengthy philosophical letter to science fiction author Patricia Warrick, which is embellished with labelled drawings by Dick, supporting his theories of reality, showing “Upper” and “Lower” realms as well as a “Field B Mundane”. He opens, ‘I can finally write Eureka; I have indeed found it. I herewith copy from my notes of last night: There are two sources to our world — exactly as I say in VALIS (“Two Source Cosmogony”). I didn’t see a second, added signal in 3-74; I saw the two signals (components) pull apart (I know it to be so). They can be discriminated (untangled) and this is what Ditheon can do with its AB hyper-field; it can extract the Forms back out, as if freeing them: loosing them from their earthly shells/prisons. This is Platonist and Neo-Platonist. The correct terms are: Lower Realm and Upper Realm, and they mix to create our world. This renders the Forms sensible (empirically perceptible) but this is an inferior way of knowing them; to know them intelligibly (by the meta-abstraction) is to know them purely as they are. Thus the spiritual realm is here, commingled with the Lower Realm: our universe is not the Lower Realm but the mixture of the two. (In terms of Dante, Inferno is the Lower Realm, Paradiso is the Upper, and of course Purgatorio is the mixture).” Dick then further expounds on his theory in two further pages of dense and rich text. In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope. In the months of February and March 1974, Dick, then still convalescing and medicating himself from an impacted wisdom tooth, began to experience a series of hallucinations. Dick, who referred to them as ‘2-3-74’ in the shorthand, believed that his thoughts were being invaded ‘by a transcendentally rational mind’ of which he referred to as ‘Zebra,’ ‘God,’ or ‘VALIS.’
  • $4,966
  • $4,966
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Charles Dodgson – An Amusing early Autograph Letter to Tennyson’s Young Son

Charles Dodgson ‘If I can only find something that will hurt him as much as your knife’ A superb, early three page autograph letter signed by Charles Dodgson, on a single folded sheet, January 23th 1862. Dodgson writes a highly humorous letter in neat, dark fountain pen ink, in the days before his more common flamboyant purple ink, to nine-year-old Hallam Tennyson, the eldest son of poet Alfred Lord Tennyson. In full: ‘Thank you for your nice little note. I am glad you liked the knife, and I think it a pity you should not be allowed to use it “till you are older”. However, as you are older now, perhaps you have begun to use it by this time: if you were allowed to cut your finger with it, once a week, just a little, you know, till it began to bleed, and a good deep cut every birthday, I should think that would be enough, and it would last a long time so. Only I hope that if Lionel ever wants to have his fingers cut with it, you will be kind to your brother, and hurt him as much as he likes. If you will send me word, some day, when your two birthdays are, perhaps I may send him a birthday present, if I can only find something that will hurt him as much as your knife: perhaps a blister, or a leech, or something of that sort. Give him half my love, and take the rest yourself.’ In fine condition, with a piece of toned tape along the edge of the first page. A fantastic example of Dodgson’s unique ability to construct bizarre narratives out of the everyday — a style he would bring to fruition a few years later in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It is interesting to note that just six months after writing this letter, Dodgson took a rowing trip with a group that included Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice. As a youth, Dodgson was a great admirer of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poetry, and eventually met and befriended the great poet and his family. The Tennysons sat for photographic portraits by Dodgson, and he lavished the boys with gifts — in another instance, he gave Lionel a telescope. Excerpts from this letter have been published in multiple books about Dodgson and his works, including Lewis Carroll: The Man and his Circle by Edward Wakeling, who notes that ‘this letter is characteristic of his teasing and bluffing. He was not a cruel man — quite the reverse.’
  • $4,635
  • $4,635
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John Steinbeck – Fine Autograph Letter Signed, re Stalin and Capa

‘We leave Monday for Uncle Joe’s Cabin’ — Steinbeck on his Soviet trip with photographer Robert Capa A fine autograph letter signed by John Steinbeck, ‘John’, one page, Hotel Plaza, Stockholm letterhead, July 25th [1947]. The author writes to his friend, the actor Burgess Meredith. In full: ‘Your letters were received just before I left Paris. The French are a very immoral people. But Honest Jake Pfaff made Gwyn a very beautiful dress — walk upstairs and save $5. Stockholm is a fine town. There is a report here that you are going to play Winterset here. Is this true? We leave Monday for Uncle Joe’s [Joseph Stalin] Cabin. Have no idea what we will find there but I hope it is all right. Capa is in good shape. Now he is in the country photographing farmers and farmers’ daughters I guess. I hope your opening is triumphant and it is bound to be. I wish it were my play. For two days I have been out amongst the archipelago sporting about in a boat and i feel very good. Boats are fine things. If you need to get word to me it can be ℅ Joe Newman, Herald Tribune Bureau, Moscow. Try it! It will be interesting to see whether it gets through. Good luck and love to Paulette.” In fine condition. Steinbeck and photographer Robert Capa flew from Paris to Stockholm on July 21st 1947, with Steinbeck remaining in the country until joining his friend in Moscow at month’s end. Determined to produce an eyewitness account of everyday life in Stalin’s Soviet Union, the pair journeyed along the so-called Vodka Circuit — Moscow, Kiev, Stalingrad, and Georgia — for forty days between July 31st and mid-September 1947, documenting the people and landscapes they encountered. Neither Capa nor Steinbeck naturally gravitated towards collaborative endeavours. The affinity between their creative approaches, however, resulted in a successful collaborations. Capa returned from the trip with almost four thousand negatives, and Steinbeck with several hundred pages of notes. Their efforts resulted in the 1948 book A Russian Journal, which, according to Steinbeck, attempted ‘honest reporting, to set down what we saw and heard with editorial comment, without drawing conclusions about things we didn’t know sufficiently.’
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Louis Armstrong- A superb, jazzy and details signed letter

A fine, rare and amusing three-page typed letter signed by Louis Armstrong. Written in stylish, jazzy prose on his personal letterhead and dated March 11th 1952. Armstrong writes to Ron Simon from San Francisco; instead of his address, he writes, ‘Mary had a little bear, The bear was might fine, Everywhere Mary went, You’d see her bear behind ’ He then opens, ‘Man—you must be a Fortune Teller, or Physyic [sic] or “Sompn” to know the I—Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, and his All stars could stand a little drink after such a long long trip from our fine land —America . you betcha’ma’life we could I dug it – in our boy’s (Herb Caen’s) (Column) when we got off the Plane You know? The first thing that I do when ever we hit another town—(we make so damn many — Teehee) and the first thing I turned to was Daddy Caen’s—Jive Column ’ He goes on, ‘After reading of you and your very fine deed, etc, it certainly was a drag to know that you don’t feel well . Of course, I’ve not had heart troubles, other than trying to keep up with those no good wives I’ve had in life Wow I’ve had four of them And, anytime I should write a story of my life, why they will take up all the chapters in the book But, very interesting, ha ha. Because, all four of them loved my dirty drawers But, some how, some dog ass situation would raise its, ugly head, where they would, interfear [sic] with my trumpet, and would have to go — thats all But, I am still friendly with all of them and when ever we run across each other, we’ll pitch, a boogiewoogie — Now — Now — no sex stuff just, that good old friendship, where we’d throw away the hatchet So that’s the only heart troubles or troubles period that I’ve had But — I suffered like a bitch with my stomach when I made that first trip (with the All Stars) to Europe Yessir — I was over Sweden, Scold — with those Natives (who’s used to their liquors) and I am a damn fool, hold up my glass, every time they did — Of course I had a helluva time, while doing it ’ As I was saying about the time I was in Sweden, having a ball with my fine fans and deciples [sic] over there Well sir — I said Scold so much, until, when I arrived home — I awakened one morning, and as I went to get out of the bed, I fell flat on my face And for three years, afterwards, I thought I had ulcers Paying all kinds of monies to doctors Until onedays a boy (an old raggidy [sic] Spade (colored boy) came into my dressing room when I was playing in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre, seeing me suffering with my stomach so bad that I could not eat anything Not even look at food And when that “Cat” came in — he saw — the beautiful meal that I was trying to eat He looked at me, a long time And all of a sudden he said—”Pops, I’m your ‘Home Boy And I’m tired of seeing you suffer like that I work over on the Northside, where all-these rich ‘Ofays (meaning—white people) all the rich Ofays—come and buy this stuff And I’ll be back within 45-minutes with a jar of it, give you a big spoonful of it, and your troubles will be over —Believe that . So, I’m feeling so bad, I thought to myself, whatever he gets, who knows—it might do the trick And then too, I’m one “sommitch” will try anything — “once” Sho ‘Nuff—this Cat came back within forty five minutes, just as he said he would ’ ‘The first thing he said while he was fixing a great big table spoonful of this powder in a half glass of warm water, he said “Man—Hommy” —(meanin) Home Boy—try this sh-t . the minute I drank that sh-t down— as he called it — It seemed as though I became well all at once Honest to God I was so thrilled, I asked my home boy, as to how much did that jive cost???? . He said, well daddy, I paid, four dollars and fifty cents for it So, I went him one better I gave him a nice crispy, ten dollar bill And told him to please keep the change P.S. It was Bis-Ma-Rex.’
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Samuel Beckett – Autograph Letter Signed, 1963, re Giacometti

Beckett endorses Giacometti as set designer for their joint production A fine autograph letter signed by Samuel Beckett (?Sam?), Ferté-sous-Jouarre, 3rd October 1957. The playwright writes an interesting association letter that is rich with information about his various creative activities, to his collaborator, director Deryck Mendel. In full, ?Dear Deryck, By all means ask Giacometti to decorate the mimes. My only fear is that they are not his cup of tea and that he may be embarrassed to refuse. But perhaps I underestimate him? I haven?t thought of the 3rd at all. If Dublin definitely decides she wants us I?ll crank up the old engine (de Dion Bouton). I?m up to my tonsure translating my foul L?Innommable [Beckett?s 1953 novel The Unnamable). I wrote John [John S. Beckett ? the author?s cousin] about the music, but have had no reply. Vera had discouraging account of him when I saw her recently on her way through to rejoin him in London. She was not very explicit and perhaps I am unduly alarmed. Blin (actor/director Roger Blin) is going to Herma to produce Endgame, and there is talk of inviting John to do his music. Unfortunately seem to want their own player for the mime. You might see Blin all the same about the possibility of your going ? if you are interested. I shall be in Paris about the middle of November, for a few days. I hope we shall meet then and that there will be definite news from Dublin. Yours ever, Sam? In fine condition, and together with the original envelope, hand-addressed by Beckett. Early letters by Beckett about his plays are quite rare, and especially so in English. Beckett collaborated with Deryck Mendel on his play Act Without Words I ? a mime. Its first performance was in May 1957 at the Royal Court in London, with music written by Beckett?s cousin John S. Beckett. They went on to collaborate several further times: in June 1963, Mendel directed the premiere of Beckett?s Play, in 1966, on the occasion of Beckett?s sixtieth birthday, Mendel appeared as Joe in the premiere of Eh Joe in Stuttgart, and in 1968 Mendel directed one of the first English performances of Beckett?s Come and Go at the Royal Festival Hall. Though Giacometti was not involved with productions of Act Without Words I, he did go on to collaborate with Beckett on a 1961 production of Waiting for Godot.
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Double-signed ‘passport’ by Wallenberg in 1944

Rare 1944 Swedish Embassy document signed twice by Raoul Wallenberg, certifying a heroic Hungarian Jew as a legation official A partly-printed document in Hungarian and German, signed twice by Raoul Wallenberg with his scarce full signature, 4" x 5.5", November 25th 1944. The passport-style document by the Royal Swedish Embassy at Budapest, Hungary, confirms Gergely Odon/Edmund Gergely as a legation official. The left side features an affixed photograph of Gergely with his signature below; the right side features the bilingual certification of his diplomatic position, signed in both sections by Raoul Wallenberg as the embassy's secretary. Together with Gergely Odon's own official Hungarian passport with expiration date of January 23, 1939, containing a listing of personal data that identifies his Jewish religion ('Israelite'). The well-travelled passport features visa stamps from a variety of locales, dated throughout 1938. In overall fine condition. Wallenberg arrived in Hungary in July 1944 as the country's Jewish population was under siege. Nearly every other major Jewish community in Europe had already been decimated, and the Nazis were dispatching more than 10,000 Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz daily. He hastily devised and distributed thousands of 'Schutz-Passes' — official-looking, but essentially invalid, Swedish passports granting the Hungarian bearer immunity from deportation. Wallenberg signed these quickly and by the dozen — generally no more than a quick scribble — and Nazi officials readily accepted the paperwork. Gergely was a Jewish Hungarian who volunteered to help Wallenberg in his project to provide false documentation to Jews in order to save their lives, and so was a hero in his own right. In late 1944, as Eichmann began to deport more and more Hungarian Jews from Budapest, Wallenberg must have made the rushed decision to produce this particular document for his co-worker — the photograph inside was clearly removed from a different official document, perhaps the only photograph handy. It features incomplete official stamps in the corners and was applied in a hasty manner using three staples. Gergely survived the war, thanks to Wallenberg’s protection, and was reportedly one of the last people to see Wallenberg alive prior to his disappearance on January 17th 1945.