Sell or Auction Your Voltaire Autograph Letter Signed for up to Nearly $5,000 or More at Nate D. Sanders Auctions
FREE APPRAISAL. To buy, auction, sell or consign your Voltaire autograph letter signed that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
Sell Your Voltaire Autograph Letter Signed
François-Marie Arouet (French: [fʁɑ̃swa maʁi aʁwɛ]; 21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778), known by his nom de plume Voltaire (/vɒlˈtɛər, voʊl-/; also US: /vɔːl-/; French: [vɔltɛːʁ]), was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his criticism of Christianity—especially the Roman Catholic Church—as well as his advocacy of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.
Below is a recent realized price for a Voltaire autograph letter signed item. We at Nate D. Sanders Auctions can obtain up to these amounts or more for you:
Voltaire Autograph Letter Signed. Sold for nearly $5,000.
Here are some recent items that our auction house, Nate D. Sanders (http://www.NateDSanders.com) has sold:
F. Scott Fitzgerald Lot of Two Extraordinary, Unpublished & Handwritten Poems: “…Tenderest evidence, thumb-print of lust…”
Incredible grouping of F. Scott Fitzgerald original prose, written for Helen Hayes’ daughter Mary MacArthur, who died of polio at the young age of 19. Here, the already famous author pens two lyrical poems, dated 1931 and 1937. At the time he writes the first poem, Fitzgerald was completing “Tender is the Night” while caring for his ailing wife, Zelda, whose mental illness had left her hospitalized in 1930. Fitzgerald handwrites the first, shorter poem in green ink. Inscribed “For Mary MacArthur”, it reads in full: “‘Oh Papa — / My Papa — / Say Papa’ / So! / ‘Is Papa / Your Papa / My Papa?’ / No! / So Spoke You / Why Joke You? Just For To-day / Our Word Is / (Like Birdie’s) / Plenty To Say”. Signed, “F. Scott Fitzgerald / Feb. 13th 1931”. The second, lengthier poem appears on the verso of the same sheet, titled, “Addenda (seven years later)”. Reads in full, “What shall I do with this bundle of stuff / Mass of ingredients, handful of grist / Tenderest evidence, thumb-print of lust / Kindly advise me, O psychologist / She shall have music — we pray for the kiss / of the god’s on her forehead, the necking of fate / How in the hell shall we guide her to this / ‘- Just name her Mary and age her till eight.’ / What of the books? Do we feed her our bread / of the dead, that was left in their tombs long ago / Or should all the fervor and freshness be wed / To next year’s inventions? Can anyone know? / How shall we give her that je ne sais quoi – / Portions of mama that seem to be right / Salted with dashes of questionable pa? / ‘- Age her till eight and then save me a bite.’ / Solve me this dither, O wisest of lamas, / Pediatrician – beneficent buddy / Tell me the name of a madhouse for mammas / Or give me the nursery – let her have the study / How can I pay back this heavenly loan / Answer my question and name your own fee / Plan me a mixture of Eve and St. Joan / ‘- Put her in pigtails and give her to me.'” Signed, “F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nyack 1937”. Sheet measures 7″ x 8″ with poem to front and longer prose poem to verso. From the estate of Helen Hayes. An extraordinary collection, adding to the catalogue raisonne of Fitzgerald’s known works. Sold for $30,875.
Exceptional Ernest Hemingway autograph letter and signed envelope, one day after catching the 500 lb. marlin in Bimini that inspired ”The Old Man and the Sea”, apocryphal until this letter which documents for the first time in Hemingway’s own words not only the size of the marlin, but also its attack by sharks, similar to the plot of Hemingway’s novel. Letter is accompanied by a photo of Hemingway and his friend, Henry Strater, with the half-eaten marlin. Dated 8 May (identified as 1935 by the “Hemingway Letters Project”), Hemingway writes to Erl Roman, the fishing editor of the ”Miami Herald”, describing the catch in detail, the attack by the sharks, and also mentioning that he is sending some photos to Roman. Letter in pencil reads in part,
”Will make this very short on acct. Bill Fagen leaving May 8 / Dear Erl: Yesterday May 7 Henry H. STRATER, widely known painter of OGUNQUIT Maine, Pres. Maine Tuna Club, fishing with me on Pilar landed Blue Marlin which weighed 500 lbs on tested scales after all of meat below anal fin had been torn away by sharks when fish was brought to gaff– Had him ready to take in when sharks hit him– Fish 12 feet 8 1/2 inches– Tail 48 inch spread–girth 62 in. (will send all other exact measurements when have chance to use Steel tape on him). Fish hooked off Bimini, hooked in corner of mouth, never layted, jumped 18 times clear, brought to boat in an hour such a heavy fish jumped hell out of himself. We worked him fast our system. Had him at boat when shark hit him. Strater has football knee, went out of joint, had hell with it, we wouldnt handline fish, he got him up himself, in one hour 40 minutes, we got him over the roller after Some lifting boy, all blood drained, meat gone below anal fin to tail, but fish completely intact, Fred Parke is mounting it–“
Two page autograph letter is accompanied by an envelope signed in pencil, addressed in Hemingway’s hand to ”Erl Roman Esq. / Miami Herald / Miami / Fla.” and signed by Hemingway on the verso, ”E. Hemingway / Yacht Pilar / Bimini / B.W.I.”
Importantly, Hemingway’s account of the marlin catch differs from other anecdotal stories of it, one of which describes Hemingway using a ”machine gun” on the shark, which purportedly attracted more sharks to the feeding frenzy. It’s likely Hemingway left out this detail, as Strater would blame its use on attracting more sharks to the marlin, depriving Strater of a world record marlin catch. “Old Man and the Sea” has been noted by Hemingway scholars as most likely inspired by this particular 7 May 1935 trip, including Michael Culver in his biography “Sparring in the Dark: Hemingway, Strater and The Old Man and the Sea”.
Letter measures 8.5” x 11”, envelope measures approximately 6.25” x 3.625” and photo, which is a modern reproduction, measures 7.75” x 9.75”. Letter is uniformly toned with some chipping along edges, and small piece of tape at very top. Envelope has some foxing and torn edge from opening. Both items are in very good condition. A remarkable letter in Hemingway’s own words of a legendary fishing adventure that inspired one of his most popular, Pulitzer-Prize winning novels. Sold for $28,000.
Scarce Jonathan Swift autograph letter signed as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The satirist datelines his letter from the Deanry-house in Dublin, 14 October 1736, just two years before becoming debilitated by mental illness. He writes to Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, in full: ”My Lord, In a former Letter to Your Grace, I taxed you with a Debt of 110 lb a year in church Livings, being by Arithmetic an Arrear of 150 lb a year which Your Grace was pleased to promise me for a Friend, and of which I onely received 40 lb a year. I often did my self the Honor of being so bold (which – is no great Honor) of telling you that a very worthy Clergyman had been long a weight upon my Shoulders to get him some addition, and that his circumstances were such that the addition I desired must consist with the small Preferment he hath already. There is now a Prebendary vacant, which will answer my Wish. One Mr. Williamson dyed about 36 hours ago; He was Treasurer of Christ-church in Dublin, the Place is worth between ninety and a hundred pounds a year, and no more; The Person whom I desire may have it is Mr John Jackson, Minister of Santry three miles from Dublin, and a Relation of the Grattans, he hath been often and earnestly recommended by me to Your Grace, and your answers have been favorable; I have added severall times that you would by such a favor oblige this whole City, and the most honest gentlemen in the Kingdom, and I hope such a consideration will have weight with you. I do therefore hope and expect that Your Grace will by the next Post, send an Order to have a Patent made out for Mr. John Jackson Vicar of Santry Rector (which ever he be) to confer on him the Treasurership of Christ-church, Dublin; and at the same time (which is now near the twentyth) that my chief Regard is to Your Grace’s honor, that you will reward a most deserving Gentleman of this Kingdom, who had the misfortune to be born in it, with one mark of Your Favor. Otherwise, I shall think it very hard, that as I am of some station, and perhaps of some little Distinction, beside the Honor of being so long known to your Grace and family, I could never have the least Power of prevayling on you to reward Merit, for which no Party will repine…Jonath: Swift”. Dean Swift and the date are handwritten on a panel to verso. 2pp. on card-style stationery measures 7.5” x 9”. Light toning, some show through and a small tear to the right edge, else near fine. Sold for $19,103.
Incredible F. Scott Fitzgerald Typed Letter Signed on His Top 3 Influences as a Writer
Rare F. Scott Fitzgerald typed letter signed, devoted entirely to Fitzgerald’s revealing the people who impacted his writing. Dated 7 January 1934, in the final years of his life, letter to a Mr. Egbert S. Oliver at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon reads in part, ”Dear Mr. Oliver, The first help I ever had in writing in my life was from my father who read an utterly imitative Sherlock Holmes story of mine and pretended to like it. But after that I received the most invaluable aid from Mr. C.N.B. Wheeler then headmaster of the St. Paul Academy now the St. Paul Country Day School in St. Paul, Minnesota. 2. From Mr. Hume, then co-headmaster of the Newman School and now headmaster of the Canterbury School. 3. From Courtland Van Winkle in freshman year at Princeton – now professor of literature at Yale (he gave us the book of Job to read and I don’t think any of our preceptorial group ever quite recovered from it.) After that comes a lapse. Most of the professors seemed to me old and uninspired, or perhaps it was just that I was getting under way in my own field. I think this answers your question. This is also my permission to make full use of it with or without my name. Sorry I am unable from circumstances of time and pressure to go into it further. Sincerely, [signed] F. Scott Fitzgerald”. Fitzgerald added a few hand corrections in ink throughout the letter. 2pp. letter on 2 sheets of plain stationery, measuring 8.5” x 11” are quite attractively matted and framed alongside a photo of Fitzgerald to an overall size of 32” x 17.5”. Light toning, creasing and paperclip imprint to letter, else near fine. Sold for $13,045.
Charles Dickens autograph letter signed from 1854, shortly after writing ”Hard Times”. Dickens writes from Tavistock House in London on 23 December 1854, writing ”Dear sir, Let me amuse you that your explanation was not at all necessary. I fully understood that you had a great deal to do, and never for a moment accused you in my thoughts of the slightest omission. The result of the night is very gratifying indeed, and fills me with pleasure. There is no hope of Sir towards Dalmer Lytton. He told me only the other day, that he was quite bewildered by such applications, and that where a speech hanging on him was to cast a shadow on his daily life. We resolve of never to ask any such service of each other and your letter binds me for the first time what I promise.” Dickens signs ”Faithfully yours / Charles Dickens” with his ornate paraph to second page of 2pp. letter on two sheets. Matted to blue background underneath brown wooden frame with engraving of Dickens. Letter measures 4.25” x 6.5”, framed to 20.25” x 26”. Light soiling to bottom of second page of letter, and very small tears to top of each sheet. Very good condition overall. Bold Charles Dickens autograph. Sold for $3,781.
Over 100 pages of poetry by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Anne Sexton, the first drafts of ”The Awful Rowing Toward God” and ”The Death Notebooks”, one day after she completed these ”raw, unworked poems”. Poems are accompanied by two typed letters signed, the first written to critic Walter Kerr, to whom she gave these poems because she had read that Kerr and his wife read poetry aloud, and that she was also touched by his ”kind, gracious, and insightful review of ‘Mercy Street’ years earlier. Two page letter is written upon Sexton’s personal letterhead, dated 31 January 1973 as is the other single page letter, also signed ”Anne Sexton”, where she writes one day after their completion, ”These poems were started January 10, 1973, finished January 30, 1973…they are raw, unworked poems, all first drafts, written in a frenzy of despair and hope…I fly like an eagle but with the wings of a wren…” The draft of the ”The Death Notebooks” features Sexton’s handwritten inscription, ”For Walter Kerr”, and includes an original poem entitled ”Jesus Walking”. These first drafts, all pages being photostatic copies, differ from the published works, with many additional verses present in these volumes. Over 120 pages in total, bound in custom quarter-leather boards with marbled endpapers, reading ”Anne Sexton / 1973” on spine. Measures 8.75” 11.25”. Some wear to boards, very good condition. Sold for $2,813.
F. Scott Fitzgerald “Young Men” 1st
First edition of “All the Sad Young Men” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons: 1926. First edition points for the book itself include matching dates of 1926 on the title and copyright pages, as well as the Scribner’s Seal on the copyright page. Text remains clear and unbattered on pages 38, 90 and 248. Original dark bluish green cloth binding containing linen-like grain. Thirty-one lines per page. Front blind-stamped and gilt to backstrip. Lips of woman on dustjacket battered, though globe retains three distinct lines. Back blurb of dustjacket features Fitzgerald. Front flap contains $2.00 price and blurbs by Broun, Jones, Woolcott, and Hergesheimer. Back flap contains an advertisement for Ring Lardner’s “The Love Nest.” Book remains in excellent condition with only the slightest bumped corners and toning to front free endpapers. Back ffep contains remnants from tape, since removed. Dustjacket housed in protective covering contains chipping and wrinkling to top and bottom edges. Vertical folds contain tears. Book: excellent condition; dustjacket: good condition. A rare copy of Fitzgerald’s classic collection of short stories. Sold for $2,429.
Poet Stephane Mallarme Autograph Letter Signed — Mallarme Writes to Fellow Poet Leon Dierx
Influential poet Stephane Mallarme autograph letter signed, elegantly written in French to fellow poet Leon Dierx. Dated ”Monday” in 1890, Mallarme laments an illness of conjunctivitis suffered by his friend, and speaks of a ”Poland”, who is also ill and can’t travel to Paris. Letter on front and verso of a card measures 4.5” x 3.5”. Uniform toning, else near fine. Sold for $1,563.
Original Book From William Wordsworth’s Personal Library — Signed by the Revered Poet on Title Page
British Romantic poet William Wordsworth book from his personal library, signed clearly ”W Wordsworth” on title page. Wordsworth spearheaded the Romantic poetry movement in England along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge and others in the 19th century, becoming known for his 1798 collaboration with Coleridge entitled ”Lyrical Ballads.” Book is written in French and titled, ”Causes celebres et Interessantes avec Les Jugements Qui Les Ont Decidees / Redigles de nouveau par M. Richer, ancien avocat au Parlement, Tome Premiere.” Published ”Chez Michel Rhey” in Amsterdam in 1772 as a volume of legal judgments by various authors. Wordsworth lived in France, becoming engrossed in the Revolutionary Republican movement. He fell in love with a French woman, Annette Vallon, who in 1792 gave birth to their child, Caroline. Front fly leaf has notes written in French, though not identifiably in Wordsworth’s hand. Book is split into two parts and the front board is detached. Very good condition otherwise. Sold for $1,420.
Alexandre Dumas Autograph Letter Signed
Alexandre Dumas autograph letter signed, with no date. Letter is written in French and is signed boldly, ”Dumas” in black ink. With a second note to verso in another hand. Document measures 8.25” x 5” with an uneven left edge and some toning throughout; ”Alex. Dumas” is written in pencil to upper left. Overall very good.
Sold for $1,344.
FREE ESTIMATE. To buy, auction, sell or consign your Voltaire autograph letter signed that is for sale, please email your description and photos of your Voltaire signed letter to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).