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Autograph signed letter [with] a biography signed by Henry Miller 1943-44

Autograph signed letter [with] a biography signed by Henry Miller 1943-44

£550.00Price

Two items consisting of: A three page letter written in hand by Henry Miller to close friend David Edgar, dated 20 January 1944 [with] a first edition of 'Henry Miller' by Nicholas Moore, signed by Henry Miller to the title page. 

 

The letter is written in blue ink on yellow writing paper from a pad, each page torn off at the perferated edge, P [3], 8vo, sometime folded presumably sent from Miller in California to Edgar in the UK; dated 20 January 1944; in excellent near fine condition, signed at the bottom of page 3 by Miller.

 

The biography "Henry Miller" is a first edition by Nicholas Moore, published in London by the Opus Press; P 40; with purple paper wraps and blocked in black on the front and back; a gentle crease to the front wrap along with a tiny chip to the top edge of the first page, in very good condition; rare as it is signed without inscription by Henry Miller to the title page. 

 

Henry Miller and David Edgar became friends from the mid 1930s, when Miller moved into the Villa Seurat, shortly after Tropic of Cancer was published. Edgar, a shy and decent man, was an aspiring artist and lived close by as did Miller's long term wing man Alfred Perles and a temperamental booze fuelled german painter called Hans Reichel. They became a close circle of friends that hung out most days at Millers and at wealthy art student Betty Ryans, who lived in the apartment below. In addition, most days artists and writers would float in and out. A bystander once recalled Anais Nin 'lying on Henry's sofa, looking like a lithe, beautiful cat, chatting to photographer Brassai'. It was an outwardly social house that would make Miller eventually long for solitude. 

 

Miller by 1944, had migrated back to the states, via the Durrells in Greece, and at around this time was flitting between the Neimans and a friend, Lynda Sargent in the Anderson Creek Shacks in Big Sur. He would shortly after this period settle down in Big Sur in a house of his own for many years. Edgar on the other hand was in the UK, after leaving Paris in a hurry at the outbreak of the war. Miller said in the letter "God, yours is a morbid picture of England". 

 

The letter from Miller is packed full of content, with much to discuss and update Edgar on as well as reminisce. 

 

Miller mentioned his watercoolurs and how many were selling. It was well known that as well as Miller selling his own artwork, he was not adverse to signing work by Margaret Neiman that he found lying around and passing them off as his own. Biography Robert Ferguson said of his ventures "Pleasing as his paintings undoubtably were, much of the interest was clearly down to his notoriety as a writer".

 

Miller also mentioned how many of his works were being published especially by Tambimuttu in London and also of a little biography by Nicholas Moore (signed copy with this letter). He said "nice job. He speaks of the booster and delta". Edgar worked on the short lived periodical with Miller and was in charge of marketing. 

 

Towards the end of the letter, he asks Edgar if he had heard from (Hans) Reichel, the explosive german artist that used to concern both of them, along with poor Betty Ryan the art student: "Ryan got married two years ago - to a non entity. Never hear from her anymore".

 

It is a wonderful letter, rich in content and insight about Henry Miller's days in the Villa Suerat in Paris and about his life in 1944 as he was starting to become published, to his close friend artist David Edgar. A typed transcript of the letter is available on request. 

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