Melville, Herman

Autograph Note Signed ("H. Melvillle"), 1 page (7 x 4 ½ in; 180 x 115 mm.), New York, 10 December, 1881, to Edward Bok.

In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Melville responds to a Bok request for his autograph, noting it "would have received earlier attention, but circumstances prevented." Bok's seeking Melville's signature at this relatively late date is a little unusual. The Moby Dick author was decades away from his previous best-selling status and largely forgotten by the general reading public. In fact, at the time of this note, five years after his last book, Clarel,  he was working less on writing and more at fulfilling his duties as a customs inspector for the City of New York, a famously corrupt workplace.