- 104
Sayers, Dorothy L.
Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 GBP
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Description
- Collection of typescripts and manuscripts of her detective stories and other works, comprising:
- PAPER
(i) Carbon-copy typescripts of three Lord Peter Wimsey stories published in Lord Peter Views the Body (Gollancz, 1928): "The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers", "Beyond the Reach of the Law" and "The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head", with some autograph revisions, c.83 pages in total (the first two stories being first published in 1926 in Pearson's Magazine
(ii) Top copy typescript of the Lord Peter Wimsey novel Strong Poison (Gollancz, 1930), with some autograph deletions and insertions, 365 pages, [c.1930]
(iii) Two typescripts of the Lord Peter Wimsey novel Murder Must Advertise (Gollancz, 1933), both carbon-copy, lacking a few leaves, both c.475 pages; with jocular pencil sketch by John Gilroy, perhaps of Lord Peter Wimsey
(iv) Typescripts of four Lord Peter Wimsey stories which appeared in Hangman's Holiday (Gollancz, 1933): "The Necklace of Pearls" (two carbon copies), The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey (top copy and carbon copy), "The Image in the Mirror (top copy and carbon copy) and "The Queen's Square" (carbon copy), all but the last with autograph revisions or corrections, c.217 pages
(v) Collection of typescripts and other material relating to the Lord Peter Wimsey play and novel Busman's Honeymoon: the typescript of the novel (Gollancz, 1937), over 500 pages; two typescripts of the dramatic adaptation, (one a top-copy with extensive autograph revisions), over 280 pages; two copies of the first edition; a sustantial bundle of approximately 500 theatre returns; related correspondence including letters by Murel St. Clare Byrne (Sayers' collaborator), Peter Haddon, Rupert Hart-Davis and others (all to Sayers, 1930s); and an autograph manuscript by Sayers of extract of reviews of the play
(vi) Typescript of the crime novel The Documents in the Case (co-written with Dr Eustace Barton, Ernest Benn, 1930), c. 350 pages, lacking a few leaves, with a number of autograph revisions, with typed "Notes on Amanita Muscaria" (a series of notes on the poisonous mushroom, its symptoms and treatment), probably by Barton for Sayers' use in the novel, 9 pages; and autograph notes by Sayers on poisons and toxicology, 6 pages
(vii) Typescripts of eight "Montague Egg" detective stories which appeared in Hangman's Holiday (Gollancz, 1933) and In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939): "The Poisoned Dow '08", "Sleuths on the Scene", "Murder in the Morning", "One Too Many", "Murder at Pentecost", "Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz", "Bitter Almonds" and "A Shot at Goal", c.146 pages in total, with annotations by a copy-editor
(viii) Typescripts of the two detective stories under the general heading "Smith & Smith - Removals", individually entitled "The House of the Poplars" (apparently unpublished) and "The Leopard Lady" (published in In the Teeth of the Evidence, Gollancz, 1939), 59 pages in total
(ix) Typescripts of detective stories published in In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939) and Hangman's Holiday (1933): "The Inspiration of Mr. Budd" (one top-copy, two carbon copies, with some autograph revisions, with an admiring letter from Victor Gollancz attached), "The Milk Bottles" (carbon copy), "An Arrow o'er the House" (carbon copy), "Nebuchadnezzar" (carbon copy), "Blood Sacrifice" (portion of top copy) and "The Fountain Plays" (carbon copy, with some autograph corrections), c.103 pages in total (the first three stories were first published in Pearson's Magazine in March 1926)
(x) Collection of material relating to real-life murder and criminal trials, including three notebooks of autograph jottings in ink and pencil, with other notes, manuscripts and photographs, including Sayers' notes on aspects of crime (motives, bloodstains, fingerprints, poisons, alibis, forensic and legal evidence, court procedure etc), the cases covered including the Earl Russell bigamy trial (1901), the Wallace murder trial (1931) and other blackmail and murder trials, one notebook also including copies of a number of poems (by Robert Graves, James Stephens and others)
(ii) Top copy typescript of the Lord Peter Wimsey novel Strong Poison (Gollancz, 1930), with some autograph deletions and insertions, 365 pages, [c.1930]
(iii) Two typescripts of the Lord Peter Wimsey novel Murder Must Advertise (Gollancz, 1933), both carbon-copy, lacking a few leaves, both c.475 pages; with jocular pencil sketch by John Gilroy, perhaps of Lord Peter Wimsey
(iv) Typescripts of four Lord Peter Wimsey stories which appeared in Hangman's Holiday (Gollancz, 1933): "The Necklace of Pearls" (two carbon copies), The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey (top copy and carbon copy), "The Image in the Mirror (top copy and carbon copy) and "The Queen's Square" (carbon copy), all but the last with autograph revisions or corrections, c.217 pages
(v) Collection of typescripts and other material relating to the Lord Peter Wimsey play and novel Busman's Honeymoon: the typescript of the novel (Gollancz, 1937), over 500 pages; two typescripts of the dramatic adaptation, (one a top-copy with extensive autograph revisions), over 280 pages; two copies of the first edition; a sustantial bundle of approximately 500 theatre returns; related correspondence including letters by Murel St. Clare Byrne (Sayers' collaborator), Peter Haddon, Rupert Hart-Davis and others (all to Sayers, 1930s); and an autograph manuscript by Sayers of extract of reviews of the play
(vi) Typescript of the crime novel The Documents in the Case (co-written with Dr Eustace Barton, Ernest Benn, 1930), c. 350 pages, lacking a few leaves, with a number of autograph revisions, with typed "Notes on Amanita Muscaria" (a series of notes on the poisonous mushroom, its symptoms and treatment), probably by Barton for Sayers' use in the novel, 9 pages; and autograph notes by Sayers on poisons and toxicology, 6 pages
(vii) Typescripts of eight "Montague Egg" detective stories which appeared in Hangman's Holiday (Gollancz, 1933) and In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939): "The Poisoned Dow '08", "Sleuths on the Scene", "Murder in the Morning", "One Too Many", "Murder at Pentecost", "Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz", "Bitter Almonds" and "A Shot at Goal", c.146 pages in total, with annotations by a copy-editor
(viii) Typescripts of the two detective stories under the general heading "Smith & Smith - Removals", individually entitled "The House of the Poplars" (apparently unpublished) and "The Leopard Lady" (published in In the Teeth of the Evidence, Gollancz, 1939), 59 pages in total
(ix) Typescripts of detective stories published in In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939) and Hangman's Holiday (1933): "The Inspiration of Mr. Budd" (one top-copy, two carbon copies, with some autograph revisions, with an admiring letter from Victor Gollancz attached), "The Milk Bottles" (carbon copy), "An Arrow o'er the House" (carbon copy), "Nebuchadnezzar" (carbon copy), "Blood Sacrifice" (portion of top copy) and "The Fountain Plays" (carbon copy, with some autograph corrections), c.103 pages in total (the first three stories were first published in Pearson's Magazine in March 1926)
(x) Collection of material relating to real-life murder and criminal trials, including three notebooks of autograph jottings in ink and pencil, with other notes, manuscripts and photographs, including Sayers' notes on aspects of crime (motives, bloodstains, fingerprints, poisons, alibis, forensic and legal evidence, court procedure etc), the cases covered including the Earl Russell bigamy trial (1901), the Wallace murder trial (1931) and other blackmail and murder trials, one notebook also including copies of a number of poems (by Robert Graves, James Stephens and others)
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
An important collection of archival materials -- including over 2100 typescript pages - relating to the celebrated detective stories of Dorothy L. Sayers, one of the foremost of the "golden age" crime novelists. This lot comprises the largest remaining collection of such papers directly related to Sayers' detective fiction remaining in private hands.
"Any reader, asked to name the six best writers or most famous heroes of the genre will include the names of Dorothy L. Sayers and Peter Wimsey..." (P.D. James).