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793

A. A. Milne

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:4,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
A. A. Milne

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Auction Date:2012 Dec 12 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
British author (1882–1956) who, despite a large body of novels, plays, and other “adult” writings, will forever be most closely associated with his much-beloved series of Winnie the Pooh stories. ALS, one page both sides, 5.25 x 7.5, personal letterhead, August 15, 1924. Letter to Carey. In part: “The verses were always meant for a book; Punch was an accidental after-thought—I let them choose what they wanted. The whole collection—45, I think—is being published by Methuen in October. So you will have to get Methuen’s permission as well as mine. Mine you may have. As a member of the Council of the Authors Society, I always feel that anthologists should pay for copyright inclusions; as a mere author (not starving) I feel that it is honour enough to be in an anthology of Grahame's; as your friend, I am prepared to run the University Press for you for nothing. But you must apply to Methuen…Cities can't influence a play with a really good 'star' in it, for there are enough star-gazers in London to keep it alive until public recommendation (or alternatively damnation) has made itself felt. At Wyndhams I have a couple of planets—a promise I made to myself after success—and the cities were harmless either for good or evil. I am in the middle of a play now, for which I hope to get Edith Evans; which is another way of side-stepping the cities, for even if her public popularity is not enormous, she is adored by the press. And she is an adorable actress…Billy spends his days chasing and imprisoning butterflies, and I spend my nights letting them out." In very good condition, with ink and pencil notations at the top, a couple in Milne’s hand, staple hole to top left, some light pencil remnants and scattered soiling.

After nearly two decades as contributing writer and assistant editor for the British weekly magazine Punch, with countless articles, over a dozen plays, and four novels under his belt, Milne prepared the publication of 45 of his children’s poems under the title When We Were Very Young. Illustrated by fellow Punch staffer E. H. Shepard, the book was enormously successful, leading to the publication of the author/illustrator team’s Winnie-the-Pooh two years later. Though the lovable bear had been introduced once before in Punch, as “an accidental after-thought” according to Milne, this book placed him in the hands of children around the world for the first time with the 38th poem in the collection, ‘Teddy Bear.’ Milne concludes his letter with a reference to his son ‘Billy,’ (‘Billy Moon’ being his pet-name for Christopher Robin) “chasing and imprisoning butterflies,” returning to the world of childhood. Combining the announcement of his major upcoming publication, the lengthy mention of his work in the theater, and the whimsy of his concluding sentiments, this is a remarkable letter from a pivotal time in the author’s career.
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