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Ayn Rand

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,500.00 USD
Ayn Rand

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Auction Date:2018 Nov 07 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, 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
DS, two pages, 8.5 x 11, July 13, 1938. Official letter addressed to Sidney R. Fleischer concerning the disposition of money to R.K.O Pictures from the sale of movie rights to Rand's play, The Night of January 16th. Rand had changed literary agents and apparently had to resort to arbitration in order to settle the accounts. In part: "In making disposition of the proceeds of the sale of above property [Night of January 16th], will you please note the following: Under the Minimum Basic Agreement between Rand, the author, and A. H. Woods Ltd., Mr. Sidney Satenstein was designated as the author's agent. By an agreement dated October 30, 1935, a copy of which is enclosed herewith, Mr. Satenstein was superseded by Ann Watkins, Inc. Accordingly, will you please send the author's funds to the office of Ann Watkins, Inc.

With regard to agents' commissions, the following will prevail: Under the terms of the Minimum Basic Agreement a commission of ten percent was payable to the agent. Since the principal amount of the sale is $10,000, the commission is equal to $1,000. By the terms of the Seventh paragraph of the Minimum Basic Agreement, the arbiter's three and one-half percent fee is to be deducted from the agent's commission of $1,000 making a net divisible commission of $650. The foregoing net divisible commission of $650 is to be further divided equally between Mr. Satenstein, or his assignee or nominee and the office of Ann Watkins, Inc., the latter office having negotiated the sale of the motion picture rights. This is pursuant to the Seventh paragraph of the Minimum Basic Agreement. Will you, therefore please send to Ann Watkins, Inc. the following: Author's share—$4,500 / Ann Watkins, Inc. share of motion picture commissions—$325…The balance of $325…due to Mr. Satenstein as his half of the motion picture commissions, you will please send by check to the order of Messrs. Ernst, Cane & Berner…The balance of $4,500 is to be paid pursuant to such directions as you may receive from the manager, A.H. Woods Ltd." Signed at the conclusion by Rand, who also adds her initials, “AR,” to an emendation on the first page. In very good to fine condition, with a single file hole to the upper left corner of each page, and chipping to the right edge of the first page. Accompanied by six typewritten letters from agents and arbiters relating to various contracts for the play.

The movie rights to Rand's courtroom play Night of January 16th were first purchased by MGM in October 1934 with Rand hired on to write a screenplay. After the project was scrapped and MGM's option expired, RKO Pictures bought the rights in 1938 for $10,000, a fee split between producer Al Woods and Rand. RKO also ultimately gave up on the adaptation and the rights were resold to Paramount Pictures in July 1939 for $35,000. A loosely based film emerged in 1941 entitled The Night of January 16th, with Rand deeming the product as 'cheap, trashy vulgarity.'