Manhattan Rare Book Company is known for their extraordinary collection of first editions, rare books, and letters, autographs, and photographs of prominent individuals from past and present. Their current offerings are no exception. See but a few of their most exciting below, and be sure to peruse their site!
Lewis, C.S. [Clive Staples]. Autograph Letter Signed.
This letter, penned by C.S. Lewis on May 22, 1952, has only recently surfaced; it is not within the Collected Letters, and is one of the finest of Lewis’s to appear on the market. It is addressed to the students of Grittleton House School in Wiltshire: the Grittletonians—as Lewis affectionately calls them—wrote the author a slew of fan letters. Within this response, Lewis provides a preview of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, teases a seven-book series called The Chronicles of Narnia, and reveals some of his favorite writers. It is endearing, a sight to behold.
Fighting Chances: The History of Game Theory from Zermelo to Thaler
Fighting Chances […] is a collection of museum quality with 34 volumes comprised of the history of game theory, from mathematical development to real-world application. Its coverage runs from Zermelo’s 1913 definition to von Neumann’s 2010 “Computation of Probabilities…”, offering a complete illustration of game theory progression. The authors themselves hold ten Nobel prizes, an accomplishment for the history books.
Wilde, Oscar. Autograph quotation signed.
Oscar Wilde was known as the “professor of aesthetics” for good reason. A leader of the literary movement, he was a man of unapologetic taste and immense influence. This autograph, signed by a 27-year-old Wilde, came from his lecture tour of America. Originally spoken during his New York stop on January 9, 1882, the quote reads: “We spend our days, each of us, looking for the secret of life. Well, my friends, the secret of life is in art.” It is a quintessential Wilde thought, coming from one of the first modern celebrities.
Magritte, René. Four Signed Letters [ALS/TLS] with Original Pencil Drawing, 1920–21.
These four letters and pencil drawing were crafted by René Magritte between 1920 and 1921, designed to cheer his friend, Pierre-Louis Flouquet, as the latter served his military deployment. Addressed to “Mon Vieux,” “Cher Ami,” and “Cher Pierre,” the series gives encouragement, humor, and love. It is a glimpse into the friendship between two brilliant artists before a rift drove them apart in 1927, when Magritte became a Surrealist. The included drawing, of two female spectators, is a peek at what Magritte’s motifs would become; in fact, it was likely intended to be a bigger piece.
A Letter of Benjamin Franklin, Esq: to Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S. concerning an electrical Kite.
This stunning edition is the first printing of Benjamin Franklin’s account of his kite experiment. Published in 1753, preserved in contemporary binding, the book includes Franklin’s own observations, a review on the first part of his Experiments and Observations on Electricity, and a letter from fellow scientist William Watson. This publication is what caused Kant to dub Franklin as “the Prometheus of modern time” in 1756; it is a marvel of history.
Wiener, Leigh [Monroe, Marilyn]. Marilyn: A Hollywood Farewell.
Photographer Leigh Wiener was one of only a few Hollywood elite allowed into Marilyn Monroe’s funeral. He was, indeed, “the only person to have photographed [her] during her life, the scenes of her death at her Brentwood home…her at the Los Angeles County Morgue, and to have witnessed, with a camera, her controversial funeral.” This book, Letter A of 26 lettered copies, chronicles the world’s goodbye to a beloved artistic figure. Published in 1990, it features two signed original prints.
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