Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson Letters from 1884

September 23, 2013

Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson Letters from 1884

Lewis Carroll by Unknown photographer,albumen print, circa 1852-1860

From Bonhams: Autograph letter signed and subscribed "Your affectionate/ old blue stone", to a child friend, Hettie [Hobson]: "Thanks for your nice little note. But I do so hate saying 'good-bye' I wasn't very sorry to miss doing it"; and sending his love Nellie (Her sister), 1 page, on mourning paper, slight browning, written in Dodgson's characteristic purple ink, on mourning paper, integral blank, slight browning etc., 8vo Christ Church, Oxford, 9 November 1884, Sold for £937 (US$ 1,505) inc. premium.

Footnotes: Dodgson famously used to write in his diary against particularly important days – such as that when he first met Alice – 'I will mark this day with a white stone'. We have however found no reference to the blue variety; no doubt the reference is to some game he had played that August at Eastbourne with the Hobson girls.

Autograph letter signed ("C.L. Dodgson"), to his Eastbourne neighbour Mrs Hobson ("Dear Madam"), hoping she will pardon the liberty he took that afternoon "in conversing with your little girls" and asking if he could be allowed to continue the acquaintance, as being such near neighbours they are bound to meet again; and explaining that although he is an old bachelor, he has always enjoyed the society of children; with autograph envelope addressed to her at 3 Lushington Road, Eastbourne, 2 pages, written in Dodgson's characteristic purple ink, plus integral blank, envelope stamped and postmarked, very light dust-staining, 8vo, 7 Lushington Road, Eastbourne, "Saturday" (postmarked 16 August 1884)
Sold for £2,250 (US$ 3,613) inc. premium

Autograph visiting card: "Rev. C.L. Dodgson./ Ch. Ch. Oxford.", 1 page, on card, written in Dodgson's characteristic purple ink, small mounting-tags, oblong 32mo (36 x 75 mm.), [?Eastbourne, August 1884] Sold for £400 (US$ 642) inc. premium

Footnotes: No doubt given to Dodgson's neighbour Mrs Hobson of 3 Lushington Road, mother of Hettie and Nellie.