Appointing John Broadhead as his London agent - photo 1

Appointing John Broadhead as his London agent

Sold
$ 10 710
Auction dateClassic
14.09.2022 10:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
USA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 797245
Lot 607 | Appointing John Broadhead as his London agent
MELVILLE, Herman (1819-1891). Partly-printed document signed ("Herman Melville"), New York, 13 January 1847.

Three pages, bifolium, 255x 198mm, countersigned by Allan MELVILLE (1823-1872) as witness and John Treat IRVING (1778-1838) as notary. Red wax seal at upper left, laid into a larger sheet (very light toning). [With:] an additional partly-printed document signed ("Anthony Barclay") New York, 13 January 1847. One page, 245 x 210 mm, affixed with wax seal at lower left corner of the first page of the former document (toning from wax seal and some wear to left margin).

With the death of Gansevoort Melville, Herman Melville grants power of attorney to John Broadhead to secure a British copyright for Omoo. Melville appoints John Romeyn Broadhead, a member of the American legation in London as "my true and lawful Attorney for me and in my name … to take out a copyright for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, of a certain book of which I am the author entitled 'Omoo,' a narrative of adventures in the South Seas' &c, and the right to publish and dispose of said book in the United Kingdom…." Additionally, Melville granted Broadhead the power to negotiate the terms of publication including financial arrangements. The first leaf bears a notarial certification of the power of attorney, signed by John T. Irving, one of Washington Irving's brothers, while the attached document, signed by Barclay, attests to the document's authenticity as well as the notarization. Gansevoort Melville, who was part of the American legation under Ambassador George Bancroft in London, had been acting as Herman's literary agent until his death in May 1846. John Romeyon Broadhead (1844-1873), a childhood friend of both Herman and Allan Melville and also part of the same diplomatic legation, took over the role of Herman's literary agent until he returned to the U.S. in 1849. During his time in London he negotiated the sales of both Omoo and Mardi.
Place of origin:USA
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
01.09.2022 – 14.09.2022
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 17:00   
Tu 09:30 – 17:00   
We 09:30 – 17:00   
Th 09:30 – 17:00   
Fr 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.