Grant's Memoirs, Inscribed to Capt. Frank Mason - photo 1
Grant's Memoirs, Inscribed to Capt. Frank Mason - photo 2
Grant's Memoirs, Inscribed to Capt. Frank Mason - photo 3

Grant's Memoirs, Inscribed to Capt. Frank Mason

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$ 23 940
Auction dateClassic
19.10.2023 10:00UTC -04:00
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CHRISTIE'S
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USA, New York
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ID 1032926
Lot 268 | Grant's Memoirs, Inscribed to Capt. Frank Mason
CLEMENS, Samuel L. (aka "Mark Twain" 1835-1910) – GRANT, Ulysses S. (1822-1885). Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. New York: Charles L. Webster & Co., 1885.

A rare presentation copy Grant's Memoirs inscribed by Samuel Clemens to Frank Mason—the U.S. Consul at Frankfurt whose government position was saved via the author's famous public appeal to Grover Cleveland's daughter, "Baby Ruth." As early as 1881 Clemens had suggested to Grant that an account of his wartime experiences would interest many readers, but Grant, caught up in work to establish a brokerage partnership, brushed the idea aside. Several years later, in financial straits, he published accounts of several key battles in the Century Magazine, whose editors opened negotiations for publication of a full-length memoir. Clemens heard of the project, and, convinced the book would be a undoubted bestseller, arranged for the book to be published by Charles L. Webster, his nephew's firm, in which Clemens had invested and with whom he had just published Huckleberry Finn. Clemens—no stranger to the stinginess of publishers in the matter of royalties—offered Grant exceptionally generous terms: an advance of $10,000 and 75% of the profits. A contract was signed in February 1885, and the dying general, in spite of his advancing cancer and severe pain, continued work on the narrative at a feverish pace, completing it just before his death in July 1885.

Frank Mason and "Baby Ruth." Clemens inscribed this copy to Capt. Frank Mason, the U.S. Consul at Frankfurt, in early September 1892 and most likely handed the volumes to Mason personally (See Clemens Day by Day, 5-10 September 1892. https://daybyday.marktwainstudies.com/vol-2-section-0014). Two months later, upon learning of the election of Grover Cleveland to his second non-consecutive term to the White House, Clemens wrote an impassioned appeal on behalf of Mason—a Republican who was due to be turned out of office in favor of a Democrat. But rather than addressing it to the incoming chief executive, he directed his appeal to the President-elect's young daughter, Ruth Cleveland: "MY DEAR RUTH, I belong to the Mugwumps, and one of the most sacred rules of our order prevents us from asking favors of officials or recommending men to office, but there is no harm in writing a friendly letter to you and telling you that an infernal outrage is about to be committed by your father in turning out of office the best Consul I know (and I know a great many) just because he is a Republican and a Democrat wants his place." Clemens continued his letter, listing Mason's many accomplishments and closing with: "I can't send any message to the President, but the next time you have a talk with him concerning such matters I wish you would tell him about Captain Mason and what I think of a Government that so treats its efficient officials." Soon afterwards, Clemens received a tiny envelope with a note in the hand of President Cleveland: "Miss Ruth Cleveland begs to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Twain's letter and say that she took the liberty of reading it to the President, who desires her to thank Mr. Twain for her information, and to say to him that Captain Mason will not be disturbed in the Frankfurt Consulate. The President also desires Miss Cleveland to say that if Mr. Twain knows of any other cases of this kind he will be greatly obliged if he will write him concerning them at his earliest convenience." (Albert Paine, Mark Twain, A Biography. Vol II, Part 2, p. 9)

Rare. Because Grant died prior to publication there are no presentation copies from the author, but it is surprising considering Clemens' pride for his service to the Grant family that there are not more publisher presentation copies. RBH records only three other publisher presentation copies sold at auction in the past twenty years. An ornately bound edition inscribed by Grant's widow to Clemens sold in these rooms for $38,400 (Forbes, part V, Christie's, New York, 2 November 2006, lot 103).

Two volumes, 225 x 142mm, signed and inscribed by Samuel Clemens: "To Capt Frank Mason, with the kindest regards of his friend S. L. Clemens Sept. 6/92" on free endpaper, steel-engraved portrait frontispieces, (the notorious facsimile dedication by Grant), folded facsimile of note from Grant to Lee at Appomattox (printed on yellow paper), engravings and etchings, numerous detailed campaign and battle maps (tearing to front free endpaper of volume 1, mild toning to some pages, occasional foxing). Publishers green titled cloth (pastedowns toned, spines cracked, wear to extremities). Provenance: Frank Mason (inscription by Clemens) – F. Van Wyck Mason (1901-1978, bookplate).
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