Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) - photo 1
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) - photo 2
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) - photo 3
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) - photo 4

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Lot 118
15.12.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 4 788
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1108917
Lot 118 | Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Estimate value
£ 1 800 – 2 500
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Eight letters, signed (‘Rudyard Kipling’) to Lord Gorell, Bateman’s and Jersey, 3 October 1918 - 23 June 1935
11 pages in total, various sizes from 115 x 90mm, typed and handwritten. Provenance: Sotheby's, 17 July 1997, lot 443.

‘This isn’t a world, just now, where there is general recognition of Beauty…(All the same as a man under fire in a tobacco field for hours, watches the wet trickling down the veined leaves till they seem part of his brain) The fellows who hadn’t “been there” imitated – that’s my theory – and emphasized the note and structure of harshness without the authentic experiences to bite it in’. The present letters concern The Great War and its effect on Kipling’s poetry, including a reflection on the reception of modern poetry: ‘Moreover, people who are interested in modern poetry are not enamoured of my stuff which, to them, represents – quite naturally – outworn methods, settings and adjectives, plus an objectionable "political outlook and orientation"'. Kipling advises Gorell to avoid Pope’s ‘heroic’ tradition’ within his own poetry. He praises an article by Wylde on modern India and disputes Gorell’s faith in progress: ‘It is not ‘progress’ nor have ‘brigandage and warfare’ ceased within this land. Any one who takes a walk after paying his taxes knows better’. He praises the Cornhill Magazine, discusses the thankless job of running any magazine, and questions the purpose of releasing public statements in praise of Cornhill: ‘I know all this sounds abominably ungracious, but, after all, one has only one life to live’.

Kipling’s only son was killed in action during the First World War, these letters reflect his characteristic disillusionment during the years after.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
09.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
10.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
11.12.2023 09:00 – 20:00
12.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
13.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

NICHOLSON, William (1872-1949) et Rudyard KIPLING (1865-1936)
NICHOLSON, William (1872-1949) et Rudyard KIPLING (1865-1936)
€100
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
£100
Kipling, R.
Kipling, R.
€600
KIPLING, Rudyard (1865-1936)
KIPLING, Rudyard (1865-1936)
€100
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
£100
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
£100
Kipling,R.
Kipling,R.
€240
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
£100

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.