The Yankee and Boston Literary Gazette

Sold
$ 2 520
Auction dateClassic
15.06.2023 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 967557
Lot 34 | The Yankee and Boston Literary Gazette
The Yankee and Boston Literary Gazette

E.A. Poe, 1829

[POE, Edgar Allan (1809-1849)]. NEAL, John, editor (1793-1876). The Yankee; and Boston Literary Gazette. No. 79, New Series. Nos 1-6. [Boston:] July-December, 1829.



Edgar Allan Poe's "very first words of encouragement." Plus quotations from “Fairyland,” “Tamerlane,” and “Al Aaraaf.” The September issue contains John Neal's review of and an excerpt from Poe’s “Heaven” (later published as "Fairyland"). Neal remarked: "If E.A.P. of Baltimore ... would but do himself justice, [he] might make a beautiful and perhaps a magnificent poem. There is a good deal here to justify such a hope" (p.168). Poe would later recall these notes as "the very first words of encouragement I ever remember to have heard." They are also the first time which his name appeared in print. See Part Two in the current auction for John Neal's own work.



Poe was so grateful that he immediately dedicated Al Aaraaf to John Neal, the editor of The Yankee. Tamerlane had received no notice in the press, but with John Neal’s few words of approbation about “Heaven,” Poe republished it in late 1829 with “Al Aaraaf” and other poems. The December issue of The Yankee returns the compliment with further notice of Poe’s work. In part, “The following passages are from the manuscript-works of a young author, about to be published in Baltimore. He is entirely a stranger to us, but with all their faults, if the remainder of Al Aaraaf and Tamerlane are as good as the body of the extracts here given—to say nothing of the more extraordinary parts, he will deserve to stand high—very high—in the estimation of the shining brotherhood” (p.295). This is followed by two long excerpts from both poems, more than two pages. Neal's early recognition of Poe's genius is remarkable; he played a crucial role in boosting Poe's career by giving him his first meaningful exposure. The December issue is particularly scarce on the market; we note no copies at auction in over 15 years. Heartman & Canny, p. 13, 23-25.



Six issues in one volume, octavo (215 x 140 mm). (Lacking frontispiece, modest spotting/toning.) Contemporary sheep, spine gilt-ruled with morocco lettering piece (spine darkened, edges abraded). Provenance: John D. Griffin (early pencil signature and name stamps).

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
15.06.2023
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
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

More from Creator

MANET, Édouard (1832-1883), Stéphane MALLARMÉ (1842-1898) et Edgar Allan POE (1809-1849)
MANET, Édouard (1832-1883), Stéphane MALLARMÉ (1842-1898) et Edgar Allan POE (1809-1849)
€9 500
Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, inscribed
Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, inscribed
$300 000
"The Raven"
"The Raven"
$8 000
Poe , E, A,
Poe , E, A,
€240
Tales, in wrappers
Tales, in wrappers
$40 000
Poe,E.A.
Poe,E.A.
€180
Poe,E.A.
Poe,E.A.
€270
Rachel Dyer
Rachel Dyer
$100

Related terms