Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 1
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 2
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 3
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 4
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 5
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 6
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 7
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) - photo 8

Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)

Lot 97
11.12.2024 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Pour enchérir, allez sur le site
CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Lieu de l'événementRoyaume-Uni, London
Commissionsee on Website%
ID 1349738
Lot 97 | Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)
Valeur estimée
£ 5 000 – 8 000
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)
Series of 34 autograph letters and 21 cards signed, with three typed or secretarial letters signed, to Hazel Eardley-Wilmot, various locations, 1 November 1942 - 6 May 1970 and n.d.
Approx. 77 pages in autograph, various sizes, with a few envelopes; also two Christmas cards, a corrected typescript of Forster's introduction to a talk series about Czechoslovakia, 3 pages, and two printed items. Provenance: Sotheby's, 15 July 1999, lot 340.

'I don't know why, when people interest me so much, I should see them so badly'. A correspondence full of literary discussions with a wartime friend. The recipient was evidently the organiser of wartime talks for Czech refugees, and the early letters often discuss subject-matter for the talks, branching off into broader literary matters, and some personal news. In the earliest letter, on 1 November 1942, Forster warns her that he may be prevented from giving a talk by illness, suggesting as a substitute that 'someone read out longish passages from typical 20th cent. novels', giving as possibilities 'Bennett's Old Wives Tale (to illustrate the old descriptive method), V. Woolf's "From the Lighthouse" (poetic impressionism), and Isherwood's "Mr Norris Changes Trains" (description in the thirties)'. Six days later he refers to a successful talk the evening before, and to a radio broadcast which had caused some trouble for 'poor George Orwell'. On 30 November he proposes meeting the recipient for a meal at 'a restaurant where the food is bad, and where in consequence there is no crowd ... They specialise in warm fish salads'. An undated letter from the same period confesses to suffering from 'those feelings of flatness which Moliere always induces in me ... I'll try to put up some defences for Wordsworth. He keeps ringing a little bell, which sounded fainter as he grew old. But even when he addresses Machinery ("Motions and Means" he cautiously calls it) the tinkle gets through to me'. A letter of 29 May 1943 mentions John Maynard Keynes (who isn't replying to Forster's letters) and discusses Tolstoy, breaking off in the middle with 'I must stop for a minute, or rather for an hour, to mow the lawn'. On 4 September 1943 he declines to chair the talks himself: 'I don't know the subject, or the country (except that the construction of pancakes there is a serious matter), and I have a defect which would be particularly incapacitating: namely inability to recognise people ... I don't know why, when people interest me so much, I should see them so badly'. On 2 March 1944 Forster refers to the recent heavy air raids (presumably those of 24/25 February which hit west London heavily): 'I am glad indeed to learn that you are all right. Chiswick trembled too and Roger Fry struck(?) his head on the wall, as well he might, but nothing "gave", and here one still is'; he goes on to recount a self-deprecating anecdote about having followed 'a lady with a rather depressed face' who bought a secondhand copy of Where Angels Fear to Tread at Wimbledon station: 'I got into her compartment. We were alone. She opened the book at the beginning, gave a slight sigh, opened it at the end, gave a final look at the middle in order to be thorough, and, with a final sigh, put it down'. Other letters discuss R.L. Stevenson, Gibbon, Etherege, Congreve, films, operas, and the progress of the war. Amongst the post-war letters is an interesting air-mail letter from India, postmarked 12 Dec 1945, where he is enjoying 'immense success ... squashed as I am into a 2nd class from Ahmedabad to Baroda ... Gujurat produced both Jinnah and Gandhi ... I lecture constantly ... talk also extempore which goes much better if the dear Indians will but keep the audience small'. Later letters are more social in content, but include news of his move to Kings College, Cambridge and his work on Britten's Billy Budd ('I think it succeeds as a whole').

Hazel Eardley-Wilmot (1910-1998) worked for the British Council from 1941, and was much involved in helping Czech refugees during the war years; in later life she published three books about Exmoor.
Adresse de l'enchère CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
Royaume-Uni
Aperçu
11.12.2024 – 11.12.2024
Téléphone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
E-mail
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Commission see on Website
Conditions d'utilisationConditions d'utilisation

Plus du Créateur

Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)
£10 000
Edward Morgan Forster (1879–1970)
Edward Morgan Forster (1879–1970)
£100
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)
Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970)
£100

Termes connexes

Questions fréquemment posées

Pour participer aux ventes aux enchères, vous devez d’abord, vous inscrire. Après la confirmation de l’adresse e-mail, complétez votre profil d’utilisateur en fournissant des renseignements personnels tels que votre prénom, nom de famille et l’adresse postale. Choisissez un lot qui vous intéresse et indiquez le montant maximum que vous voulez offir pour ce lot. Dès que vous confirmez votre choix, nous transférerons votre demande par voie électronique à la maison de ventes aux enchères appropriée. Si votre demande est acceptée, votre offre va participer aux ventes aux enchères. Vous pouvez vérifier le statut actuel de votre offre en tout temps dans votre cabinet personnel VIL sous l’onglet «Vos offres».
Les enchères sont réalisées par les maisons de ventes et chacune des maisons de ventes décrit ses conditions de vente. Vous pouvez voir les textes dans la rubrique «Information sur les ventes».
Les résultats des ventes aux enchères sont publiés dans quelques jours après la clôture de l’enchère. En haut de la page du site web VIL, vous trouverez l’onglet «Enchères». Cliquez sur cet onglet et naviguez vers la page des catalogues de ventes aux enchères où vous trouverez facilement l’onglet « Résultats des ventes ». Sur cet onglet, sélectionnez l’enchère qui vous intéresse et consultez l’état de vente du lot de votre choix.
Les informations sur les gagnants des enchères sont confidentielles. Le gagnant de l'enchère recevra une notification directe de la maison d'enchères responsable avec des instructions pour les mesures à prendre: une facture de paiement et la manière dont les marchandises ont été reçues.
Chacune de maisons de ventes aux enchères adhère à sa propre politique concernant les modes de paiement des lots remportés. Toutes les maisons de ventes aux enchères acceptent les virements bancaires; la plupart d’elles acceptent les paiements par carte de crédit. Dans un avenir très proche, vous trouverez des renseignements détaillés sous la rubrique «Information sur les ventes», à la page du catalogue et du lot.
Le mode de livraison du lot dépend de sa taille et ses dimensions. Les petits articles peuvent être livrés par la poste. Les objets plus grands sont expédiés par courrier. Les préposés à la livraison des maisons de ventes aux enchères vous proposeront différentes options selon votre cas.
Non. Les archives servent de référence pour l'étude des prix des enchères, des photographies et des descriptions d'œuvres d'art.
?>