Archive of Correspondence between Derleth and Harrison on the Publishing of The Exploits of Chevalier Dupin

Hove, London, Sauk City, 1969. Collection of 6 TL's, 1 TLS (generally carbon copies), and 1 ANS from Harrison to Derleth, a few with annotations or addressed in Harrison's hand; and 7 TLS's (ribbon copies on Arkham House or Mycroft & Moran letterhead) and one TNS from Derleth to Harrison, with 4 printed Arkham House envelopes addressed to Harrison. Also included are three clippings: two are stapled pages torn from two issues of Startling Mystery Stories, and one is Hubin's review of "Exploits." Generally near fine with transmittal folds and light wear.

Deep and insightful archive of correspondence between English author and Sherlock Holmes scholar, Michael Harrison (real name, Maurice Rohan, 1907-1991), and the prolific author, publisher, and founder of the important Arkham House imprint, August Derleth (1909-1971).  

The letters begin on Boxing Day, 1965, with Harrison writing a lengthy 2-page letter to Derleth, thanking him for sending two books, and apparently the carbons of a Solar Pons story, which Harrison critiques.  The letter mentions the tremendous production value of the Arkham/Mycroft books, even by way of mentioning Cobden-Sanderson and other "commercially out-of-step publishers."  He also praises Derleth's collaboration with Frank Utpatel.  He then goes on to write his own autobiographical pastiche detailing the serendipitous purchase of a signed and holograph-annotated Morley Roberts book.  He finishes the letter with a detailed critique of Derleth's story.


The letters go on to discuss in detail, starting in 1966, the publishing and reception of Harrison's collection, The Exploits of Chevalier Dupin.  Mentioned are the publishing of several of the stories in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine ("Dannay seems to think highly of my work"), Startling Mystery Stories, and others leading up to the 1968 collection.  Several of the Harrison letters even contain manuscript pieces relating to other Derleth publications such as "time-tables to and from Frome" and rhyming-slang from The Solar Pons Dossier.  

The letters from Derleth are also at times lengthy and detailed, discussing payments and terms, the title of the collection, the map endpapers by Luthor Leon Norris, proofing and deadlines, other publications of Derleth's including by Lovecraft, and reviews of Harrison's book.  Derleth also touches on the battling of various health problems, the last letter dated in 1969, less than two years before his untimely death from a heart attack.  Derleth was as prolific in correspondence as he was in prose and poetry writing, as these letters show.

The entire collection provides a wonderful look at the publishing efforts of one of the most important figures in genre fiction in the first half of the 20th century.  .