Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-08-30
LITER AUTOGRAPHS.
The Signature Market and Its Current
Prices.


Prices.
1t is curious how you can judge the
popularity of authors with the great
public from the prices which their auto
graphs or letters bring in open market.
] was talking recently with a prominent
New York autograph dealer, and he told
me some interesting facts about literary
autographs. Literary autographs are
way down at present, said this auto
graph veteran. "A letter by Bryant and
Longfellow always brought from 81 to
SO; now c"rh can be had for 3d. 80.
James Rus | Lowell is pretty steady
at ST. 80, W hn. Dr. Holmes, owing to his
generosity in answering letters, sells for
so cents a letter Emerson is scarce, and
sells for from So 10 $40. Hawthorne's
etters bring about So apiece. Four
pages of his manuscript, signed recently,
brought S125. Louisa Alcott can be had
in plenty at so cents, while Mrs. Adeline
.. T. Whitney, on the other hand, sells
for 81. George Eliot's letters are worth
$40, while one by her husband scarcely
orings So Mrs. Browning commands
easily IS, while notes by her husband are
easily had for so cents. Funny, isn't it?
Take Carlyle: A letter by him brings So;
one by his wife, $40. Tennyson is steady
at $40, and hard to get at that figure.
Charles Dickens always sells readily for
$40, Also while Thackeray's chirography,
Just signed to a letter, commands $50. A
,igned quarter of page of his manu-
script is worth $3.50. | sold three of
John Keatss love letters only last week
Tor $3.50 An ordinary Keats autograph
is worth about S25. Shelley sells for $40,
and Byron and Tom Moore about the
same. Walter Scottis higher, and brings
$50, while Southey and Coleridge COM
mand So.
Taking strictly those authors of the
present day, and Tennyson's autograph is
the highest in value. Swinburne is next
at So for letter, while lola will bring
the same sell a number of the latter
to young girls. Ouida is the highest
among literary women, for she rarely
signs her name for autographs pur-
poses, and good specimen letter of hers
will easily bring $40 Mrs. Oliphant,
funny enough, is very high, for she re-
fuses, as does Ouida, to oblige autograph
hunters. Mrs Stowe brings So for a good
letter, while Mrs. Southworth is barely
worth rs cents. Whittier will sell for So
and George Bancroft about So. How
ellis? Oh IS cents will buy letter of
his. Marion Crawford is had easily at
an even dollar. Edgar Saltus? About
so cent for letter, while his literary
chum, Edgar Fawcett, brings 20 cents.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox rarely exceeds 40
cents. Amelie Rives is plenty at half
dollar. Daudet is scarce, however, at
So so, and Guy de Maupassant is at the
same figure. Jules Verne is also rather
bard to getin open market, while Dumas,
OIL the other hand, is only worth Is cents
And so it goes. Ibsen, month ago, sold
for 81 or So; now 49, When Henry James
was the rage l sold all l could get at
50. so apiece; now you can't get so cents
for one of his letters. Tolstoi is rather
high for he rarely writes letters. Kip
ling? | haven't one of his, but have
over 20 orders for anything in his hand
writing, and l shall charge So for good
letter by him. Strange business? Yes,
but very interesting, watching the rise
and fall of the literary idols. ~ Edward
Box