Rare ANS, one page, 6 x 3.25, March 30, 1850. Letter to a gentleman, written from New York. In full: "Yours of the 25th was duly received." Beautifully signed at the conclusion with his bold and distinctive signature, "Herman Melville." In fine condition, with old mounting traces on the reverse. At the time he wrote this letter, Melville was living in Manhattan as a successful writer, having published Typee, Omoo, Mardi, Redburn, and White-Jacket. Upon returning home from a trip abroad in February 1850, he began to write the classic Moby-Dick. He completed the masterpiece over the course of the next 18 months, and it was first published in the autumn of 1851. Despite initial poor sales, Moby-Dick was rediscovered after Melville's death and has since become known as one of the most original and influential books ever written. Just as Moby-Dick is a cornerstone of American literature, Melville's autograph is a must-have for any significant literary collection. Dating to the period in which he commenced the authorship of his most iconic work, this is a marvelous example.
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