*SOLD*

The most significant presentation copy in the world

 
Tropic of Cancer
Henry Miller
Paris, 1934
 
Presentation copy, with an original watercolor by Miller on half-title, to Emil Schnellock, the man without whom Tropic of Cancer and Miller’s subsequent literary success would not have occurred:
 
"To Emil!  How can I ever say how much this means to send you my first book!  May it not be the last!  With love, gratitude, and fondest remembrances.  Henry - Paris 9/23/34." 
 
One of 1000 first edition copies published in September, 1934.  Modern half-leather with original wrappers bound in the rear(front wrapper repaired with tape and paper), front endpaper with marginal staining and tape repair, rest of textblock clean. A Good copy housed in a quarter morocco gilt slipcase and chemise.  However, this is a time to dispense with the usual standards of condition when such an astoundingly meaningful copy is staring one in the face.  Accompanied by photocopies of three Miller letters from 1969 referencing this exact copy.
 
Lofty provenance chain: Emil Schnellock, Miller’s best friend and mentor; Charles E. Feinberg, Detroit businessman and prominent Whitman collector(afterwhich this copy sold at Parke-Bernet, 1968); James "Jimmy" Ling, American businessman and Miller’s friend; Steve and Peggy Fossett, record-setting aviator/sailor and philanthropist extraordinaire, respectively.
 
Emil’s pencil annotations throughout this copy name the real-life counterparts of the novel's characters and some actual events that inspired action in the story!  In the accompanying photocopied correspondences between Miller and Jimmy Ling, Miller discusses this copy, self-deprecatingly refers to the watercolor he painted in it as "lousy," and comments on Schnellock's pencil annotations:
 
"The notations he made seem to be the real names of the characters - which I would prefer to be kept secret as far as possible.  In any case, this copy is a real find and should be worth quite something one day, I imagine."
 
Only a year older than Miller, Emil R. Schnellock served as his mentor at crucial moments in Miller’s life.  He taught Miller to paint, inspired him to go to Paris, encouraged him to loosen up his writing style, solicited articles on his behalf, acted as his literary executor, and was generally an intimate sounding board off of which Miller honed his writing.
 
Miller and Schnellock were elementary school friends at P.S. 85 in Brooklyn(class of 1905), lost touch during their teens, but fatefully reconnected in 1921 when Miller was an aspiring writer and Schnellock a world-traveling painter.  Shortly after returning from art study in Europe, Schnellock bumped into Miller at 6th Ave. and 49th St. in New York.  Miller recalls, "That chance meeting decided my fate.  From then on my gaze was fixed."  Emil talked about "Mt. Aetna and Vesuvius and Capri and Pompeii and Morocco and Paris" and told Henry, "I'm sure you'd like it!  I'm sure it's just the place for you."  This meeting is recounted in Tropic Of Capricorn, p.47-49(with Schnellock as “Ulric”).  Their friendship re-kindled immediately.  Many an evening was spent in Prospect Park together, with Emil filling Henry's head with visions of Paris.
 
Henry begins writing letters to Emil, describing his writing efforts and influences.  Emil teaches Henry to paint, letting him observe as Emil paints in his studio.  They play chess and go on double dates.  In 1930, when Henry finally leaves to live in Paris, Emil is the one to see him off at the dock.  Emil gives him the $10 in his pocket, which will be all Henry has when he arrives in Paris.  Emil receives a barrage of correspondence from France, and these letters are often rough drafts of ideas that will end up in future books.  The letters were published as Letters To Emil, and they continued for the rest of Emil's life.
 
In 1932, Miller sends Schnellock the very first draft of Tropic Of Cancer for safekeeping.
 
From 1932-1934, Miller ensures that his Paris friends Michael Fraenkel(the inspiration for Boris in Tropic of Cancer) and the incomparable Anaïs Nin are received by Schnellock when they’re in New York.  The two continue their life-long friendship until Emil’s death in 1958.
 
"You're the one person back home I always kept in mind.  I thought of you more than you will ever realize." - Henry Miller 
 
 
Ref: The Henry Miller Blog