Single sheet, cream laid paper, thin black mourning border, no watermark, integral blank leaf 205x133mm. [Friday] 12 February 1869. Traces of folds. Fine.
The Public Face of Wilkie Collins II 128
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90. Gloucester Place Portman Square London February 12th 1869 My Dear Sir, I thank you very sincerely for the beautiful specimen of German Printing and German Binding which you have so kindly sent to me. You have added one more to |
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the many agreeable associations which I connect with "The Tauchnitz Editions", in adding your thousandth Volume to my little library. Believe me Vy truly yours Wilkie Collins To Baron von Tauchnitz |
NOTES
Wilkie uses mourning paper for his mother's death on 19 March 1868
| Bernhard Tauchnitz 1816-1895 or Baron von Tauchnitz was a Liepzig publisher who specialised in publishing the works of English authors for the benefit of travellers. He published 28 books under Wilkie's name plus two with Dickens - from After Dark in 1856 to Blind Love in 1890 and always paid him for them, although international copyright law did not oblige him to do so. Tauchnitz's 1000th volume was the Bible, and was recorded as published on 11 February 1869. Presentation copies bound in red morocco, all edges gilt, with gilt lettering on the front were sent to various authors including Charlotte Yonge (see Todd & Bowden p187-188). A copy was found in Wilkie's library at his death (see Baker Wilkie Collins's Library 2002 p164). |  |
See also the letter about customs clearance of a Tauchnitz volume