Sunday, February 28, 2010

Lovecraft Postcard at Auction (23 October 1933)

Just seen at auction ...




(roughly $1100).

Alternate Post Card showing same scene ... a bit better than HPL's card.


My best decipher:

Thanks exceedingly for the eternal supply of Oct. Fantasy Fans. It looks to me even more interesting than the first number. Smith's tale is splendid - the remunerative (?) editors are certainly fools to turn it down. Glad to see that a large number of readers are showing up Ackerman's u...? People like Ackerman are peculiarly ridiculous - one can plainly see that this G..G..? is really an egotistical gesture to call attention to themselves. However, most people outgrow this stage. Glad you were able to ? someting young Barlow - he's definiely worth encouraging. Hope you won't find my article too long & ponderous. ? your younger readers will think its a long time getting really started.

All good wishes.

HPL


No notes on provenance. Seller's notes:

This is a postcard from H.P. Lovecraft to Charles D. Hornig postmarked 4:30 PM Oct 23, 1933, Providence RI. Charles D. Hornig was editor of Fantasy Fan magazine, published a Lovecraft Memoir, edited Gernsback's Wonder Stories and Fantasy Magazine. The handwritten note from Lovecraft includes references to Fantasy Fan, (Clark Ashton) Smith; (Forrest James) Ackerman; (Robert H) Barlow; and his own article. It is signed HPL.

Smith (1893-1961) was author of Lost Worlds, Abominations of Yondo, Tales of Science and Sorcery etc. Ackerman (1916-2008) was one of science fiction's biggest collectors and promotors, editor, writer and agent who is credited with coining the term Sci-Fi. Barlow (1918-1951) was author, anthropologist, historian and longtime friend of Lovecraft and Robert Howard. He was Lovecraft's literary executor.

Howard Philips Lovecraft (1890-1937) was probably the most influential horror writer of the 20th century. The postcard is from the science fiction-horror collection of Joseph F. Hartdegen.

The postcard has the word General printed in ink at the left margin; the postmark surrounds and partially overlaps the HPL signature; otherwise
EX condition.

_____

On 21 October 1933 Lovecraft wrote to barlow:

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