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Winston Churchill Signed Letter to British Publisher Thornton Butterworth, 1937
About the Item
Presented is a 1937 typed and signed letter by Winston S. Churchill to his longtime British publisher, Thornton Butterworth. Churchill writes to Butterworth regarding the upcoming publication of his collection of biographical essays, "Great Contemporaries." In the letter, Churchill discusses the book's American and French rights, and concludes by inquiring about its publication, and possible censorship, in Nazi Germany. The letter is written on Churchill’s Chartwell headed stationery, dated August 12, 1937, and is signed at the bottom of the letter “Winston S. Churchill” in black ink. The letter is presented in an archival cloth folio, paired with a photograph of the great statesman and author.
The letter is partially typed and partially inscribed. It reads, in full:
"My dear Mr. Butterworth,
I am very much obliged to you for so successfully negotiating the sale of the American book rights. On receipt of the advance payable on signing the contract I should be very glad if you would debit my account with you in respect of the English volume rights with £100, as I realise you have made a very special exertion in this matter. I now invoke your services in respect of the French rights. Payot the usual publisher definitely does not desire them.
I also sent you yesterday a letter about the German rights. Perhaps you will also look after this. If there were any possibility of a publication in Germany, I might be willing to consent to some excisions in view of the strict censorship which prevails in that country. It is probable however that the non-German German-speaking countries would constitute the bulk of the sales, and they would of course appreciate exactly the parts that the German censors would veto.
Yours sincerely,
Winston S. Churchill".
"Great Contemporaries" was comprised of essays Churchill had previously written for a variety of magazines between the years 1929-36, and includes pieces on George Bernard Shaw, T.E. Lawrence, Joseph Chamberlain, Kaiser Wilhelm III, Arthur James Balfour, George V, John Morley, Alfonso XIII, Leon Trotsky, among others. The collection also featured Churchill's essay on "Adolf Hitler, Hitler and his Choice" (1935), which was presumably on his mind when writing this letter about censorship in Germany. "Great Contemporaries" was published six weeks after this letter was written, on October 4, 1937, and was followed by additional printings in October, November, and December of that same year, due to its success.
CONDITION:
Very good condition. One sheet, Typed and inscribed letter on Churchill's Chartwell headed stationery. Chartwell, Westerham, Kent, dated August 12, 1937. The letter is addressed to his British publisher, Thornton Butterworth, in Churchill’s hand, “My dear Mr. Butterworth,” and is also signed by Churchill, “Yours sincerely, Winston S. Churchill" at the bottom of the letter. The greetings and signature are very legible, in black ink. No smearing or fading to the ink. The body of the letter is typed. The letter has Butterworth's "Received 13 Aug 1937" ink stamp at top. The paper is in very good condition, with very minimal toning and only light creasing from original folds. Letter dimensions: 9 7/8" H x 7 3/8" W.
The photographic portrait of Churchill is newly printed, on archival paper. Both the letter and portrait of Churchill are set into a beautifully made presentation folio. The folio is bound in full gray Moroccan leather and decorated with gilt embossing and tooling, with the interior in matching gray cloth. A matching cloth slipcase with an inlaid photo of Churchill on the front protects the folio and its contents.
Folio Dimensions: 12 5/8" H x 10 5/8" W x 3/4" D. Slipcase Dimensions: 13" H x 10 7/8" W x 1 1/4" D.
Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.
- Dimensions:Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)Width: 10.88 in (27.64 cm)Depth: 1.25 in (3.18 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1937
- Condition:Additions or alterations made to the original: Archival folio created by Felton Bookbinding Ltd., in Ontario, Canada, in May of 2024. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Colorado Springs, CO
- Reference Number:
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