D.H. Lawrence 3-Pc Lot Featuring ALS, SP & Attributed Artwork

The unique items in this lot relate to the personal, literary, and artistic life of British writer D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930). The three pieces, featuring a total of three signatures as "D.H. Lawrence" or "D.H.L.," include an autograph letter signed, a presentation photograph, and original artwork attributed to Lawrence.

The lot is comprised of:

1. A sheet imprinted with the title of Lawrence's 1923 poetry collection "Birds, Beasts and Flowers" signed, inscribed, and dated as: "to Mrs Zelia Nuttall / from D.H. Lawrence / remembering the pleasant hours of the Casa Alvarado / April 1925." Expected gentle paper folds and a partially rusted paperclip impression only visible verso. Lightly numbered in pencil in the upper right corner. Else near fine. 5.875" x 8.125."

Lawrence was widely traveled, and visited many exotic places during the phase of his life that he called his "savage pilgrimage." He and wife Frieda enjoyed an extended stay in Taos, New Mexico between 1924-1926, during which time they visited Mexico. In March 1925--just a month before writing this letter--Lawrence suffered a severe attack of tuberculosis and malaria which forced him to leave the Americas and return to Italy.

At some point during these travels, Lawrence visited Casa de Alvarado (the "Casa Alvarado" of his letter), the eighteenth-century villa of Zelia Nuttall (1857-1933) in Mexico City. Nuttall, of Irish and Mexican-American heritage, was an archaeologist and anthropologist specializing in pre-Aztec and pre-Columbian Mexican history. Nuttall was educated in Europe and was familiar with the early indigenous language Nahuatl. While working for the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, Nuttall contributed greatly to the field and her discoveries gained her world-wide prominence. Nuttall lived at Casa de Alvarado between 1902 and her death in 1933. Her salons attracted many foreign intellectuals including Lawrence.

"Birds, Beasts and Flowers" was a collection of Lawrence's poetry published in 1923. Lawrence composed the poems during his travels in Italy, Australia, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Poems are divided into subcategories treating trees, flowers, birds, animals, reptiles, and even ghosts and Evangelistic beasts.

2. An early black and white photograph of Lawrence, laid down on a black mount embossed with the name of George Pendry (1857-1940), a professional photographer from Nottingham, England. Twice signed, inscribed, and dated verso on the mount as: "Dear little / Mabel / + Lovely Emmie / D.H.L. / --H. Lawrence / Sept 07." (The "D" is missing and goes off the edge.) The mount shows isolated chipping and surface loss, with possible trimming; the lower left corner recto (corresponding to the lower right corner verso) has been discretely repaired. Light surface wear to the photograph, else near fine. Overall measures 4.125" x 5.25."

Lawrence dedicated this photograph to his childhood neighbors Mabel and Emmie. (Lawrence's birthplace Eastwood is located in Nottinghamshire, in central England.) In September 1907--when he signed this photograph--Lawrence turned 22 years old. The next year, Lawrence left for London to continue teaching and writing.

3. A small watercolor on artist's paper attributed to Lawrence, depicting a pastoral landscape with a river in the foreground. Unsigned. 5.125" x 3.375."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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