Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 282
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4 image_5 image_6 image_7 image_8 image_9 image_10 image_11
Richard Byrd Huge Archive of Manuscript Drafts, Over 1200pp, Plus Signed Copy of "Alone" and Commemorative Coins
Richard Byrd Huge Archive of Manuscript Drafts, Over 1200pp, Plus Signed Copy of "Alone" and Commemorative Coins
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4 image_5 image_6 image_7 image_8 image_9 image_10 image_11
Description:

Richard Byrd Huge Archive of Manuscript Drafts, Over 1200pp, Plus Signed Copy of "Alone" and Commemorative Coins

Richard E. Byrd (1888-1957). Over 1,200 pages of manuscript drafts and annotated typescripts for his book, "Alone," with a signed, limited edition copy of "Alone," and a set of three commemorative one-cent coins. Provenance: Richard E. Byrd; by descent; Sotheby's, December 15, 1988.

This very large and important collection includes:

1.) Twelve folders of working manuscripts, overwhelmingly carbon typescript with extensive holograph annotations and marginal notes for Byrd's book, "Alone." Folders comprise the following:

a.) One folder of manuscript preparatory notes and outlines for the work, 55 pp manuscript and 15 pp typed, some on Lexington Hotel and Biltmore Hotel stationary, NYC.

b.) One folder containing two TLS from Charles J.V. Murphy (Byrd's publicist and uncredited co-writer), dated March 31 and April 4, 1938, 30 pp, Murphy giving Byrd a typed copy of radio transmissions with Advance Base, for the period May 3 to Aug 10, 1934.

c.) Ten folders, each folder a 'chapter,' comprising a first typed carbon version of each chapter, usually with additional manuscript sections and annotated notes and corrections by Byrd, and followed by subsequent typed carbon versions, sometimes with corrections, and a 'clean version' of each chapter, forming an archive of 1,239 pp of carbon typescript, many annotated and corrected in Byrd's hand, all in the original card folders, some folders torn, some pages with chipping to margins.

2.) Byrd, Richard E., Rear Admiral, and Charles J.V. Murphy [uncredited], "Alone." New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1938. First edition, limited printing number 47 of 225 copies. Signed on the limitation page by Byrd as "RE Byrd". Top gilt; front edges deckled, lightly tanned; ribbon marker; marbled endpapers; original blue morocco boards, gilt ruled; stamped in gilt on spine.

3.) Set of three commemorative one-cent coins, 'commemorating the return of Admiral Richard Byrd from Little America.' 1935. 'Private Issue, Set No. 4,' each coin in a printed cardboard sleeve, housed together in a plexiglass mat, lettered in gilt. In cloth pouch and black morocco-backed clamshell case. A special issue of one-cent coins, minted in small numbers, to be sold as a special limited edition to commemorate Byrd's achievements on his second expedition to Antarctica. The one-cent coins are cased in silver, gold, and copper, each with the portrait of Byrd in his parka and text 'Admiral Byrd at Little America 1935', and, on the obverse, two with the head of Lincoln and dated 1934, the third with 'One Cent United States of America".

The story of "Alone" is a classic Antarctic book based on the diaries of American polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. It documents the explorer's four-and-a-half-month expedition at the Advance Base where he carried out winter meteorological readings while staying in a small specially constructed hut that was made in Boston. With outside temperatures dropping to minus 70' F and the home base Little America 178 miles away, Byrd found himself in extreme isolation. To make matters worse, inadequate ventilation, which created a build-up of carbon monoxide from the kerosene stove, nearly killed him. The erratic radio messages that Little America received from Byrd over the winter months (he actually collapsed during one of his three radio transmissions a week on May 31st) convinced them that he needed to be rescued. After two failed attempts to reach him by tractor, on August 10th, the tractor team of Thomas Poulter, E.J. Demas, and Amory Waite broke through to rescue him from the Advance Base. Byrd was too poor in health to return on the tractor and the four men remained at the base for two months until one of Byrd's planes was able to fly in and pick him up.

Before "Alone," Byrd had already completed his official book on his Second Expedition to Antarctica called "Discovery," published in 1935, which recorded the events of the expedition in a dry, methodical 'diary type of way.' The book's success put pressure on Byrd to recount the experience of those four and a half months alone at Advance Base. From 1936 to 1938, Byrd worked on what would become "Alone." However, his publicist Charles J.V. Murphy believed the material would not work for the American public and proceeded to excise most of Byrd's original material. The final product, published by Putnam's in New York in 1938, was a sanitized 'Boys Own Story' tale of daring do.

These original handwritten and typed pages bear little resemblance to the published work. Many of these thoughts appear to come straight from Byrd's diary and are filled with great candor. There are long rambling passages as well as jottings of thoughts that sprang into the explorer's head such as the following: 'I am beginning to see things from this detached viewpoint that have all my life been invisible to me, or invisible with varying degrees of dimness through the thick fog of distractions that seem to have settled down over me in civilization.' In addition, Byrd writes on mythology and classic heroes, popularity and fame, and the Antarctic as a type of Space.

Finally, there are musings on his hero, Robert Falcon Scott, whose tragic death occurred at the Ross Ice Shelf, not too far from where Byrd was camped: 'I did say recall saying that in failing he gained immortal fame, thus showing that the way a man plays the game can be more important than the winning of the game ' that success is not the most important thing, and that there are some things more important than life.'

These and many other thoughts were edited out by Murphy for the final published work. Given that Byrd's diaries from the Advance Base expedition no longer survive, these drafts not only reveal Byrd's original intentions for "Alone," but are also the only documentary records extent of the original 1934 diaries. The candidness of the entries reveal much more about the enigmatic explorer and the challenges he faced in the field. A careful study of these exercised texts will contribute greatly to the scholarship of polar exploration history.

Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale regarding large lots.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

October 18, 2023 11:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000