John Steinbeck's Manuscript Unpublished Anti-McCarthyism Story to Auction
Manuscript of Steinbeck's unpublished story in response to McCarthyism, If This Be Treason
John Steinbeck and James Fenimore Cooper handwritten manuscripts are going under the hammer alongside a major private holding of presidential material at Bonhams.
The Documenting America sale featuring highlights from the Louise Taper Collection runs through June 23 featuring:
- the earliest obtainable printing of the Bill of Rights (estimate: $8,000–$12,000)
- a presentation copy of the first issue of the 1858 Abraham Lincoln-Stephen A. Douglas debates signed by Lincoln in pencil (estimate:$150,000-$250,000)
- Signed photograph of Lincoln with his son Tad taken February 9, 1864, taken at Matthew Brady's studio by Superintendent Anthony Berger (estimate: $60,000-$90,000)
- Dwight D. Eisenhower's Caxton fedora (estimate: $8,000–$12,000)
Literary lots include a 1953 autograph manuscript of John Steinbeck's unpublished short story in response to McCarthyism, If This Be Treason (estimate:$10,000-$15,000) which takes its title from Patrick Henry's attack on the Stamp Act of 1765 and focuses on the Hollywood Blacklist-related dismissal of a star from a television show because of the actions of Senator Joseph McCarthy's Committee.
After Steinbeck submitted the story to his publisher, President of Viking Press, Harold Guinzburg objected to it and Steinbeck withdrew the story from publication. Several years after writing it, Steinbeck ended a June 1957 Esquire article defending Arthur Miller following his trial in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee similarly: "And if this be treason, gentlemen, make the most of it." Steinbeck wrote: "There is a clear and present danger here, not to Arthur Miller, but to our changing and evolving way of life. ...I feel profoundly that our country is better served by individual courage and morals than by the safe and public patriotism which Dr. Johnson called 'the last refuge of scoundrels.'"
Other highlights include a 1844 complete Chapter XXVII in autograph manuscript by James Fenimore Cooper of his semi-autobiographical novel Afloat and Ashore, (estimate: $15,000-$20,000), and Faith Ringgold's Seven Passages to a Flight, an artist's book with a story quilt (San Diego, CA: Brighton Press, 1995). This is one of 15 copies featuring nine hand-painted etchings with multicolored pochoir borders and text, printed on linen, the personal copy of Bill Kelly, co-founder and director of Brighton Press. The quilt is also signed and dated. It comes with a small printer's archive of the project (estimate: $80,000-$120,000).
