Page 195 - Swann Galleries - Printed & Manuscript African Americana- Sale 2308 - March 21, 2013

353 ● ( LANGUAGE—SLANG. )
BROOKS, SHELTON. Jive Talk, with a
photograph of the author-songwriter
at fifteen and his membership card
in the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.
112pages 12mo, original wrappers, light
wear; with a silver print photograph 73⁄
4 x
51⁄
2 inches, small diagonal chip to lower
right corner.
Np, circa 1960’s, circa 1901 [400/600]
A scarce copy of this songwriter’s spoof of “hip
talk” together with an even scarcer photograph
of the composer of “Some of These Days,” the
song that made Sophie Tucker famous. Shelton
Brooks sang, played piano, and performed on
the vaudeville circuit (notably, as a Bert
Williams imitator), as well as having a success-
ful songwriting career. His first hit song was
“Some of These Days”, which he was able to
get to headliner Sophie Tucker in 1909.
Tucker adopted it as her theme song, and per-
formed it regularly for the next 55 years.
353
354 ● (LITERATURE AND POETRY.) BALDWIN, JAMES. Typed Letter Signed.
two and one half folio pages with manuscript additions, with the original envelope.
St Paul Alpes Maritimes, June 17, 1985 [2,500/3,500]
A letter with superb content written to close friend and fellow writer Shawn Henderson. In it
Baldwin talks about the imminent French publication of his book “The Evidence of Things
not Seen. “My book concerning the Atlanta child murders (Evidence of Things not Seen) is
being published, here, in France shortly before it appears in America.” He discusses contract
battles in New York, and how they are known to “every publisher in the world.” He praises
Henderson’s play “If Only I Could Sing,” and suggests that they get together and perhaps
work on something together. And finally “Hey. While writing to you, I thought of a poem. If
you like it, consider that it was written for you—Here it is: “When Death comes creeping/
Love comes out/ and Stammers to Death/ What it’s all about. Death doesn’t hear this, / but
rides away/ knowing he’ll be back another day.” He adds another four lines but then crosses
them out, and writes instead in pen “Bored to death with Death and wondering, now how
come love always answers him somehow.” A great letter with a lot of very personal content.”
355 ● (LITERATURE AND POETRY.) BALDWIN, JAMES. The Amen Corner. 97
pages. Small 8vo, original printed white wrappers, stapled PRESENTATION FROM BALDWIN
ON THE DEDICATION PAGE. NEW YORK : SAMUEL F RENCH, 1968 [400/600]
FIRST SAMUEL FRENCH PLAY EDITION, INSCRIBED AND SIGNED BY B ALDWIN after the
dedication “and Shawn, and all the coming children love Jimmy.” The dedicatee was fellow
poet and friend Shawn Henderson.
LITERATURE & PERIODICALS
LOTS 354-393