THACKERAY, WILLIAM MAKEPEACE. Document signed ("WM Thackeray"), THE ORIGINAL MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR THE PUBLICATION OF VANITY FAIR between Thackeray and Bradbury and Evans, [London, 25 January 1847]. 2 pages, small 4to, both sides of a sheet of "Superfine London Satin" grayish paper (small embossed stamp), the document written in dark brown ink in a clear clerical or legal hand, signed by Thackeray and a witness at end, a small marginal ink stain, slight fold creases ; in very good condition. "TO PUBLISH A WORK IN MONTHLY PARTS TO BE CALLED 'VANITY FAIR'" Thackeray had begun writing Vanity Fair before May 1845. The manuscript was turned down by Henry Colburn but was accepted by Bradbury and Evans (the publishers of Punch ). Although Thackeray was expecting publication in monthly numbers to begin in May 1846, it did not start until January 1847; the novel ran into nineteen monthly numbers, the last (a double issue) appearing in July 1848. The document reads: "Memorandum of agreement made this Twenty fifth day of January 1847, between William Makepeace Thackeray Esq. of 13 Young Street, Kensington, and William Bradbury and Frederick Mullett Evans copartners, Printers & Publishers, Whitefriars. The said...Thackeray hereby agrees with the said...Bradbury and...Evans to publish a work in Monthly Parts to be called 'Vanity Fair, Pen & Pencil Sketches of English Society.' The said...Thackeray undertakes to furnish by the 15th of every month sufficient matter for at least Two printed Sheets, with two Etchings on Steel, and as many drawings on Wood as may be thought necessary. The said...Bradbury and...Evans agree to pay to the said...Thackeray the sum of Sixty Pounds every Month on the Publication of the Number. It is then agreed that after the whole Expenses of the Work are paid (including the above named sum of £60) that the said...Bradbury &...Evans shall receive out of the first profits, the Sum of £60 and that whatever further profits shall arise shall then be equally divided between...Thackeray and...Bradbury and...Evans..." The document closes with a statement that the "Copyright of the said Work shall be the joint Property of" Thackeray and the publishers. Thackeray expected more profit from Vanity Fair than he achieved. "In October 1847 he complained that 'it does everything but sell... The publishers are at this minute several hundred pounds out of pocket by me,' he admitted after the appearance of the seventeenth number, 'that I know for certain.' Years later, in 1859, he estimated his total profits from the novel at £2000"--John D. Gordan, William Makepeace Thackeray An Exhibition in Celebration of the One-Hundredth Anniversary of "Vanity Fair" (NYPL, 1947), p. 18. Provenance : Unnamed consignor (sale, Christie's New York, 7 October 1994, lot 127).
THACKERAY, WILLIAM MAKEPEACE. Document signed ("WM Thackeray"), THE ORIGINAL MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR THE PUBLICATION OF VANITY FAIR between Thackeray and Bradbury and Evans, [London, 25 January 1847]. 2 pages, small 4to, both sides of a sheet of "Superfine London Satin" grayish paper (small embossed stamp), the document written in dark brown ink in a clear clerical or legal hand, signed by Thackeray and a witness at end, a small marginal ink stain, slight fold creases ; in very good condition. "TO PUBLISH A WORK IN MONTHLY PARTS TO BE CALLED 'VANITY FAIR'" Thackeray had begun writing Vanity Fair before May 1845. The manuscript was turned down by Henry Colburn but was accepted by Bradbury and Evans (the publishers of Punch ). Although Thackeray was expecting publication in monthly numbers to begin in May 1846, it did not start until January 1847; the novel ran into nineteen monthly numbers, the last (a double issue) appearing in July 1848. The document reads: "Memorandum of agreement made this Twenty fifth day of January 1847, between William Makepeace Thackeray Esq. of 13 Young Street, Kensington, and William Bradbury and Frederick Mullett Evans copartners, Printers & Publishers, Whitefriars. The said...Thackeray hereby agrees with the said...Bradbury and...Evans to publish a work in Monthly Parts to be called 'Vanity Fair, Pen & Pencil Sketches of English Society.' The said...Thackeray undertakes to furnish by the 15th of every month sufficient matter for at least Two printed Sheets, with two Etchings on Steel, and as many drawings on Wood as may be thought necessary. The said...Bradbury and...Evans agree to pay to the said...Thackeray the sum of Sixty Pounds every Month on the Publication of the Number. It is then agreed that after the whole Expenses of the Work are paid (including the above named sum of £60) that the said...Bradbury &...Evans shall receive out of the first profits, the Sum of £60 and that whatever further profits shall arise shall then be equally divided between...Thackeray and...Bradbury and...Evans..." The document closes with a statement that the "Copyright of the said Work shall be the joint Property of" Thackeray and the publishers. Thackeray expected more profit from Vanity Fair than he achieved. "In October 1847 he complained that 'it does everything but sell... The publishers are at this minute several hundred pounds out of pocket by me,' he admitted after the appearance of the seventeenth number, 'that I know for certain.' Years later, in 1859, he estimated his total profits from the novel at £2000"--John D. Gordan, William Makepeace Thackeray An Exhibition in Celebration of the One-Hundredth Anniversary of "Vanity Fair" (NYPL, 1947), p. 18. Provenance : Unnamed consignor (sale, Christie's New York, 7 October 1994, lot 127).
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
