Details
ANDREW COMYN IRVINE (1902-1924)
Noel ODELL (1890-1987). Autograph manuscript of an obituary entitled 'Andrew Comyn Irvine 1902-1924', n.p., n.d. [1924], apparently incomplete, annotated 'Obit.ry Notice for 'A[lpine] J[ournal]'', in pencil, 5 pages, 4to.
A FINE MEMORIAL TO IRVINE WRITTEN BY THE LAST MAN TO SEE MALLORY AND IRVINE ALIVE. Odell describes his first meeting with Irvine in 1919 (Irvine on a motorbike in the Welsh mountains), Irvine's selection for and outstanding performance on the expedition to Eastern Spitzbergen in 1922, and then his selection for the Everest expedition of 1924 - 'not without some opposition owing to his age of 21 at the time of selection [...] the natural aptitude he had already shown together with his undoubted gifts of mechanical & general practical ability, not to speak of temperamental suitability, fitted him for inclusion in the party, before other older men of greater experience in mountain craft'. Odell goes on to describe the preparation Irvine made for the trip, and his usefulness as an expedition member, and ends on an elegiac note 'My final glimpse of [Irvine] was that he was "going strong"; sharing with that other fine character who accompanied him such a vision of sublimity that it has been the lot of few mortals to behold; nay, few while beholding have become merged into such a scene of transcendence'.
[Together with:]
Andrew Comyn IRVINE. Autograph letter signed ('Sandy') to Noel E. Odell, Birkenhead, 27 January 1923, 4 pages, 8vo (slight tears to each leaf, touching two words), describing his preparations for the Everest expedition: 'I had a perfectly wonderful time in Switzerland [...] Am looking forward awfully to starting on this show [...] Aren't the mountains wonderful just asking to be climbed?' (2)
Noel ODELL (1890-1987). Autograph manuscript of an obituary entitled 'Andrew Comyn Irvine 1902-1924', n.p., n.d. [1924], apparently incomplete, annotated 'Obit.
A FINE MEMORIAL TO IRVINE WRITTEN BY THE LAST MAN TO SEE MALLORY AND IRVINE ALIVE. Odell describes his first meeting with Irvine in 1919 (Irvine on a motorbike in the Welsh mountains), Irvine's selection for and outstanding performance on the expedition to Eastern Spitzbergen in 1922, and then his selection for the Everest expedition of 1924 - 'not without some opposition owing to his age of 21 at the time of selection [...] the natural aptitude he had already shown together with his undoubted gifts of mechanical & general practical ability, not to speak of temperamental suitability, fitted him for inclusion in the party, before other older men of greater experience in mountain craft'. Odell goes on to describe the preparation Irvine made for the trip, and his usefulness as an expedition member, and ends on an elegiac note 'My final glimpse of [Irvine] was that he was "going strong"; sharing with that other fine character who accompanied him such a vision of sublimity that it has been the lot of few mortals to behold; nay, few while beholding have become merged into such a scene of transcendence'.
[Together with:]
Andrew Comyn IRVINE. Autograph letter signed ('Sandy') to Noel E. Odell, Birkenhead, 27 January 1923, 4 pages, 8vo (slight tears to each leaf, touching two words), describing his preparations for the Everest expedition: 'I had a perfectly wonderful time in Switzerland [...] Am looking forward awfully to starting on this show [...] Aren't the mountains wonderful just asking to be climbed?' (2)