Details
OSCAR WILDE (1854-1900)
An unpublished and previously unknown 4 page letter, on two integral leaves, from 9 Charles St., Grosvenor Square, [(?) December 1885], to Philip M. Griffiths, reading: "I have sent a photograph of myself for you to the care of Mr. MacKay, which I hope you will like, and, in return for it, you are to send me one of yourself, which I will keep as a memory of a charming meeting, and golden hours passed together. You have a nature made to love all beautiful things, and I hope we shall see each other soon. Your friend Oscar Wilde," contained in the original envelope addressed to Stapleton House, Harborne, Birmingham, with penny stamp, upside down and set at an angle, bearing London District West End duplex cancellation of the 19, Old Cavendish Street sorting office; together with the three-quarter length portrait photograph by Jabez Hughes & Mullins of Ryde (6½ x 4½in.), mounted on card, showing Wilde standing, wearing a white suit with a rose in his lapel, a cane in one hand, the mount signed: "Oscar Wilde," and inscribed in different ink: "To Philip Griffiths," and with a further inscription in pencil on verso: "The secret of life is Art," in original envelope to Griffiths at the same address, but not in Wilde's hand, with two one penny stamps bearing a Birmingham frank mark and dated De.[cember] 25, [18]85. (2)

Wilde's first known homosexual affair was with Robert Ross whom he met the following year, 1886, and which he openly acknowledged. The nature of the relationship between Wilde and Griffiths has not been established. Griffiths is not mentioned by Wilde's biographer, Ellmann, and little is known of him except that he was born, about 1864, into a wealthy Birmingham family, and had a large number of sisters who disapproved of their brother's idleness. Wilde was a characteristically effusive letter writer, and it may be that the relationship between the two men can be taken as an example of what Ellmann speaks of in general terms as Wilde's patent "delight" in "intense friendships with young men." The warmer tone of the second letter does imply that a growth in intimacy had occurred, between June and December. The emergence of the two letters into public light forms an interesting addition to the established canon of Wilde's correspondence.

A carte-de-visite photograph, thought to be of Griffiths, is also included in this lot.

The Wilde photograph is illustrated on the front cover to this catalogue.

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