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Autograph manuscript signed ('Ernest Dowson') of his unpublished novel 'Madame de Viole', n.d. [1888-89]
Details
DOWSON, Ernest (1867-1900)
Autograph manuscript signed ('Ernest Dowson') of his unpublished novel 'Madame de Viole', n.d. [1888-89]
253 pages, 233 x 180mm, a fair copy, with occasional emendations. In two notebooks, paper wrappers (bindings worn, wrappers worn, those for vol.1 defective). Full deep brown morocco box. Provenance: presented by Dowson to 'Richards', the foreman of the family dry dock in Limehouse, in 1895, and given by him to: – 'Patrick Dickenson, the poet' (perhaps Patric Dickinson, 1914-1994), and by him to: – Desmond Flower (1907-1997, Dowson scholar; these details from a typescript by Flower preserved with the lot); Barry Humphries (1934-2023; bookplate).
Dowson's unpublished novel. 'Madame de Viole' is a product of Dowson's relatively carefree early years: the son of the owner of a dry-docking business in Limehouse, he was an undergraduate at Queen's College, Oxford, although he left in March 1888 without completing his degree after his father ran into financial difficulties. Having collaborated on two unsuccessful novels with his friend Arthur Moore, he worked on 'Madame de Viole' for approximately the following year – the novel shows the influence of Maupassant (whom he had met) and Zola. After his failure in finding a publisher for his novel, Dowson turned to reviewing, translations of French fictions, and the poetry for which he is best known.
Autograph manuscript signed ('Ernest Dowson') of his unpublished novel 'Madame de Viole', n.d. [1888-89]
253 pages, 233 x 180mm, a fair copy, with occasional emendations. In two notebooks, paper wrappers (bindings worn, wrappers worn, those for vol.1 defective). Full deep brown morocco box. Provenance: presented by Dowson to 'Richards', the foreman of the family dry dock in Limehouse, in 1895, and given by him to: – 'Patrick Dickenson, the poet' (perhaps Patric Dickinson, 1914-1994), and by him to: – Desmond Flower (1907-1997, Dowson scholar; these details from a typescript by Flower preserved with the lot); Barry Humphries (1934-2023; bookplate).
Dowson's unpublished novel. 'Madame de Viole' is a product of Dowson's relatively carefree early years: the son of the owner of a dry-docking business in Limehouse, he was an undergraduate at Queen's College, Oxford, although he left in March 1888 without completing his degree after his father ran into financial difficulties. Having collaborated on two unsuccessful novels with his friend Arthur Moore, he worked on 'Madame de Viole' for approximately the following year – the novel shows the influence of Maupassant (whom he had met) and Zola. After his failure in finding a publisher for his novel, Dowson turned to reviewing, translations of French fictions, and the poetry for which he is best known.
Sale room notice
The manuscript is a secretarial copy, commissioned by Dowson from an amanuensis, with some revisions and editorial comments. The estimate is reduced to £7,000-10,000.
