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John Steinbeck

The Mary Steinbeck Dekker Family Collection
25 October 2023 | starting at 14:00 EDT
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TORTILLA FLAT INSCRIBED TO STEINBECK'S LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Tortilla Flat. New York: Covici Friede, 1935.TORTILLA FLAT INSCRIBED TO STEINBECK'S LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Tortilla Flat. New York: Covici Friede, 1935.. Sold for US$57,600 inc. premium
THE PASTURES OF HEAVEN INSCRIBED BY STEINBECK TO HIS LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Pastures of Heaven. New York: Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1932.THE PASTURES OF HEAVEN INSCRIBED BY STEINBECK TO HIS LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Pastures of Heaven. New York: Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1932.. Sold for US$32,000 inc. premium
STEINBECK'S FIRST NOVEL INSCRIBED TO HIS PARENTS. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cup of Gold. New York: Robert McBride & Co, 1929.STEINBECK'S FIRST NOVEL INSCRIBED TO HIS PARENTS. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cup of Gold. New York: Robert McBride & Co, 1929.. Sold for US$15,360 inc. premium
"I THINK IT IS PRETTY GOOD": UNBOUND GALLEY PROOFS OF EAST OF EDEN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. East of Eden. [New York: The Viking Press, 1952.]"I THINK IT IS PRETTY GOOD": UNBOUND GALLEY PROOFS OF EAST OF EDEN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. East of Eden. [New York: The Viking Press, 1952.]. Sold for US$7,680 inc. premium
FINE COPY OF THE GRAPES OF WRATH. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking Press, 1939.FINE COPY OF THE GRAPES OF WRATH. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking Press, 1939.. Sold for US$6,400 inc. premium
ED RICKETTS' PRESENTATION COPY OF SAINT KATY THE VIRGIN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Saint Katy the Virgin. New York: Covici Friede, 1936.ED RICKETTS' PRESENTATION COPY OF SAINT KATY THE VIRGIN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Saint Katy the Virgin. New York: Covici Friede, 1936.. Sold for US$4,864 inc. premium

Lot gallery

107 lots available

IN THE BEGINNING: JOHN STEINBECK'S ANCESTORS AND EARLY YEARS. This lot features a collection of material relating to John Steinbeck's ancestors, as well as his own youth growing up in Salinas at the beginning of the 20th century.
A LOCK OF THREE-YEAR-OLD JOHN STEINBECK'S HAIR. [STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968.] Approx. 6 inch lock of blonde hair tied with string, with original envelope annotated by Olive Hamilton Steinbeck,
STEINBECK FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM. 6 leaves extracted from an album, paginated 1-2, 7-8, 17-18, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28, each leaf with black and white photos laid down, 54 x 80 to 80 x 135 mm, c.1908-1918,
THREE JOHN STEINBECK CHILDHOOD BOOKS, TWO SIGNED.
STEINBECK'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT. [STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968.] Salinas High School. El Gabilan. Salinas: Salinas Index Pub. Co., 1919.
THREE PORTRAITS OF JOHN STEINBECK. 1. Gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 inch portrait of Steinbeck in suit and tie, no facial hair, c.1920, signed "Tunnicliffe S.F."
ANNOTATED TYPESCRIPT OF JOHN STEINBECK'S FIRST BOOK, CUP OF GOLD. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Typed Manuscript Signed ("John Steinbeck" and "J.S."), titled "The Cup of Gold Being The Life of a Pirate, With Occasional Historic Accuracies,"
STEINBECK'S FIRST NOVEL INSCRIBED TO HIS PARENTS. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cup of Gold. New York: Robert McBride & Co, 1929.
STEINBECK'S FIRST NOVEL INSCRIBED TO HIS LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cup of Gold. New York: Robert M. McBride & Co., 1929.
PRESENTATION COPY TO "DOC" BOLIN. 1. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cup of Gold. New York: Covici Friede, 1936.
THE PASTURES OF HEAVEN INSCRIBED BY STEINBECK TO HIS LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Pastures of Heaven. New York: Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1932.
STEINBECK'S OWN COPY OF THE PASTURES OF HEAVEN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Pastures of Heaven. New York: Covici Friede, [c.1935].
STEINBECK WRITES TO HIS SISTER AFTER A BITTER FIGHT WITH CAROL. Autograph Letter Signed ("John") to his sister Mary regarding a serious fight with his wife Carol, who has left him,
STEINBECK'S FATHER'S COPY OF TO A GOD UNKNOWN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. To a God Unknown. New York: Robert O. Ballou, 1933.
STEINBECK'S OWN SIGNED COPY OF HIS NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW APPEARANCES, FEATURING THE RED PONY. The North American Review, volumes 236, numbers 5 and 6; 237 number 4 (November and December 1933, and April 1934).
STEINBECK BOUND COPY OF THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW ISSUES FEATURING "THE RED PONY." STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. North American Review, volumes 236, numbers 5 and 6; 237 number 4 (November and December 1933 and April 1934).
STEINBECK'S COPY OF THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW, SIGNED. The North American Review, volume 238 number 4 (October: 1934).
STEINBECK ELABORATES HIS PHALANX THEORY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Typed Letter Signed in type to Mary Steinbeck regarding "the thesis for my new work," 2 pp recto and verso, 4to, Salinas, Wednesday, [1933], on "County of Monterey / Office of Treasurer" letterhead,
RARE GALLEY PROOF OF TORTILLA FLAT. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Tortilla Flat. New York: Covici Friede, 1935.
TORTILLA FLAT INSCRIBED TO STEINBECK'S LITTLE SISTER, MARY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Tortilla Flat. New York: Covici Friede, 1935.
JEAN HERSHOLT'S COPY OF TORTILLA FLAT. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Tortilla Flat. New York: Covici Friede, 1935.
STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Tortilla Flat. New York: Covici Friede, 1935.
"WHAT A PRICE FOR A PROLETARIAN BOOK!" COPY OF IN DUBIOUS BATTLE INSCRIBED FOR STEINBECK'S NIECE AND HER HUSBAND. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. In Dubious Battle. New York: Covici Friede, 1936.
A PRINTER'S PAGE FROM SAINT KATY THE VIRGIN, SIGNED EXCESSIVELY BY JOHN STEINBECK. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Single printer's sheet, pages 13-[28] of Steinbeck's short story "Saint Katy the Virgin," folded but not trimmed, featuring multiple examples of Steinbeck's signature and scribbles as well as a signature of Carol Steinbeck,
ED RICKETTS' PRESENTATION COPY OF SAINT KATY THE VIRGIN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Saint Katy the Virgin. New York: Covici Friede, 1936.
MARY STEINBECK DEKKER'S COPY OF SAINT KATY THE VIRGIN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Saint Katy the Virgin. New York: Covici Friede, 1936.
A FRAGMENT OF THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF OF MICE AND MEN, EATEN BY THE DOG. Autograph Manuscript, small fragment from Steinbeck's original handwritten draft for Of Mice and Men destroyed by his dog Toby, approx. 63 x 50 mm,
OF MICE AND MEN, SIGNED BY BROADWAY CAST, PLUS COPIES OF VARIOUS PLAYBILLS FROM STEINBECK'S LIBRARY. 1. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Of Mice and Men: A Play in 3 Acts. New York: Covici Friede, 1937.
JOHN STEINBECK'S NEW YORK DRAMA CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARD FOR OF MICE AND MEN. Silver plaque signed ("H.V. Poor"), 1938, 201 x 292 mm,
STEINBECK'S ORIGINAL LETTER FOR "THE FIRST WATCH." STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Typed Letter Signed ("John Steinbeck"), to Arnold Gingrich (as "Mr. G") thanking him for the gift of a watch and relating the emotional effect the gift had on him, 2 pp, 4to, Los Gatos, CA, January 5, 1938,
TWO COPIES OF THE FIRST WATCH. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The First Watch. Los Angeles: The Ward Ritchie Press, 1947.
"DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT" ISSUED TO AND SIGNED BY STEINBECK. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Typed Document Signed ("John Steinbeck"), declaring Steinbeck to be a citizen of California and asking that he be treated with kindness when traveling within and outside the state, 1 p, legal folio, [Sacramento, CA], April 6, 1938,
STEINBECK JOURNAL FROM 1938, PREPARING TO WRITE THE GRAPES OF WRATH. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Autograph Manuscript Signed ("John Steinbeck"), his journal for February-March 1938 as he struggles with Salinas and the Associated Farmers, the dawning of an idea for a new novel which became "L'Affaire Lettuceburg," 7 pp, February-March 1938,
THE GRAPES OF WRATH INSCRIBED TO JO CROTTY. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: The Viking Press, 1939.
FINE COPY OF THE GRAPES OF WRATH. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking Press, 1939.
GRAPES OF WRATH SIGNED IN 1940 BY SEVEN "OKIES." STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: The Viking Press, 1939.
NUMBER ONE OF ONLY 10 COPIES OF THE GRAPES OF WRATH SPECIALLY BOUND FOR STEINBECK. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: The Viking Press, 1939.
"THIS IS A GOD DAMNED LIE": STEINBECK INSCRIBES THE WRATH OF JOHN STEINBECK. BENNETT, ROBERT and ARTEMIS, illustrator. The Wrath of John Steinbeck or St. John Goes to Church. Los Angeles: The Albertson Press in association with Bunster Creely, 1939.
DRAFT OF THE INTRODUCTION TO SEA OF CORTEZ. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Autograph Manuscript titled "Introduction (about the Gulf of [Lower] California)," 4 pp, 4to, n.p., c.1941, on white foolscap,
UNREVISED PROOF OF SEA OF CORTEZ. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research.... New York: The Viking Press, 1941.
JEAN HERSHOLT COPIES OF THE MOON IS DOWN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. 1. The Moon is Down. New York: The Viking Press, 1942.
INSCRIBED CLANDESTINE NORWEGIAN COPIES OF THE MOON IS DOWN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Natt Uten Mane. Translated by Nils Lie. [Stockholm: Åhlén & Åkerlund, c.1942].
CLANDESTINE DANISH COPY OF THE MOON IS DOWN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Maanen er skjult. Copenhagen: "Udgivet af en kreds af danske" (published by a circle of Danes) [mimeographed by Mogens and Grete Staffeldt]," 1942.
INSCRIBED COPY OF SWISS PRINTING OF THE MOON IS DOWN. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Nuits sans lune. Lausanne: Marguerat, 1945.
UNPUBLISHED STEINBECK ILLUSTATED FICTION: "THE GOOD LITTLE NEIGHBOR." STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Autograph Manuscript Signed ("John Steinbeck"), titled "The Good Little Neighbor,"
GALLEY PROOF OF CANNERY ROW. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cannery Row. [New York: Viking Press, 1944.]
PROOF COPY OF CANNERY ROW. STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. Cannery Row. The Viking Press, 1945.
ORIGINAL VALENTI ANGELO ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE RED PONY. ANGELO, VALENTI, illustrator. 6 original pencil, pen, ink and gouache illustrations on board for John Steinbeck's The Red Pony, produced in 1942 but not used, as follows:
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