Lilly Library / Indiana University (Sinclair, Upton)

The Upton Sinclair Archives with: Ephemera

Bloomington, IN, USA: Lilly Library at Indiana University, 1963. First Printings. Large-Format Softcover; Various. Inscribed & Signed by Upton Sinclair. It’s been a while since us devoted antiquarians over at Third Mind Books have put an item into the site where the surname “Sinclair” didn’t automatically mean “John Sinclair,” — the iconic, late martyred hero of the 1960s counterculture, most famous for his cannabis activism & life-in-literature. The unrelated John and Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) do share more than a surname, however: both were passionately committed to a leftist politic that championed direct action over theoretical meandering. While they could sip espresso and discuss Das Kapital if they wanted, both Sinclairs were mercilessly devoted to action. Your Devoted Managing Curator’s favorite examples of this group-powered guerrilla wordfare are Upton’s collaborations with the great German Modernist, John Heartfield (1891-1968), whose inventive, incendiary collages were often featured on the dust jackets of Upton’s works. Now to the substance of this voluminous listing: it contains [1] a large-format softcover in stapled wrappers (quite evocative of the Beat periodical, “THE UNSPEAKABLE VISIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL,” actually) produced by Indiana University’s Lilly Library in Bloomington and contains not only a list of the Upton Sinclair archive’s contents but some short prefatory scholarship that only whets the serious collector’s gluttonous appetite all the more. It continues with [2]: a promotional pamphlet (measuring appx. 6x9”) from an exhibit held at the Lilly where choice relics from the Sinclair archive were unearthed and displayed with the accompanying, necessary context; [3] a newspaper cut-out of Sinclair’s obituary; [4] a [folded-single sheet] publisher’s promotional brochure, this time advertising “The Autobiography of Upton Sinclair”; & [5] a 4.5 x 7” festschrift-like pamphlet containing testamentary remembrances of Sinclair & his towering genius. The part of this listing first mentioned above (“[1]”) is where the lot gets especially delectable, however: as it is inscribed & boldly signed by the great communist crusader. Sinclair signature, in thin blue pen ink, reads: “For Lois Lehner / and (illegible) / with best wishes / Upton Sinclair.” A handwritten date is also found on the bottom left corner of inside front cover reading: "4/18/65" (see photos). From the collection of Dr. Stanley Hurwick Levy (1926-2020) — legendarily precocious Princetonian (where he walked and talked and studied with the likes of Albert Einstein, among others) — before embarking upon a prodigious, near mythic seventy-year career as a practicing physician, during which he collected prolifically. Ephemera generally in strong fine condition, with only mild-to-enunciated age-toning, shelf-wear, & light bumping at varying locales, otherwise generally well-kept & quite clean. Signed large-format softcover in strong near fine condition with only mild-to-enunciated age-toning, light shelf-wear, bumping, rubbing & bump-creasing to varying locales at front, back covers & spine-edge, otherwise clean. Very Good - Near Fine. [Item #6370]

Price: $100.00