['Mark Twain' (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), great American writer.] Envelope addressed to 'S. L. Clement, Esqr. | "Mark Twain"', at 'Buckenham Hall', and forwarded to 88 Brook Street, with annotations and eight postmarks.

Author: 
'Mark Twain', pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), great American writer, creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, described by William Faulkner as 'the father of American literature'
Twain
Publication details: 
Sent from Belfast to Brandon in Norfolk, and then on to London. November 1887.
£90.00
SKU: 22567

8.5 x 14 envelope. In fair condition, aged and creased. Torn open, with slight loss to flap. A nice Mark Twain artefact, and something of a puzzle, as he does not appear to have been in England at the time. There does not appear to be any connection between Twain and William Amhurst Tyssen-Amherst (1835-1909), 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney, whose London address was 88 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square. With purple penny stamp, and three postmarks on the front (Belfast, 9 November, and Brandon, 10 and 11 November), and five on the back (two London, 12 and 15 November, the other three indecipherable), several annotations, crossings out, initials and numbers. Neatly addressed to 'S. L. Clement, [sic] Esqr. | "Mark Twain" | Bushenden Hall'. The final line is crossed out, and the following added in the same hand: 'c/o Hon. W. A. Tyssen-Amherst M.P. | Didlington Hall | Brandon.' At foot of cover: 'England.' (the letter was sent from Belfast) and 'Norfolk'. At head of cover, in red ink: 'not known at Buckenham Hall | or | Didlington Hall'. The address '88 Brook Street | W' added in red ink on cover. On flap: '1st Name not k[...] | 88: Brook St. [...]'