C.L. DODGSON (LEWIS CARROLL) AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED — FRAGMENT WITH BOLD SIGNATURE IN PURPLE INK
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832–1898), who published his immortal Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass under the pen name Lewis Carroll, signs the final leaf of an autograph letter in his characteristic purple ink. The surviving text reads: "might possibly like to undertake your Locum-Tenancy. I am writing to tell him of it. Always sincerely yours / C. Dodgson." The letter concerns an arrangement by which a third party might assume the correspondent's duties or position temporarily; the context suggests an Oxford or ecclesiastical setting, consistent with Dodgson's Christ Church environment.
Dodgson signed his correspondence invariably as "C.L. Dodgson" or "C. Dodgson," never as Lewis Carroll, maintaining a strict separation between his mathematical and literary identities throughout his life. The purple ink is characteristic of his later correspondence and makes for a visually striking piece. While only a fragment, the signature is bold, clean, and fully legible, and the text is substantive enough to confirm authenticity beyond doubt.
Estimate: $1,500–$2,500
*ALS, one page (final leaf of a longer letter), purple ink; approximately 7 x 4.5 inches; undated; signed "C. Dodgson"; fine condition with light edge wear (IMG_292.jpg).*
This item will be accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from One of a Kind Collectibles.