Eliot, T.S., signed material - " Old Possum's Book of Practi...

Estimate

£3,000 - £5,000

Eliot, T.S., signed material - " Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats"  Faber and Faber 12th Impression March 1956, inscribed 'For Susan McEwen with warm good wishes to herself and her future husband T. S. Eliot 16.x.58'  His name on the title page is crossed out in ink by Eliot, the dust wrapper has been repaired, the top of the cloth backstrip is frayed, 
with this is a handwritten letter from Eliot to Miss MacEwen (correct spelling!) from New York dated 28.iv.58 asking her to check things with the accountants re American government requirements, discussing the weather changes and also that 'I have been appointed an Honorary Deputy Sheriff of Dallas, & given a cowboy hat as in films. But no gun' The envelope is present, addressed to Miss Susan MacEwen, Faber and Faber, 24 Russell Square, with a postscript on the back regarding 'The Report from the Stationary Committee on Obscene Libel',
a copy typed letter from Eliot relating his difficulties in finishing his final play 'The Elder Statesman', accompanying this a signed playbill for the play's first performance at the Cambridge Theatre London on Thursday 25th September.
There are other pieces of ephemera collected by Miss MacEwen for her interest.
This has all come to auction directly from Miss MacEwen via her daughter.

Miss Susan MacEwen worked for Faber and Faber with Eliot for just over a year, possibly starting in September 1957, leaving in October 1958 after she was married.
Eliot would dictate letters to Miss MacEwen, known as Sue, on a Tuesday and then she would go round to his house on a Thursday for more dictation, particularly ‘The Elder Statesman’ which he was working on at the time. Sue remembers this as a very happy time. The Eliots went to America that spring on a reading tour, visiting two of the big universities. It was Sue’s job to make all travel arrangements for the tour.