TYPED LETTER SIGNED (TLS)
La Jolla, CA: 27 August 1947. Letter. Two-page TYPED LETTER SIGNED as "Ray" on Chandler's personal 8-1/2" x 11" 6005 de la Costa letterhead to "Swanie," his literary agent H. N. Swanson about a contract with Paramount and a possible plagiarism suit in England. In part: "The question I raised with Barrow about the Paramount situation was for your benefit, and only indirectly for mine. The Paramount contract is dated April 19, 1946, and is for a period of five years commencing as of January 2, 1946. The first paragraph of this contract gives Paramount the right to what is called a first look at any literary material of mine during the five-year period.... You will probably have noticed in the correspondence with Hamish Hamilton about this projected plagiarism suit in England that their solicitors find they cannot sue for infringement of copyright for the reason that Knopf failed to deposit two copies of the books at Qttowa within two weeks of the American publication. I do not find anything in the Knopf contract that requires them to do this, but it seems curious that they did not, because they had the Canadian publication rights and theoretically, at least, the failure to protect the copyright in those countries signatory to the Berne convention (of whom I assume Canada to be one) would deprive the books of any legal copyright in Canada. Would you like me to write to Knopf about this, or do you think it is not worth bothering about? Enclosed is a letter [not present] from a man named Angus Murdock who wants to use some words from an article of mine for a chapter heading in a book about Allan Pinkerton. I don't suppose there is any objection, but we should have an exact copy of the words he wants to use before giving him permission. I expect to send Joe Sistrom half of the movie script within the next few days." Light creases from mailing, staple holes to the upper left corner. Near Fine. Item #021771
Price: $2,500.00