Beschreibung:

STEINBECK, JOHN. 1902-1968. This lot includes every iteration of Burning Bright before publication, from the original handwritten draft to the submitted typescript to several versions of galley proofs and, finally, a custom-bound copy of the final printed version, as follows:
ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT.
1. Autograph Manuscript in pencil, "In the Forest of the Night," 90 pp, legal folio, [New York, c.1949], on yellow foolscap torn from notebook, creases from paper clips to upper left, corners bumped, thumbsoiling. Original manuscript draft of the novelette, with a fair copy of Blake's "Tyger, Tyger" (her called "Tiger, Tiger") in Steinbeck's hand among the preliminary items, and several pages of notes about character and structure before the work actually begins. Steinbeck's original draft of his 1950 novella/playlet.
ORIGINAL TYPESCRIPT.
2. Typed Manuscript with annotations by Steinbeck and others, titled "In the Forests of the Night," 96 pp, 4to, New York, 1950, with original title page mockup by publisher and original typed covers submitted by Macintosh and Otis, Table of Contents and dedication ("To, for, and by Elaine") in Steinbeck's hand, with additional notes and corrections in various editorial hands. Pages lightly creased and thumbsoiled, some edges rough.
AUTHOR'S COPIES OF GALLEY PROOFS.
3. In the Forests of the Night. [New York: The Viking Press, January, 1950.] 37 leaves, folio, printed on rectos only of long, unbound galley sheets. Marked "Author's galleys" in pencil to p 1 and "Act I / The Circus" in Steinbeck's hand above text, edited throughout by Steinbeck and others. Lightly thumbed, edges with light wear. Likely a copy of the April 1950 proof.
4. Another copy. 37 leaves, dated April 26-27, 1950. Annotated in various hands, stamped "Author's Proof / Apr 26 1950 / H. Wolff Book Mfg Co."
5. Another copy. 52 leaves, dated May 17 and May 18, 1950, this copy heavily annotated by Steinbeck on later pages, rewriting the ending entirely.
6. Another copy. 48 leaves, dated July 21 and July 12-13, 1950.
7. In the Forests of the Night: A Play in Story Form. New York: The Viking Press, November 1950. Unrevised proofs. In brown wrappers tied with string at upper margin, printed and typed labels to upper cover, marked "Old" at upper left and with illegible pencil notes in Steinbeck's hand to lower cover.
8. Another copy. Unrevised Proofs. In brown wrappers tied with string at upper margin, printed and typed labels to upper cover, marked "New Version" at lower margin and with Elia Kazan's Beverly Hills address in Steinbeck's hand to lower cover.
9. Author's proof of title and preliminaries, 4 leaves, folio, printed on rectos only of long, unbound galley sheets, dated August 8, 1950 and featuring original title and new title both.
10. Author's proof of title and preliminaries, 3 leaves, folio, printed on rectos only of long, unbound galley sheets, dated August 15, 1950, featuring only revised title "Burning Bright."
11. Burning Bright. New York; The Viking Press, 1950. 50 leaves, folio, printed on rectos only of long, unbound galley sheets. With titles and preliminary materials. Editorial annotations to upper cover. Thumbsoiling, crease to p 1.
PUBLISHED VERSION IN CUSTOM BINDING.
12. Burning Bright. 8vo. Bound in full black morocco lettered and ruled in gilt by Gerhard Gerlach. Upper cover reading "To, for, and because of Elaine." Gerlach was a successful NYC bookbinder in the mid-20th century.
Most items housed together in custom slipcase with label to upper cover and spine.
Provenance: gift of John Steinbeck to David Heyler (letters dated April 21 and August 16, 1950, copies of which are present with this lot); by descent.
Burning Bright was written in the aftermath of Steinbeck's divorce from his second wife, Gwyn, and was another experiment with form for the author. Designed to be a play in novel form (easily adapted to the stage by simply lifting the dialogue out), the work is a morality play patterned after the fifteenth-century Everyman. '"In its model the play may have been old, but it was way ahead of its time in its overall impressionism, its bizarre transplanting, for example, of the same characters into three entirely different settings—the circus, the farm and the sea—with accompanying changes of identity, but in roles having the same relationship" (Benson 644). As Steinbeck was preparing the novel galleys for publication, he was also involved in the stage production of the work produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein and starring Barbara bel Geddes and Howard da Silva, among others. The play had a short run in New Haven, during which Steinbeck tweaked the work (probably reflected here in these marked-up galleys), but when it moved it Boston in the fall it closed after 13 performances.
In the correspondence with David Heyler (originals in lot 89, copies of which are present here), we can trace the path of these items from Steinbeck to his nephew-in-law. On April 21, 1950, Steinbeck wrote Heyler, answering several bibliographic questions, including where the dot between the 8s came from in Of Mice and Men (the machine did it) and where to find advance copies of certain titles. Steinbeck also asked Pat Covici to send Heyler advance copies of all his new works. Steinbeck adds, "Of the new thing [Burning Bright] he will send not only advance copies but also galleys if you wish. Do you?"
On August 16, 1950, Steinbeck wrote again: "I'll go to work on my long novel as soon as the play opens. I'll send out some galleys and page proofs when I can. They can be valuable because ... titles have been changed."
On October 23, Steinbeck wrote, "well, we opened, held our audience and got smashed by the critics. They really let us have it with both barrels." The poor reception of Burning Bright may have led Steinbeck to send the whole pile of manuscripts and galleys to Dave Heyler, who accepted them gratefully.