Harry MATHEWS

Autograph letter signed by Harry Mathews addressed to his love Claude Arthaud (14 lines in black ink) from the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco, envelope included.
Two small tears to the right margin of the letter affecting one word and one dash.
In this tender letter imbued with the melancholic sadness of separated hearts, Harry Mathews yearns to reunite with his love: "Tout se passe bien : tout se passe, tout passe. Mais au passage il ne reste peu de temps pour s'occuper des absents - de l'absente. Pourtant je pense à toi si souvent, avec des pointes de désir et d'amour..." ["Everything is going well: everything passes, everything goes by. But in passing there...

Autograph signed bristol card from Harry Mathews addressed to his close friend Claude Arthaud (24 lines in black ink) from his country retreat in Lans-en-Vercors, Isère, envelope included.
In this note filled with tender nostalgia, Harry Mathews shares with his correspondent the sadness he felt at not being able to reach her when she was in Paris and the difficulty of contacting her: "Je t'ai appelé trois fois à Paris aux dates que tu m'avais indiquées. La troisième fois une vois (sic) extraordinairement émilienne a prononcé la formule si familière : "c'est de la part de qui ? Madame, elle est n'est pas là, monsieur." ["I called you three times in Paris on the dates you...

First edition of the French translation, of which there were no deluxe copies, a Service de Presse (advance) copy.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Harry Mathews in French to Maurice Blanchot "... avec toute ma gratitude pour l"'Arrêt de mort', pour ne pas nommer tous les autres accomplis et à venir" ["... with all my gratitude for 'Death Sentence', not to mention all the others accomplished and to come"].
Handsome copy.