Lot 182: Collins, William Wilkie

Collins, William Wilkie. (1824-89) English novelist; one of the first and greatest masters of the mystery story. His mysteries had very skillful and complex plots, influencing the later works of his friend and sometime collaborator Charles Dickins. Collins wrote 25 novels and over 50 short stories. He was immensely popular in his time. Some of his best-known works are No Name (1862), Armadale (1866), The Moonstone (1868), and The New Magdalen (1873).Autograph Manuscript Signed, Fie! Fie! or The Fair Physician, a story published in The Spirit of the Times, Dec. 23, 1882, 20 pages, 10 3/4 x 9 inches. The manuscript is entirely written in black ink in Collins' hand, with many holograph corrections, so busy and messy that it is difficult to imagine a publisher accepting this as the printer's copy. Each page is laid to a page in an album, 12 3/4 x 10 1/2 inches. The covers, now worn and the spine loose and damaged, are trimmed in black morocco with gilt lettering, "Fie! Fie! or The Fair Physician by Wilkie Collins / The Original Manuscript." A cabinet photo of Collins, signed in purple ink, is affixed to the inside cover. The first page has the title written in Wilkie's hand and "(Edited, Under the Instructions of Mrs. Crossmichael, By) Wilkie Collins." The pages are lightly toned, else in fine condition. A unique manuscript by the famous mystery writer.Note: The April 27, 1895 issue of the London weekly The Publishers' Circular (No. 1504) reports the sale that week at Sotheby's of the corrected proof of this story, as well as manuscripts for two other Wilkie stories, "The Devil's Spectacles" and "Love's Random Shots," and notes that the envelope containing the stories has the following holograph note signed by Wilkie and dated Jan. 10, 1887: "These stories have served their purpose in periodicals, but are not worthy of republication in book form. They were written in a hurry and the sooner they are drowned in the waters of oblivion the better. I desire that they shall not be republished after my death." Estimated Value $40,000 - 45,000