This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/28/2018
Dickens made his second trip to America in 1867-1868, touring the country and giving public readings along the way, where he was delighted and impressed at the reception given him. On the day he signed this 5" x 7.5" J. Gurney & Sons cabinet photograph, Dickens performed his last-ever reading in America at Steinway Hall in New York. Upon finishing, the author was hailed with thunderous applause and he gave a brief summation of his thoughts on his time in the United States, saying, 'I shall never recall you as a mere public audience, but rather as a host of personal friends, and ever with the greatest gratitude, tenderness and consideration. Ladies and gentlemen, I beg to bid you farewell. God bless you, and God bless the land in which I leave you.' With that, he left for England out of the port of New York on the following day, never to return. This is a fantastic image (his manager called it 'the only good photograph of him in existence') signed on an important date, this is a scarce photo that marks the conclusion of Dickens's journey across the Atlantic. Signed in blue steel tip ink with the date "Twentieth April, 1868", all in Dickens' flourishing hand. The photograph itself is in overall fine condition, with some handling wear and a horizontal crease about 1/4 of the way down. The back exhibits some paper loss and remnants of mounting, with an inscription in an unknown hand. A larger than typically seen photograph with outstanding history and still in good condition! Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity from Beckett Authentication Services (BAS).