Victor Hugo signed autograph letter to Alexandre Dumas fils Hachette

  

Hauteville House [Guernsey], June 9, 1867. An oblong page, 8vo, mounted on thick cardboard (collage). Black ink on blue letter paper. Trace of the thick cardboard on the paper. Size: 12.5 x 20.5 cm / 21.5 x 20.5 cm with frame (included).

A magnificent note delivered to Alexandre Dumas Fils and beautifully signed, in which Victor Hugo offers the complete collection of his works published by Hachette. Victor Hugo and Louis Hachette had a long relationship until the death of the great publisher in 1864.

Upon the death of Alexandre Dumas in December 1870, Victor Hugo delivered a beautiful and moving letter to Alexandre Dumas fils in memory of his father. Hugo's relations with Dumas's son were sometimes more contrasted. Dumas fils never sent me a single one of his works. Hachette was to deliver to Mr. Alexandre Dumas fils, regarding the volumes to which I am entitled, the complete collection of my works published by their bookstore.

[Handwritten inscription of the receiver from the Hachette bookstore]. On June 22, 1867, signature of the receiver, Albert F. In 1857, Hachette, probably in the name of Hetzel, acquired the right to publish an edition of Hugo at 1 franc per volume. Hachette had indeed substituted Hetzel when he exiled himself to Belgium after the coup d'état and took charge of the sale of all his publications. On October 6, 1860, Hetzel, acting as the poet's agent, who remained in exile, ceded to Hachette, for ten years, the right to publish in 18mo format all of Hugo's works published in France at that date, except for the Légende des Siècles.

Source: Louis Hachette, A Great Publisher and His Authors. Victor Hugo to his son François-Victor on May 29, 1867, a few months before our letter: "Regarding the famous letter to Mr. Dumas fils, it is simply false. I have never written that, nor anything similar, and I challenge anyone to show the original.

Could one of our friends not say this in a letter or in a chronicle? It would be a service to me.

I recommend that you go quickly to Mr. And I embrace you tightly.

Good detail: I add that never has Mr. Dumas fils sent me a single one of his works. Our letter comes protected by an anti-UV and anti-glare frame. The back of the frame and mounting are designed to be easily unframed if necessary.