The editors at MTP could best answer that question. The general view is that
Twain compiled his scrapbooks, but from his early western correspondence
it's clear that he asked his brother Orion to add things from time to time,
so the scrapbooks of that period might be considered a joint effort. As for
any later scrapbooks, I'm not sure how you could determine who did what.
Twain did employ a clipping service late in life. If you include photo
albums in the same category as scrapbooks, then those might have been a
family affair. I have Jean's Italian photo album (of photos she took
herself) with her own captions, but Twain went through the album and added
his own notes and corrections to her captions, very likely during her
lifetime. How much the scrapbooks might reflect the piddlings of others is
hard to know. Clara pulled things from the family archives (and scrapbooks?)
at an early date, and Paine removed things at a fairly early date, and
"organized" various papers (and scrapbooks?) later on. None of this should
be surprising and it's no different from what happens with the family papers
of any family, but it's challenging, sometimes irritating, to those hoping
to reconstruct the documentation of Twain's life.
Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
Member: ABAA, ILAB
*************************
You may browse our books at:
www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Arianne .
Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 1:27 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook
Kevin, I do look forward to what you've found out about the scrapbooks, but
I also wonder if anyone has done a study of what is IN the
scrapbooks availabe at the Mark Twain Papers in Berkeley. I'm curioius
about if anyone knows or guesses convincingly about who
put the stuff inside the scrapbooks. I'm assuming Mark Twain himself must
have started, if not from the very first ones, some of them himself
so tht he would realize how helpful his creation was needed.
Thanks for all you've done for him and us.
Grateful
Arianne Arianne
On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 2:18 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I don't want to do it unless I do it right, and my stack of "to-do"
> writings
> is long. But it's on the list, outlined, with a folder full of notes and
> citations already done. All in good time.
>
> Kevin
> @
> Mac Donnell Rare Books
> 9307 Glenlake Drive
> Austin TX 78730
> 512-345-4139
> Member: ABAA, ILAB
> *************************
> You may browse our books at:
> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Arianne .
> Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2017 3:50 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook
>
> Kevin, I'm glad to hear you have already put together some notes on the
> scrapbooks.
> I understand that other projects may have priority, but I'm pleased to
> hear
> scrapabooks are in the line.
> THANKS
> Arianne laidlaw
>
> On Tue, Nov 14, 2017 at 6:21 AM, Kevin Mac Donnell <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Yes, probably me. In my catalogue notes I cite Letters 5:145.n4 which
> > confirms that a statement dated 1-12-78 covering the last six months of
> > sales indicated that 26,310 scrapbooks had been sold by that time and
> > Twain
> > had been paid about $1,000. I don't have the source handy, but I also
> > record
> > that his profits eventually topped $12,000. I don't have a date handy
> > for
> > that citation, but it's in my notes.
> >
> > Among my two dozen articles in progress, I have an outline and folder of
> > research on the scrapbook, including a mass of advertising data on them,
> > catalogues describing the formats, various patent records covering 1873
> to
> > 1902, contemporary reviews, etc. The examples I have show how people did
> > and
> > did not use them, and reveal formats not included in Slote's catalogues
> > and
> > ads. I also have a lot of material on Dan Slote and his business. Slote
> > seems to have given them away to his female friends from time to time.
> > I've
> > invested a good deal of time (and a few $$) in my research, but two
> > other
> > research projects are more pressing at the moment. I'll eventually get
> > back
> > to it and write up a full account. None of the accounts I've read on the
> > scrapbook are entirely satisfactory or give full accounts.
> >
> > I think the multiplier for late 19th century dollars is 25, so Twain
> > perhaps
> > made $300,000 in modern dollars from the scrapbook. That does not smell
> > like
> > failure to me. They also spread his fame in a positive way for 25 years.
> >
> > Kevin
> > @
> > Mac Donnell Rare Books
> > 9307 Glenlake Drive
> > Austin TX 78730
> > 512-345-4139
> > Member: ABAA, ILAB
> > *************************
> > You may browse our books at:
> > www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Alan Kitty
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 7:06 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook
> >
> > Someone - possibly you Kevin, considering your collection - mentioned
> that
> > p=
> > rofits were in the neighborhood of $10,000. By itself, the number sounds
> > lik=
> > e success. But over 20-30 years, maybe not so much. Is that a verifiable
> > num=
> > ber?
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > > On Nov 13, 2017, at 9:23 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell
> > > <[log in to unmask]
> > OM> wrote:
> > >=20
> > > The Mark Twain Scrapbook is nicely written up in a book on
> > > scrapbooking
> > > th=
> > at=20
> > > I reviewed in the Forum a few years ago. As claimed in the
> > > advertisements,=
> > =20
> > > it was a clear improvement over the practice of having to apply your
> > > own=20=
> >
> > > paste. That could get messy. I have over 50 examples--all different
> > > cover=20=
> >
> > > designs and sizes--and this includes some unused ones. The pages do
> > > often=20=
> >
> > > stick together, but this should not comes as a surprise for a book
> > > kept
> > > ov=
> > er=20
> > > 100 years in a barn, house, or attic without the benefit of humidity
> > > and=20=
> >
> > > temperature control. I'd get a bit sticky myself, probably within
> > > days.
> > > Bu=
> > t=20
> > > I have many more examples whose pages have not stuck together, and the
> > > glu=
> > e=20
> > > is remarkably stable. The glue used in some self-adhesive photo albums
> > > of=20=
> >
> > > the 1970s is notoriously unstable and often reacts very badly and
> > > destroys=
> > =20
> > > whatever is stuck in the album. Not so with the Mark Twain Scrapbooks.
> > >=20
> > > The thing was a success and was produced from 1877 to at least 1901
> > > (the=20=
> >
> > > date of the last catalogue I have listing them).
> > >=20
> > > Kevin
> > > @
> > > Mac Donnell Rare Books
> > > 9307 Glenlake Drive
> > > Austin TX 78730
> > > 512-345-4139
> > > Member: ABAA, ILAB
> > > *************************
> > > You may browse our books at:
> > > www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
> > >=20
> > >=20
> > > -----Original Message-----=20
> > > From: Martin Zehr
> > > Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2017 12:46 PM
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: Mark Twain Scrapbook
> > >=20
> > > Mark Twain scrapbooks are not in the rare category of Twain
> > > collectibles,
> > > as far as I can determine, and Kevin Mac Donnell can attest. They come
> > > in
> > > a=
> >
> > > variety of covers and sizes, with the "Mark Twain" trademark
> prominently
> > > displayed inside the front cover. They come up on ebay once in awhile
> > > and
> > > I've purchased three over the years, none which were expensive. They
> > > were=
> >
> > > available from the 1870s into the 20th century. The examples I have
> > > were
> > > used and are interesting artifacts to peruse, the owners inserting
> > > news
> > > items, bad poetry and personal items. An unused example would
> > > undoubtedly=
> >
> > > be more expensive, but undoubtedly less interesting.
> > > Martin Zehr
> > >=20
> > > <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=3Demail&utm_
> > source=3Dlink&utm_=
> > campaign=3Dsig-email&utm_content=3Dwebmail&utm_term=3Dicon>
> > > Virus-free.
> > > www.avast.com
> > > <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=3Demail&utm_
> > source=3Dlink&utm_=
> > campaign=3Dsig-email&utm_content=3Dwebmail&utm_term=3Dlink>
> > > <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
> > >=20
> > >> On Sat, Nov 11, 2017 at 3:17 AM, Arianne . <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> > >>=20
> > >> Thank y ou so much. One of his scrapbooks plays a large part in
> > >> my interest in Twain. I've never checked, but I wonder if any blank
> > >> ones ever come up for sale. I imagine plenty of used ones might. I
> > >> assume the collection of scrapbooks held by the Mark Twain Project
> > >> in Berkeley contain examples of scrapbooks the family created before
> > >> the patent and some they made after.
> > >>=20
> > >> THANKS!
> > >> Arianne Laidlaw
> > >>=20
> > >> On Fri, Nov 10, 2017 at 11:38 AM, Robert M Ellsworth
> > >> <[log in to unmask]>=
> >
> > >> wrote:
> > >>=20
> > >>> Here is a direct link to the Google Patents page for the
> > >>> =3D91Improvemen=
> > ts
> > >> =3D
> > >>> in Scrap-books=3D92 patent, from which you can download a PDF copy
> > >>> if
> > >>> th=
> > e=20
> > >>> =3D
> > >>> online documentation is too hard to read (as it very often is!)
> > >>>=20
> > >>> https://www.google.com/patents/US140245
> > >>>=20
> > >>> The idea is rather interesting: he covers the whole page with =3D
> > >>> water-soluble glue or mucilage, and a user moistens just the area
> > >>> where=20=
> >
> > >>> =3D
> > >>> something is to go, presumably most easily with a small brush or
> > >>> blot
> > >>> of=
> >
> > >> =3D
> > >>> paper. Contemporary ads appear to show something between the
> > >>> treated
> > >>> =3D=
> >
> > >>> gummed pages, perhaps material to which the gum left exposed between
> > >>> =3D=
> >
> > >>> pasted items won=3D92t self-stick in humid locations. Presumably
> > >>> there
> > >>> i=
> > s
> > >> =3D
> > >>> some care to provide =3D91adhesive=3D92 that will not stick until
> > >>> desire=
> > d, =3D
> > >>> perhaps dusting with (dyed) cornstarch or similar material to form
> > >>> what=20=
> >
> > >>> =3D
> > >>> parents with diapered children might know as =3D91a barrier
> > >>> layer=3D92.
> > >>>=20
> > >>> The accounts I=3D92ve read say that he made ample profit from this
> =3D
> > >>> invention, and my guess is that the name recognition was a large
> > >>> part
> > >>> of=
> >
> > >> =3D
> > >>> the attractiveness. Perhaps it would still be, if anyone decided to
> > >>> =3D=
> >
> > >>> =3D93re-introduce=3D94 these with modern materials =3D85 I can think
> > >>> of
> > >>> a=
> > few=20
> > >>> =3D
> > >>> improvements just looking at the patent drawings.=3D
> > >>>=20
> > >>=20
> > >>=20
> > >>=20
> > >> --
> > >> Arianne Laidlaw A '58
> > >>=20
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Arianne Laidlaw A '58
>
--
Arianne Laidlaw A '58
|
