SECKER

1p., 4to. Fair, on aged paper with a slight bloom. Addressed to 'Dear Driberg'. He has intended to write for some time, and has finally traced Driberg's address 'on reading your letter in The Times this morning'. 'I dare say you know that I left Routledge's and established my own business on the basis of the Martin Secker list.' He invites Driberg to 'come in for a chat' the next time he is in London: 'I think it is high time a new book from you appeared and I should be glad to have it on this list.' Driberg does not appear to have taken Warburg up on his offer.

Sent by Niven to his literary agent J. B. Pinker, whose date stamp is on the first of Secker's letters. All four items in fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Secker's first letter: 1p., 4to. He begins by praising 'Denny's display' [a window display of Niven's work in Denny's bookshop in the Strand]: 'I am wondering whether you managed to get the photograph into any of the papers. Shall I send it to the Bookman?' He continues: 'The sales [of Niven's novel The Porcelain Lady] up to date amount to 434 in England.

4to: 1 p. Ten lines of text. Heavily stained, but a neat link between two giants of the twentieth-century British book trade. 'I give myself the pleasure of saluting you, I really believe for the first time'. He is happy for the opportunity of telling Secker how much he admired his 'flair and enterprise in earlier years'. He hopes he 'may write as firmly and with as lively a mind as you in six years' time'. 'Alas that we must disappoint you': the books Secker has requested are all out of print. 'Just possibly one or more may come into our hands secondhand.