Harry F. Chaplin - Louis Becke Miscellany, 1893-1976

MLMSS 7303/Box 1X

fonds

1893-1976

Textual Records, Clippings, Photographs, Drawings

431695

0.16 metres of textual material (1 outsize box) includes photographs
Textual Records
Clippings
Drawings
Textual Records - (typescript)

Harry Floyd Chaplin was born in 1895. For many years he was well known as a successful businessman and a notable collector of Australiana including books, letters, manuscripts, association items, drawings, photographs and bookplates. He was an inaugural member of the Book Collectors' Society of Australia which was founded in 1944. Between 1964 and 1978 he published nine titles detailing and commenting on his collections of various authors' and artists' works. He died in 1988. (Reference: Jean Stone, 'Vale Harry Chaplin', Biblionews and Australian Notes & Queries, Vol. 14, No. 1, Mar. 1989).
Louis Becke (1855-1913) is best known for his novels and short stories, many of which were based on his adventures as a traveller and trader in the Pacific. His first collection of short stories, By Reef and Palm, was published in 1894 and throughout his life he wrote regularly for the Bulletin.

An album of manuscripts, extracts and miscellanea concerning Louis Becke. It includes a pencil portrait of Becke by Fred Leist; a photograph of Becke on a marble slab on the day of his death; two notes by Becke extracted from Lala Fisher's autograph album; three letters by Becke, 1897, 1901, 1906; proof, with corrections, of 'How Some Kanakas Vanish' with a note by Becke, 14 Jan. 1898; article on Becke published in the Review of Reviews, 20 March 1895; newscuttings from the Bulletin relating to Becke and his writings, 1893-1903; newscuttings of Becke's short stories published in the Bulletin, 1893-98; newscuttings relating to 'Bully' Hayes; copy of a poem by Henry Lawson on the death of Becke; list of articles published by Becke in various journals.
The album includes a typed contents list.

This album was assembled and bound by Harry F. Chaplin, and bears his bookplate.