Life rarely tells: an Australian boyhood (1958) by Jack Lindsay, an grangerized copy presented to Harry Chaplin by the author in 1961, with typescript inserts and a photograph

MLMSS 9728

fonds

1958, 1961

Textual Records, Photographs, Ephemera

1369385

0.05 meters of textual material, 1 bookplate, 1 photograph (1 box) - typescript; printed; black & white ; - manuscript

Harry Floyd Chaplin (1895–1988) was the proprietor of the Chaplin-Elliott Dental Company in Sydney. For many years he was well known as a successful businessman and passionate collector of Australian books, printed ephemera, manuscripts and letters.

Norman Lindsay was a celebrated Australian artist, etcher, sculptor, writer, cartoonist and ship modeler. Jack Lindsay was his first son and Philip Lindsay was his third. Both were well-known writers.

Jack Lindsay to Harry Chaplin, 1961, and inserts typescripts and photograph. Sold to Pat Corrigan. Sold at Sotheby's Melbourne auction of Corrigan material, ca 1997. Purchased by vendor. Source: Bookfinders, August 2012.

1 bound volume with coloured book-jacket. 'Life rarely tells: an autobiographical account ending in the year 1921 and situated mostly in Brisbane, Queensland by Jack Lindsay'. London: Bodley Head, 1958. 224 pages and 10 pages of plates and images.

The book includes a Harry Chaplin bookplate by Lionel Lindsay pasted in on front endpaper and a loose Pat Corrigan bookplate by John Coburn.

Tipped in on the flyleaf is a five-page typescript by Jack Lindsay titled in his hand: 'To Harry Chaplin, a first instalment of addenda - page refs to book not MS. Jack Lindsay'. Includes a hand-drawn map by Jack of inner North Shore showing the places Norman and family lived in ca 1900-1910. The letter deals with Norman's early days in Sydney; when he had taken up with Rose; comments on Jack's brothers and his time in Brisbane; comments on Norman's first trip to England, and stories that Norman had told him.

Tipped in opposite the title page is a black & white photograph of Norman Lindsay holding Jack as a baby. Inscribed below, 'Norman Lindsay with Jack, The Bunnah'.

Tipped in on the back endpaper is a five-page typescript copy of a letter from Norman Lindsay to Jack dated Springwood, August 1958 giving his thoughts on Life Rarely Tells.

Loose at the back is an undated letter from Philip Lindsay to Jack commenting on the manuscript of the book with suggestions and corrections.

Tipped in on the back inside cover is one page of a typescript letter with manuscript annotations from Jack to Norman Lindsay summarising the psychological method he plans to use in writing his autobiography.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Inscribed: 'To Harry Chaplin / this book, which is one of / my favourites among my work, / with all good wishes / Spring '61 London / Jack Lindsay'