Handwritten letter from Friedrich Engels to the social-democratic journalist Carl Hirsch, €29,000 at Hermann Historica.
The handwritten letter from Friedrich Engels to the social-democratic journalist Carl Hirsch had been estimated at €25,000 and sold at €29,000.
He was replying to Hirsch’s letter dated March 16, 1895, in which Engels was asked to edit four articles written by Hirsch. They had already been published in Sozialpolitisches Centralblatt in spring 1894 and 1895.
However, Hirsch intended to re-publish them in a new brochure after Engels had edited them. Engels agreed with two conditions, including: “That this is the last time you ask for my help in such a matter. I receive more manuscripts in a week than I can read in a month, but if I have to review them as well, I’ll hardly get through any.”
Engels’ comments on March 19 were addressed from 41, Regent’s Park Road, N.W. He had lived in London since 1870. Five months after this letter was sent, he died of cancer at the Primrose Hill house, aged 74.
The sales at Hermann Historica took place on May 6-12.
