[Rudyard Kipling: rare pamphlet, later titled 'The Claims of Art', with enclosure by A. Forbes Sieveking.] Speech of Mr. Rudyard Kipling, as Chairman at the Annual Dinner of the Artists' General Benevolent Institution, on May the Ninth, 1907.

Author: 
Rudyard Kipling; A. Forbes Sieveking [Artists' General Benevolent Institution, London]
Publication details: 
Pamphlet without publication details. Enclosure by Sieveking dated from 12 Seymour Street, Portman Square, W. [London.] June 1907.
£160.00
SKU: 22559

Pamphlet: 4pp, 8vo. Bifolium of thick wove paper. In red wraps, with title printed in black on front cover, with words: 'Printed by permission.' The full phrase is printed at the end of the article on p.4. Drophead title on p.1 same as title on cover. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The bifolium of text was formerly glued into the wraps, but the glue has become brittle, and the wraps and contents are now detached from one another. There was a report of the meeting, and of Kipling's speech, in The Times, 10 May 1907; and the speech was later collected in 'A Book of Words' (1928). The dinner was held in the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole with Kipling in the Chair. Loosely inserted is a leaf of paper with copy of a Typed Letter Signed, with facsimile signature of 'A. Forbes Sieveking/.' 1p, 8vo. Reads: 'Sir, | Thinking that those who had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Rudyard Kipling's speech as Chairman at the dinner of the Artists' General Benevolent Institution, on May 9th last, would desire to preserve it in its integrity, I obtained his permission to print it, and have now the pleasure to request your acceptance of a copy.'