ARCHIVE: Correspondence and manuscripts.
Janet and Hildegarde Flanner
1945-1983
Flanner, Janet and Hildegarde Flanner. Correspondence and manuscript archive, 1945-1983.
An archive of correspondence, ephemera, photographs, typescript poems by Hildegarde Flanner (Janet’s sister), and newsclippings; 1945-1983 (bulks 1969-1973). Together with carbons and interoffice memos from editors at Viking regarding the reissue and publication of Flanner’s books.
Flanner’s correspondence is brief and mostly discusses invitations or scheduling details. Also included is an agreement signed “Janet Flanner”; August 23, 1973; allowing Flanner’s biographer, Virginia Spencer Carr, to quote from letters interviews and other materials.
Flanner correspondence
ALS “Janet Flanner” to Ray Roberts; May 11, 1973; 1p., one half-leaf New Yorker letterhead. Thanks Roberts for a letter and invites him to lunch. Together with envelope.
ALS “Janet Flanner” to Ray Roberts; ca. August 1973; 1p., one leaf, written on the original letter Roberts sent to Flanner. Explains she is in the country, without any paper and therefore had to write on the letter he wrote to her. Submits a blurb for Desmond Seward’s book, Prince of the Renaissance (“This is a fine copiously illustrated book with colored portraits from Renaissance court politics…”). Together with envelope.
ALS “Janet” to David Campbell; “Saturday morning”; 1p., one half-leaf of Hotel Ritz Paris letterhead. Thanks Campbell for a lovely evening. Together with envelope.
AN, signed “The crew of Grand Papa” to David Campbell; n.d.; 1p., one half-leaf of blue Hotel Ritz letterhead.
ANS “JF” to “Allen” (Alan Williams); written in a Christmas card from David Campbell to Flanner, and which was forwarded to Williams; n.d.
Two unsent drafts of a night-letter Flanner sent to Milton Greenstein; one written on the verso of a ALS “Hugh Thomas”; November 22, 1970, the other written on a leaf of onionskin paper.
Unaddressed holiday telegram sent by Flanner and her companion, Natalia Danesi Murray.
Letters to Flanner
Close friends
Natalia Murray, Noel Murphy and Solita Solano were three of Flanner’s closest friends. Without reading the content of the letters, this is evident by how they address and sign their letters; Flanner is “Darling,” “Carissima” or “Jannie,” and Murray, Murphy and Solano usually sign their letters with their initials. The letters mostly send updates or gossip, and praise for Flanner’s piece on de Gaulle.
Murray: 4 ALS (often addressed to “Darling” and undated). Affectionate letters, sending updates and gossip.
Murphy: 8 letters (7 ALS and 1 APS; some unsigned and undated). Praises Flanner’s book on de Gaulle (“Darling – we are all in admiration of your de Gaulle. It is the only eulogy that is individual, brilliantly written, almost as if de G’s prose had entered into you.”), gossips, discusses scheduling.
Solano: 2 letters (1 ALS and 1 APS); together with the APS is a printed invitation to Burt Martinson’s memorial service. Solano praises Flanner’s piece on de Gaulle and shares gossip.
Other friends/acquaintances
Letters from various friends, mostly praising Flanner’s work or sending invitations to parties. Also included are letters from Murray to Alan Williams at Viking and memos from Little, Brown (detailed below).
3 TLS from Natalia Murray to Alan Williams at Viking; ca. 1971-1974. Together with a carbon from Williams, and two Viking memos. Discusses various details regarding the reissue of Flanner’s book, Cubical City, and publishing London was Yesterday.
6 pp. of carbons on Little, Brown letterhead and plain paper, regarding an advance on a history book Flanner proposed, tentatively titled One Hundred and Fifty (together with a copy of her proposal letter); and memos regarding Flanner’s desire to abandon a contract for a book on women.
ALS “Noel” (Murphy) to “David” (Campbell); n.d.; 1 leaf, recto and verso. Shares a travel story
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