Archive of Burrough's first agent, William Garrard Chapman

Chicago, 1913. Letters between Burroughs and his first agent, President of the International Press Bureau, 1913-1926, regarding the origin, serialization, distribution, publication, dramatization, and filming of Tarzan of the Apes, and other early Burroughs literary properties; the relationship concluding in a lawsuit between the two, Chapman the plaintiff seeking $5000 in damages, the two settling in Chapman's favor for $1000. With related correspondence, in nine binders. From Burroughs: 51 letters, 1 telegram, and one sheet with exchanges between the two (truncated) on the same page. From Chapman: 218 retained carbons, 1 telegram, and the lawsuit documents. From McClurg, the Chicago publisher of Tarzan of the Apes and other early Burroughs titles: 27 letters, the pre-publication typed synopsis of Tarzan, and a typed statement of the sales of Tarzan. Additional related pieces included (complete list available upon request). The extraordinary and apparently complete (extant) revelation, from his agent's point of view, of the commencement of the publishing career of Edgar Rice Burroughs, from the very beginning, May 28, 1913, more than a year before the book publication by McClurg of Tarzan of the Apes, on June 17, 1914, to the end of the relationship between ERB and his agent. Between these dates, in more than 200 letters to Burroughs; syndicates which distribute for serial publication; publishers; stage play producers; and film companies, William Chapman performs the agent's duties with responsible and growing optimism, exhibited through understanding of the publishing practices of the time; while all along the way, "Burroughs," as he usually signed himself, is consistently terse, impatient, ever watchful, tight-fisted, and extremely productive. It would all fall apart when Burroughs challenged his agent's oversight of reprint rights and royalties, chiefly those monies derived from Tarzan of the Apes. A complete detailed description of the archive's contents available upon request. (Inventory #: 42888)