Carl Sandburg and Lincoln

[Rob Wick]

Bill,

This is a new one on me. Not that it's impossible, of course, but I don't recall ever hearing that Sandburg had a fondness for ink blots, but then again it has been a few years since I read Nivens, so it's possible she might have said something, if she mentioned it at all. I have a lot of the correspondence between Newman and Sandburg, and one thing I've noticed is that the signature of the card does appear to be genuine. Newman made his "R" look almost like a large "P" and Sandburg's writing looks just like the thousands of examples I've looked at so far.

Is it worth the asking price? Not to me, it isn't, but I only collect things for utilitarian purposes. Rarely do I get something just because I want to have it in my collection, if you could even call what I have a "collection." But there might be someone who feels that having something from Sandburg like that would be worth it.

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Rob: good morning and welcome back from the "underground!" I wonder who made the inkblot images also. They're not the ones used by psychologists. It's an interesting item but I don't see the asking price as reasonable. Maybe we're missing something here...

[Rob Wick]

Bill,

According to the letter written by Newman, they wrote out "Abraham Lincoln," "Bookshop," and "Ralph Newman" on the paper then folded it while the ink was wet and then Sandburg signed it and called it "transmogrification." So Sandburg was the "artist."

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Mystery solved! At that time the use of ink blots was the standard in psychiatry and psychology-so I can see Sandburg going for it.

[LincolnMan]

And while I was looking up something on-line, I came across a statement that said the face of E.T.-is partly based on Carl Sandburg's face. Rob-phone home!

[Rob Wick]

I'd like to see that. Where was it?

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

In Wikipedia for the Carl Sandburg entry (I can hearing you sighing!). Scroll down the page to the section Refernces to Sandburg.

[Rob Wick]

Well, it was cited from a book about Spielberg, so I guess it's not too far off. That's pretty interesting.

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Sandburg admired Lincoln-Spielberg admired Sandburg? (so uses his face partial to create E.T.)-followed by Spielberg doing a movie about Lincoln. It all makes sense!

[LincolnMan]

Rob: I have pre-ordered the Sandburg DVD from Amazon. Have you ordered yet?

[Rob Wick]

I assume you're talking about The Day Carl Sandburg Died?

I haven't, although I certainly will get it once it comes out. It looks fascinating.

For those interested, here is the website of the documentary.

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Rob: yes, that's the one. Interesting title, by the way-apologies to Jim Bishop?

[Rob Wick]

Bill,

I think the producers are using it as a double meaning. Obviously, the day of his physical death, but how it also marked the death of his name and career, although I would argue that this started long before his death. In some quarters his poetry began to decline in critical acclaim as early as the 1920s, and especially his last collection, Honey and Salt, received some poor reviews.

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Rob: I plan on making a trip to the Carl Sandburg Library in Livonia, Michigan in the near future. It's on the other side of town for me but still quite doable. Do you know if Sandburg went there for, perhaps, it's opening? I think it opened in the early 1960's.
Regarding the title of the DVD-thanks for the possible double meaning. Looking forwarding to seeing the documentary.

[Rob Wick]

I'm not sure about that, Bill. There were a number of high schools and buildings named for Sandburg, but I can't recall that he visited any on their opening, however, I may be wrong on that.

Enjoy your trip!

Best
Rob