A handwritten and signed postcard from H. P. Lovecraft to Robert E. Howard, dated circa mid-October 1931. The postcard is signed “Best wishes—H P L.”

This is an early piece of correspondence between Lovecraft and Howard, whose exchange had begun in June 1930. Lovecraft writes that Wilfred Blanch Talman had asked him to forward a new tale to Howard for later return; the postcard refers to a story. The tale is unidentified, though the editors of A Means to Freedom note that Lovecraft later referred to Talman’s “Van Kampen story.”

Lovecraft also describes a recent trip through Connecticut, including the old town of Norwich, whose streets and steep terraces impressed him. The postcard front shows the School House founded by Dr. Daniel Lathrop in 1783 and the Joseph Carpenter Store, built about 1772. Lovecraft closes by mentioning a demanding editorial job on Leon Burr Richardson’s History of Dartmouth College, published by Stephen Daye Press in 1932.

The transcribed text follows:

Dear R E H—

Here’s a new tale which Talman asked me to send you, for subsequent return to him. Very good for a short item, I think.

When I got home from the Boston region I had to start at once for Hartford to consult about a book editing job; & on the return trip I made a detour through an exquisitely beautiful part of Connecticut I had never seen before—hilly, & full of magnificent vistas. Paused to explore the ancient town of Norwich, which is built on the steep terraces rising above the river Thames. Fascinating place—narrow, winding streets, & occasional winding steps between different levels. Now I’m dead to the world for a week or two—frightful job of editing a long (500 p) history of Dartmouth College. May have to go to Brattleboro Vt. for another consultation after it is done. Having delectably warm weather.

Best wishes—H P L

The postcard is listed as [35] in A Means to Freedom: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, Volume 1.The postcard was offered for sale on eBay as a signed postcard from H. P. Lovecraft to Robert E. Howard. According to the listing, most of Lovecraft’s letters to Howard were accidentally destroyed by Howard’s father after Howard’s death, making surviving original correspondence between the two writers exceptionally rare.

Source:

eBay listing for “Signed Postcard from H.P. Lovecraft to Robert E. Howard, circa October 1931,” with images of the original postcard and transcript. Asking price per June 2026 is $10.000,00