Forgery of fragment of The decay of lying [manuscript], ca. 1920.
Items
Details
Title
Forgery of fragment of The decay of lying [manuscript], ca. 1920.
Uniform title
Decay of lying
Description
4 leaves ; 24 x 18 cm
Scope and content
Probable forgery of four draft pages of Wilde's essay, written in pencil and corrected in purple ink, both in imitation of Wilde's own hand. Consists of the section of the essay relating to Renaissance drama.
Note
A number of confirmed (or strongly suspected) Oscar Wilde forgeries have been attributed to Dada-ist Arthur Cravan, Oscar Wilde's nephew by marriage.
For more on other Wilde forgeries attributed to Cravan, see Dudley Edwards, "The wild goose chase," American book collector 7, no. 5 (1957):3-14 and Anthony Gardner "The Oscar sinners," Sunday Times (London), 8 July 2007.
For more on other Wilde forgeries attributed to Cravan, see Dudley Edwards, "The wild goose chase," American book collector 7, no. 5 (1957):3-14 and Anthony Gardner "The Oscar sinners," Sunday Times (London), 8 July 2007.
Source of acquisition
Acquired from Maggs Bros., 1920
Exhibited
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2002. "The pen's excellencie" : Treasures from the Manuscript Collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library (p.198-200)
Genre/form
Manuscripts (documents)
Literary hoaxes.
Literary hoaxes.
Item Details
Call number
Y.d.520