Alcott, Louisa May

Document signed ("Louisa M. Alcott"), being a copyright contract between Alcott and Roberts Brothers dated May 31, 1875, concerning Little Women and other titles

3 pages (355 x 214 mm) on two sh𒉰eets of paper, partially printed and accomplished in a secretarial hand with numerous deletions and emendations, the first sheet with the printed header "Copyright Contract," the second "Memorandum of Agreement"; separation along horizontal folds, two segments wholly detached, one line of printed text partially obscured, tape repairs with light browning, minor edgewear.

A heavily negotiated copyright contract between Alcott and her publisher Roberts Brothers, reflecting Alcott’s financial acumen and particular standing in the literary world of nineteenth-century America. The story of how Louisa May Alcott retained the copyright for Little Women—and made herself a fortune in the process—is a famous one. Thomas Niles, a partner at Roberts Brothers, first wrote to her in 1867 suggesting that she write a “girl's book.” When she eventually sold the book to them in August 1868, she wrote in her journal: “Roberts Bros. made an offer for the story, but at the same time advised me to keep the copyright, so I shall.” In 1885, with the benefit of hindsight, Alcott added additional commentary on this entry: “An honest publisher and a lucky author, for the copy൲right made her fortune, and the ‘dull book’ was the first golden egg of the ugly duckling.” 

Little Women; or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, was published on 30 September 1868, and priced at $1.50. With Alcott’s agreed upon 6.6 percent royalty, this netted her about 10 cents per copy. It was a run-away success, and the first printing of 2000 copies sold out in just two weeks. Roberts Brothers rushed to produce more copies of part one, and demanded a second volume featuring the March sisters, which would follow in 1869. The publication of Little Women marked a turning point for Alcott, and she was able to provide for herselfꦕ and h🐼er family from that point on.

The present document between Alcott and Roberts Brothers, dated 13 May 1875, concerns the ongoing publication of the following titles: Little Women (parts one and two), An Old Fashioned Girl, Little Men, Hospital Sketches and Camp and Fireside Stories, and Eight Cousins, or, The Aunt-Hill. The emendations and deletions on the boilerplate printed contract reflect Alcott's particular standing with her publisher: points I & II (concerning copyright) have been crossed out in their entirety, while point IV (emended as II), indicates that Alcott is now due "Eighteen cents on each and every copy of each of the six volumes sold," to be paid in cash twice a year in January and July. The final boilerplate paragraph is also crossed out in its entirety, clearly having no bearing on the present situation. That paragraph begins: "If, after [blank] years from date of publication, the demand for said work should not be sufficient in the opinion of the part[y] of the second part to render its publication rights profitable, then this contract shall end..." Little Women has remained in print for over 150 years.

"...the copyright made her fortune, and the ‘dull book’ was the first golden egg of the ugly duckling."

REFERENCE:

Myerson & Shealy, eds., The Journals of Louisa May Alcott (Little, Brown and Company, 1989); Stern, Louisa May Alcott; A Biography (Northeastern University Press, 1999)

PROVENANCE:

Roberts Brothers (until 1898) — acquired when the foreꦺgoing was purchased by Little, B𒁃rown, and Company (1898–2006) — then incorporated as a division of Hachette Book Group (2006–present)