Arthur Schopenhauer

German philosopher, 1788-1860

Arthur Schopenhauer is best known for his 1818 work The World as Will and Representation, in which he characterizes the phenomenal world, and consequently all human action, as the product of a blind, insatiable, and malignant metaphysical will. Those who have cited Schopenhauer's influence include Friedrich Nietzsche, Richard Wagner, Leo Tolstoy, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Erwin Schrödinger, Sigmund Freud, Joseph Campbell, Albert Einstein, Carl Jung, Thomas Mann, Jorge Luis Borges, and Samuel Beckett, among others.

Source: Wikipedia

Schopenhauer, Arthur

Philosoph (1788–1860). Autograph letter signed. Frankfurt a. M. 2/3 S. 4to. Mit Adresse und blindgepr. Verschlußsiegel (kleine Randeinrisse, Randausbruch durch Siegel).
$ 16,472 / 14.500 € (25352)

To the Halle auctioneer Johann Friedrich Lippert, regarding the payment of an invoice: "You failed to instruct me to whom I am to send payment for the books received [...] I have no access to autographs. A year ago I saw several valuable specimens in the shop window on the 'Zeil' road. St Goar or Hermann Booksellers will be able to tell you exactly where. I do not know [...]“. – Published in Briefwechsel Schopenhauers, vol. 2, no. 291. Lippert was the manager of the "Halle Book Auctions". Isaac St. Goar was a Frankfurt bookseller, auctioneer and rare book dealer; Hermann Booksellers also published Schopenhauer's works.

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

Philosoph (1788-1860). Exceptional AQS signed at the conclusion, “Arthur Schopenhauer“. Frankfurt a. M. ½ S. auf Doppelblatt. Gr.-8vo.
$ 20,448 / 18.000 € (25760)

Schopenhauer pens an optimistic philosophical quote. In full: “Let us hope for the propagation of truth & the abolition of error, in both hemispheres.” In fine condition, with horizontal fold below all writing and a few light wrinkles. An extraordinarily influential philosopher, Schopenhauer’s ideas resonated with such diverse scientific and cultural figures as Charles Darwin, Gustav Mahler, Albert Einstein, and Dylan Thomas. Exceedingly scarce in autographic material.

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

Philosoph (1788–1860). Eigenh. Brief mit Unterschrift. ohne Ort und Jahr. 8vo. 1 p. Mit Adresse. Faltspuren.
$ 9,656 / 8.500 € (94625)

An seinen Freund, den Juristen Martin Embden in Frankfurt a. M. „Wenn Sie, mein werther Freund, den bewußten Entwurf noch nicht gemacht haben, so bitte ich solches noch zu suspendiren. Ist nämlich gestern Becker bei mir gewesen u. hat mir eine ganz andere Form vorgeschlagen, über die ich sehr gern Ihre Meinung hören möchte. Auch Mad. M hat geschrieben. Können Sie dieser Tage ein Mal vorkommen? oder habe ich einen Nachmittag zu Ihnen? […]“

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

Philosoph (1788-1860). A.Ms. o. O. u. D. ½ p. 4to. Leicht fingerfleckig; kleine Randläsuren.
$ 9,088 / 8.000 € (94637)

The present Ms. contains additions to the 2nd volume of Schopenhauer’s chief work, “The World as Will and Idea”, chapter 7, “On the relationship of empirical and abstract knowledge”. With Schopenhauer’s autogr. pagination “71 II”. „All original thought happens in images: therefore, imagination is such a necessary tool of original thought, and therefore unimaginative heads will never achieve anything great – except in mathematics […]”. In the next paragraph, Schopenhauer expands on the statement: “The authors of most books – the very bad ones excepted, and unless they are essentially empirical in content – have only thought, but not looked” with the addition: “they have written from reflection, not from intuition; and this is what makes them mediocre and dull.” – For the 1844 second edition, Schopenhauer added an extra volume to his magnum opus, first published in 1819.

– Sämtliche Werke, ed. by W. v. Löhneysen, vol. II, p. 97; cf. critical appendix p. 833 (not mentioning the second addition)..

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

German philosopher (1788-1860). Autograph manuscript. No place or date. Folio. 12 pages on 3 bifolia, numbered 140-142. Numerous corrections, deletions, and insertions.
$ 255,600 / 225.000 € (33863/BN29497)

The manuscript discusses cosmogony and the movement of the planets, mentioning the contributions made by Immanuel Kant and especially Laplace, as well as Kepler's Laws, then expanding these considerations to the level of metaphysics. This is the working manuscript for vol. 2, chapter 6 ("Zur Philosophie und Wissenschaft der Natur") of Schopenhauer's collection of philosophical reflections, "Parerga und Paralipomena" ("Appendices and Omissions") - the philosopher's final work, published in 1851.

The "Paralipomena" volume, from which this is taken, contains short ruminations arranged by topic under 31 subheadings. In view of the less-than-enthusiastic reception of the philosopher's earlier publications, publishers were reluctant to commit to this work; it was only after significant difficulty (and through the persuasion of the philosopher's disciple Julius Frauenstädt) that Hayn of Berlin consented to publish the two volumes in a print run of 750 copies - with a honorarium of only ten copies for the author. The subject matter and stylistic arrangement of the "Paralipomena" were significant influences on the work of the philosopher and psychologist Paul Ree, and through him most notably on the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, whose later work explores - following Schopenhauer - the relation of man to himself, the universe, the state, and women through the art of aphorism. - In the present manuscript, Schopenhauer writes: "The truth of cosmogony, however, is based not only on the space-relationship upon which Laplace insisted, namely, that 45 celestial bodies circle in a uniform direction and at the same time rotate likewise; more firmly still is it rooted in the time-relationship, expressed by the first and third Law of Kepler [...] These thoughts on cosmogony give rise to two metaphysical reflections [...] Even such a far-reaching physical explanation of the world's creation can never satisfy the desire for a metaphysical one, or indeed take its place. On the contrary! The closer one comes to tracking down a phenomenon, the more clearly it appears that it is precisely that: a mere phenomenon, an apparition, and not at all the essence of the thing in itself [...]" (transl.). - The present text begins with the final paragraph of § 85. It corresponds with the printed text in the Sämtliche Werke, ed. by A. Hübscher, vol. 6, p. 142, line 4 up to p. 150, line 19, with the exception of two sections not yet present in this draft (p. 146, lines 11-16, and p. 146, lines 32-page 147, line 7). Most of the parts which Schopenhauer deleted are published in vol. 7, pp. 130-138 and p. 138. - Slight edge damage. Provenance: On loan to the Dresden State Library until 1945; later in a foreign private collection. Sold at Stargardt's auction on Oct. 4, 1989. Schopenhauer manuscripts are of the utmost rarity: auction records since 1975 list only five other autograph manuscripts, only one of which was of comparable length..

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

Philosoph (1788-1860). Autograph letter signed. Frankfurt am Main. 27.02.1854. 1 S. auf Doppelblatt. 4to. Mit eh. Adresse (Faltbrief).
$ 31,808 / 28.000 € (72849/BN46917)

In German, to the grammar school teacher Carl Schütz (1805-93), who had sent Schopenhauer books with congratulations on his birthday: "Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your taking such an interest in my philosophy and even in my birthday, as well as for your much-appreciated gift. During the past few years I have been blessed with a number of such testimonies, often presented with quite similar sentiments, and they have invariably been a great joy and encouragement to me, as they vouchsafe to me the appeal which my teachings will witness in future times, even if I probably will not live to see them myself.

Your translations from Sanskrit are of great interest to me, as is everything Indian, and I will devote myself to them very soon. Your two readers will also afford me much pleasure, as they contain many specimens of the more and most recent literature, about which I am little knowledgeable and glad if others choose the finest pieces for me. Sending you my fondest greetings and counting you among my own, I am [...]". - Schütz's letter must have touched Schopenhauer deeply, for he communicated it to Julius Frauenstädt on 4 March 1854: "A homage of this kind is meaningful. He is a new disciple. Of course I responded in the most cordial terms." In his letter, Schütz had praised Schopenhauer as "the greatest of thinkers": "as the tired wayfarer feels invigorated by a cool bath and capable of new exertions, so do I feel uplifted and fortified when, having briefly conversed with you, I return to my everyday business." Schütz's letter (dated Bielefeld, 19 February 1854) is published in: Hübscher, Briefwechsel (1933), no. 492. It is kept at the Schopenhauer Archive at the Frankfurt University Library. - Traces of folds; some staining to address leaf..

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

German philosopher (1788-1860). Autograph letter signed. [Postmark: Frankfurt. 8vo. ½ page. With autograph address and small papered seal on verso.
$ 17,040 / 15.000 € (83088/BN54522)

To his friend, the jurist Martin Emden (1801-58), asking him to drop in the following day to discuss the philosopher's domestic troubles: "Lieber Freud, ich habe häuslichen Verdruß u. bitte Sie Morgen, wenn Sie irgend können, sobald Sie ausgehn, bei mir vorzusprechen [...]". - A few tiny marginal flaws; lower right hand corner clipped from opening the letter.

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Schopenhauer, Arthur

Brieftasche.
Autograph ist nicht mehr verfügbar

The wallet shows signs of extensive wear and would seem to have been in Schopenhauer's personal and constant use for a period of many years (cf. Hans Zint, "Eine Brieftasche Schopenhauers", in: Schopenhauer-Jahrbuch XVII, 1930, p. 177). - From the estate of Schopenhauer's longtime friend Johann August Becker, who had received it from Schopenhauer's executor Wilhelm Gwinner in 1871. Contains a portrait of a young man (Schopenhauer?); gouache on round cardboard, c. 95 × 90 mm (trimmed); image diameter c. 65 mm.


Schopenhauer, Arthur

E. Brief mit U.
Autograph ist nicht mehr verfügbar

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), Philosoph. E. Brief m. U., Frankfurt am Main, 10. November 1835, eine Seite gr.-4°. Mit Adresse. Kleine Fehlstelle am oberen (leeren) Rand durch Öffnen des Siegels. An seine Schwester Adele: „[...] Einliegend erhältst Du den Brouillon eines Briefes, den ich gestern an [Gottlieb Wilhelm] Skerle abgesandt habe [Hübscher Nr. 144], u. der Alles nöthige besagt. Hätte er inzwischen an Euch geschrieben, so würdest Du es mir mitgetheilt haben. Daß frankirte Briefe unsicher sind, ist Ernst. - Story hat ein schönes Englisches Mädchen mit 6000 - ! geheirathet u. sagt sie hätte das beste Gemüth in der Welt. - Sobald Sk: schreibt erhältst Du Nachricht von Deinem Bruder [...]“ – Druck: Hübscher Nr. 145: „Dieser Brief hat sich mit einem Schreiben Adeles vom 9. November gekreuzt, in dem sie ihrem Bruder einige von ihr in Erfahrung gebrachte Mitteilung über die Hohnfeldschen Erben macht [...] Der englische Captain Story stand vor seiner Heirat in Beziehungen zu Ottilie von Goethe.“ – Kriminalrat Skerle war der Bevollmächtigte der Familie Schopenhauer und als solcher mit der Auszahlung einer Grundschuld der Erben Hohnfeld an Johanna, Adele und Arthur Schopenhauer befasst (vgl. hierzu ausführlicher Hübscher S. 523 f.).


Schopenhauer, Arthur

Eigenh. Brief m. U.
Autograph ist nicht mehr verfügbar

Letter accompanying the publishing agreement with Brockhaus on the third edition of his main work “Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung“. Schopenhauer asks for a qualified typesetter, knowing from experience that the publisher has a lot of competent compositors. Furthermore he writes that he would agree, if Brockhaus wants to publish an advert for the third edition.