Comprising: Sterling, George. A House of Orchids and Other Poems. [San Francisco: A.M. Robertson, 1911]. 140 pp. 8x5½, original purple pictorial cloth stamped in silver. Inscribed and signed by author to Vera Connolly. First Edition. Sterling, George. Poems to Vera. New York: Oxford University Press, 1938. 39 pp., frontispiece photograph of the author by Arnold Genthe, 7½x5, original brown cloth, jacket. First Edition. Handwritten thank you note (10½x7 folded twice) to Vera Connolly written and signed by George Sterling, Carrie Sterling, Charmian London and “Mr. Charmian”, and Louis Untermann. Autograph letter from Xavier Martinez to Vera Connolly. 10 items of correspondence from publishers and lawyers relating to publication of “Poems to Vera”, 2 typed lists of poems, apparently preliminary contents for “Poems to Vera”, 5 misc. letters either to Vera Connolly or copies of letters from her.
"House of Orchids" inscribed: “My adored! These poor flowers at your flower feet! – the feet of you whose breath gave them life, and whose love gives me the heart still to live! In worship, George.”, and on dedication page “To Vera Connolly from George Sterling.” Thank you note reads: “Dear Vera, We wish you were with the ribald crew these days. Having a great time & are grateful to you for your share towards it. (signed) Charmian, (and in Jack London's hand) Mr. Charmian”; “Having borrowed your happy home, we now return all we haven’t used for firewood. ‘gratitude,” says Bierce, ‘must be the most precious of virtues, since it is rendered as an equivalent for every possible service.’ (signed) George Sterling”; “What more can I say – But listen – they say the house is haunted, but we fear rats – how different and unromantic – My heart aches for those Indian baskets – do you think there is any danger? (signed) Carrie S - (i.e.; Carrie Sterling).” ; “My specialty – thinking about thinking - prospered amazingly in the quiet and congenial home near the surf, which I owed for a precious moment to your generous Kindness. Thanks (signed) Ernest Untermann.” Xavier Martinez’s letter reads: “Piedmont, Cal. March 11th, 1910. Our Dear Vera, Elsie has something worse than a black eye and artificial light is most harmful. I rather hear you read your own story and I read Jack’s myself; it is as bad as having you see some picture for me! You know, we always like to see you if in Piedmont, Why don’t you come? We thank you very much for you kind invitation and remain , Yours Marty & Elsie, Best regards to your Mother. E & X.M.” Vera Connolly’s time with “The Crowd” was brief, but her intense affair at age 23 with the 40-year-old George Sterling was instrumental in the eventual breakup of his marriage and probably contributed to Carrie Sterling’s suicide shortly after. Carrie Sterling’s contribution in the thank you note is a particularly interesting when read in light of the affair between her husband and Vera (“we fear rats – how different and unromantic”).
It was Elsie Whitaker Martinez, wife of Mexican-born artist Xavier Martinez (1869-1943), and daughter of Jack London’s good friend Hermann Whitaker who, in 1910, introduced the 23-year-old Vera Connolly into “The Crowd.” Vera was particularly interested in meeting the newly-acclaimed poet, his 1909 “Wine of Wizardry” having been very well received. The affair that ensued ended with Vera’s pregnancy and miscarriage and flight from George and “The Crowd” back to New York. Though Carrie Sterling had been aware of her husband’s penchant for casual affairs, this one had progressed further than previous dalliances and was not so easily dismissed. Though Vera no longer threatened the Sterling’s marriage, Carrie soon divorced George and two years later took her own life. The other signer of the thank you note, Ernest Untermann (1864-1956), was a friend of Jack London, fellow Socialist Party member, writer, translator of Karl Marx.