Hand Drawn 1901 Postcard Sent to Famous Author E. I. Prime-Stevenson - Hand Drawn by S. Stair-Kerr Loch Corusk Scotland Christmas Postcard

This listing is for the amazingly interesting Antique Christmas 1901 Hand Drawn Postcard of Lake Corusk, Scotland, drawn by S. Stair-Kerr for the famous author E. I. Prime-Stevenson. This postcard was sent to Edward Irenaeus Prime-Stevenson, the prominent author of works advocating for the normalization of homosexuality at the turn of the century. The postcard itself was hand drawn by the sender of the postcard, Stair Stair-Kerr, and features a scene of Loch Corusk in Scotland, as well as the return address of Lorraine in Edinburgh, the Stair-Kerr family home. The front of the postcard says "With the season's very best wishes to E. I. Prime-Stevenson from S. Stair-Kerr. Christmas 1901". More information about the sender and reciever of the postcard below. Incredibly interesting and intriguing piece of history, as it was sent to a prominent author and figure in LGBTQ+ history. Amazing find in excellent condition!

Edward Irenaeus Prime-Stevenson (1858-1942) was an American author who is widely known as the "father of modern homosexual literature." He began writing for Harper's Weekly in the 1880s and published his first novel in 1896. He gained fame primarily from his 1906 novel "Imre: A Memorandum," which he wrote under the pseudonym Xavier Mayne because of the works centering of a homosexual relationship. This novel was unprecedented for the time not only because of its depictions of a gay relationship, but because the couple had a happy ending, as all other homosexual novels of the time ended tragically for the couple it depicted. Prime-Stevenson wrote this novel after he had moved to Europe in the early part of the decade, likely shortly after he was sent this postcard. The author also wrote a nonfiction work "The Intersexes" in 1908 where he argued for the acceptance of homosexuality in modern society using historical and biological evidence. Throughout his time living in Europe he likely gained many connections with other prominent authors and intellectuals, including Eric Stair-Kerr, who was also the brother of Stair Stair-Kerr, the sender of this postcard.

Stair Stair-Kerr (1880-1914) was eldest born to the prominent Stair-Kerr Scottish family. Not much is known about his life, except for that he lived at the family home, Lorraine, on 20 Napier Road in Edinburgh, for the entirety of his life. He is most well known as the brother of the prominent Scottish historian and author, Eric Stair-Kerr, who wrote a historical account of Stirling Castle in Scotland in 1913 shortly before his death. 

Any relationship between Edward I. Prime-Stevenson and Stair Stair-Kerr is unknown except for the sending of this holiday postcard in 1901, so we do not know how close these two men actually were. But this postcard offers an interesting insight into the correspondence of these men and arises the question of how these two came to be of acquaintance. Amazing piece of history because of its ties to a prominent homosexual author and also being a beautiful intricately hand-drawn postcard of a scene in Scotland by a member of a prominent Scottish family!

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Hand Drawn 1901 Postcard Sent to Famous Author E. I. Prime-Stevenson - Hand Drawn by S. Stair-Kerr Loch Corusk Scotland Christmas Postcard