Tom Fitzharris and Edward Gorey met one afternoon in 1974 when Fitzharris, long a fan of Gorey’s books and illustrations, bumped into him outside of the Town Hall, the performance space in Midtown Manhattan. Gorey—in his trademark fur coat, long beard, and sneakers—was immediately recognizable. The two struck up a brief but intense friendship. When Gorey was in New York, they met frequently, especially to go the ballet—Gorey planned his time in the city around the New York City Ballet’s performance schedule. His summers were spent in Cape Cod. It was in August of that year that Gorey began sending Fitzharris mail, richly illustrated both inside and out. Reproduced below are four of the fifty notes, quotations, and letters Fitzharris received over the course of their correspondence.

From From Ted to Tom: The Illustrated Envelopes of Edward Gorey, edited and with an introduction by Tom Fitzharris, to be published by New York Review Books in February. 

Edward Gorey (1925–2000) was born in Chicago. He studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago, spent three years in the army, and attended Harvard College, where he majored in French literature. His many books includeThe Unstrung Harp,The Curious Sofa, The Haunted Tea-Cosy, and The Epiplectic Bicycle.

Tom Fitzharris was a close friend of Edward Gorey in the seventies. He currently lives in New York City and East Hampton and gives tours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.