Posthumous Publications: James Brand Pinker and the Literary Estate of Henry James

When Henry James died, James Brand Pinker, the literary agent who had represented him since 1898, took immediate steps to protect both James’s existing and unpublished work. James’s sister-in-law Alice, his brother William’s widow, and in turn, her children, were granted James’s royalties in his will and Mrs. James kept Pinker on as the literary agent of the estate. The depth of Pinker’s role in James’s literary affairs after the author’s death is demonstrated herein through details found in the agent’s correspondence with editors, publishers, and the James family, highlighting the vital role he played in securing James’ legacy.