Many of John Steinbeck's letters and manuscripts from his New York City apartment have failed to sell, or have sold for less than expected.

Bloomsbury Auctions said Wednesday that the archive brought a total of $73,950. It had predicted the material would bring $200,000 to $250,000.

Among items that did not sell was Steinbeck's acceptance speech for his 1962 Nobel Prize for Literature. Twenty-six of the 50 lots failed to sell.

His 800-volume library was offered as a standalone lot. It brought $10,000, well below the auctioneer's $15,000 to $20,000 estimate.

The prices don't reflect Bloomsbury's 22 percent buyer's premium.

"The Grapes of Wrath" author is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.

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Online: http://ny.bloomsburyauctions.com