Christie, Agatha

AGATHA CHRISTIE TYPED LETTER SIGNED [TLS]

1946. One-page typed letter signed by Agatha Christie with three horizontal and one vertical fold and housed in the original envelope. Dated April 18th, it succinctly answers a question posed of her: "My favourites amongst my own books are Cards on the Table, Murder in Retrospect, and Murder in the Calais Coach." There is also a handwritten postscript of "Thanks for the good wishes!"

Letter is in Very Good condition with light wear. Light age toning to envelope. KW Consignment. Shelved case 0.

1366440

Shelved Dupont Bookstore

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NOTES

Agatha Christie is considered to be the best-selling fiction writer of all time as well as the most-translated individual author. Interestingly, only one of the titles she listed remains the same, with 'Murder in Retrospect' and 'Murder in the Calais Coach' being the first American titles for 'Five Little Pigs' and 'Murder on the Orient Express.' While the letter has no year, the envelope has a cancel dated 1946.

From the Stephen May Autograph Collection. As a youth in the 1940's, Stephen May (1931-2016) collected autographs of famous people, identifying individuals through Who's Who publications and contacting them with a thoughtful, lengthy, well-researched letter introducing himself, acknowledging the individuals’ accomplishments, asking one or two pertinent questions and, finally, requesting that they return a signature. Some responded simply with an autograph on a provided 3x5 card while others included bonus material with the signature in the form of a poem, letter, friendly greeting, or words of advice for the teenage boy. Steve's collecting hobby became known among his family and wider circle of friends in the city of Rochester, NY, where his father, Arthur J. May, taught European history at the University of Rochester, and his mother, Hilda Jones May, was active in the community. Eventually, more people helped Steve in his pursuit, which accounts for the signatures with dates before or after the mid-40's and without the prompting of a letter from him. A few signatures are from the 19th century. The collection is a broad representation of the people and forces that shaped our world, and the culture, accomplishments, and innovations of the first half the 20th century.