Charteris, Leslie

LESLIE CHARTERIS AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED [ALS]

1946. Two letters from Leslie Charteris.

The first is a one page typed signed letter with two folds and housed in the original envelope. Dated January 3, 1946, it discusses being able to order Saint books from Charteris directly and references a second sheet with a list of titles, also present.

The second letter is a two page typed unsigned advertisement for Charteris' 'A Letter from The Saint,' advertising a weekly letter from Charteris for a small fee.

Letters are in Very Good condition with light wear. The first has a paper-clip indent. Light age toning to envelopes. KW Consignment. Shelved case 0.

1366648

Shelved Dupont Bookstore

Price: $300 save 20% $240

NOTES

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.