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Lord Byron

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:5,000.00 - 7,000.00 USD
Lord Byron

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Auction Date:2018 Jul 11 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
LS in Italian, signed “N. B.,” one page, 8 x 9.75, July 12, 1823. Written in the hand of Count Pietro Gamba, Byron's secretary and the brother of his mistress, Contessa Teresa Guiccioli. To Greek patriot Giorgio Vitali at Leghorn, penned while Byron was making his final preparations for his voyage to Greece, where he was to die nine months later. Byron delays his departure to July 14th, and reiterates that while passing through Leghorn they should not drop anchor, in order to avoid the pointless expense and waste of time. In fine condition, with a clipped triangular area of paper loss to the edge due to seal removal.

Despite his strong circle of literary friends and his passionate relationship with Teresa Guiccioli, Byron was growing bored with his leisurely life in Genoa by the summer of 1823. With encouragement from a group of Greek revolutionaries to join them in their war for independence from the Ottoman Empire, Byron bid farewell to Teresa and boarded the 'Hercules' on July 13, the day after sending this letter. Arriving in Cephalonia on August 2, he funded the refitting of the Greek fleet and sailed for Missolonghi; but shortly after his arrival there, he fell ill and died on April 19. While the vast majority of Byron's letters—over 3,000—were published in Marchand's comprehensive, 12-volume edition of all of Byron's known letters and journals, this one was not, making it exceptionally rare and desirable.