25540

Frederick Duesenberg 1916 Autograph Letter Signed

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
Frederick Duesenberg 1916 Autograph Letter Signed
<B>Frederick Duesenberg 1916 Autograph Letter Signed</B></I> Frederick Duesenberg and his brother, August, had founded the Duesenberg Company after first building cars for Mason Motors in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1914, Duesenberg cars driven by Eddie Rickenbacker and Willie Haupt finished tenth and thirteenth in the Indianapolis 500. Frederick, the engineering specialist of the two brothers, had patented the Duesenberg motor in 1913, and the two brothers were successful racing activities technical innovations through the 1920s. Barney Oldfield, mentioned in this letter, was the first race car driver to travel a mile a minute (1903). Autograph letter signed, "F. S. D & family," in pencil, two pages, 8.25" x 10.75", front and verso. St. Paul, Minnesota, February 5, 1916. On letterhead of Duesenberg Motor Company to "Dear George Mrs B. & Mary," the Bird family of San Diego, California. In part, with original spelling and grammar: "Your most welcome letter rec'd several weeks ago and it found me in bed but was about over my pneumonia... & then had a touch of rheumatism... We did think of coming out west this winter and should have done so but for the fact that we are so busy getting out motors for various purposes. We are building one for Barney Oldfield at Los Angeles. We are building some motors for the Navy Sea planes for the U.S. & have just received a deposit from Toronto for some 300 H.P. Aeroplane Motors for large weight carrying planes... We have had to turn away more that $2,000,000 of motor business as we were too small a concern to take it on but we are incorporating & expect to have ample funds & capacity to take on a lot of extra business... Mrs D. has been my nurse thru my last spell & she is a dandy but has been kept very busy as she did not have a girl this winter and Denny our boy is now 23 mon. old & is a regular cuss to look after as he is the most active kid I ever saw, is into every thing and never gets tired raising the roof but he is good natured... Mrs D. is a first Class Steno - and has been of great help to me during my sick..." Handwritten postscript: "The Motor on letterhead was built by us & is used in Disturler IV the worlds fastest motor boat speed 62 miles per hr. on lake Michigan boat owned by Jas A. Pugh." At the upper margin of the first page, Duesenberg has written: "Home address 74 Melbourne Ave. Minneapolis." Lightly creased. Folds, vertical fold just touches the "&" in signature. One-half inch separations at blank right margins at mid-horizontal fold. Minor pencil smudges. Overall, fine condition. <I>Accompanied by COA from PSA/DNA.</B></I>