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630

Margaret Mitchell

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Margaret Mitchell

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Auction Date:2012 Nov 14 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, 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
Two related items: TLS signed “Margaret Mitchell,” two pages, 7 x 11, personal letterhead, February 9, 1937, explaining her autograph policy. In part: “I enjoyed your letter so very much and was interested, of course, in what your friends said about ‘Gone With the Wind.’ It is very warming to an author’s heart to have such letters, and I feel like it was worth while to re-write those chapters the many wearisome times I re-wrote them if they bring forth such fine letters as yours. Your request for an autograph puts me in an embarrassing position, and I can only be frank with you and hope that you will understand my situation. I cannot autograph your copy and this is the reason. For five months I did the best I could in the matter of autographing. I was so very grateful for the public interest that I tried to oblige everyone…Unfortunately, when the sales neared the million mark the requests for autographs rose in proportion. They came in by the thousands…It took the entire time of myself, my secretary and my maid wrapping, addressing and standing in line at the post office. Things reached the point where I was forced to refuse to autograph for anyone, even relatives and close personal friends…I did not wish to be in the position of slighting some people and favoring others…I know that it makes me appear unappreciative of my good fortune and of public interest, but…I have had to establish this rule in self defense…It would make me very happy if you would clip my signature from the bottom of this letter and paste it in your copy.” The bottom inch of the second page of the letter has been removed, undoubtedly by the admirer fulfilling Mitchell’s request. Accompanied by the signed book: Gone With the Wind. Later printing. NY: The MacMillan Company, 1937. Hardcover with dustjacket, 6.5 x 8.5, 1037 pages. A black ink signature, “Margaret Mitchell,” on a 3.5 x 1 slip affixed to the title page with a toned piece of tape. While we have offered similar letters in the past, she usually sticks hard and fast to her rule—no autographs, except for the one concluding the letter. As rare as her autograph is, this associated pair of incredibly desirable items—her masterwork and a personal letter—makes for a one-of-a-kind jewel of literary history.

Letter has mild intersecting folds, the vertical fold passing through a single letter of the signature, scattered soiling to the right border, and pages affixed to each other along the top border, otherwise fine condition. Signed book page has light toning and rippling, and signature affected by a moderately toned piece of tape, otherwise very good condition. Book description: VG-/VG-. Grey cloth-covered boards; minor wear to edges; slightly yellowed and soiled; very light waterstain to upper edge; slightly shaken; previous owner’s name in pen on front pastedown; two newspaper articles glued to feps. Dust jacket in protective mylar sleeve; chips/tears and creases along edges and folds; light waterstaining to upper edge, folds, and spine; yellowed; rubbed and lightly soiled.
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