LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2006 October Grand Format Autographs #629  / 

25900

Oscar Wilde Autograph Letter Signed.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
Oscar Wilde Autograph Letter Signed.
<B>Oscar Wilde Autograph Letter Signed</B></I> "<I>Oscar Wilde</B></I>," two pages, 4.5" x 6.5", The Haven, Worthing, Sussex, September 1894. Written to William J. Williams, the letter reads: "<I>Dear Sir, The smallest wish of so beautiful a lady as Mrs. Langtry shall be obeyed to letter. So, here is the letter, and here is the autograph.</B></I>" While we cannot say for certain, there is a strong likelihood that the Langtry he mentions is none other than Lillie Langtry, the British actress and legendary beauty. Accompanying the letter is an envelope addressed in Wilde's hand and bears his signature on the verso. The letter and envelope are framed so that one can see both sides of the letter and envelope; the matting has been cut out of the back to show the signature on both the letter and the envelope. The letter was written about a year before he was arrested for "committing acts of gross indecency with other male persons," a charge for which he was convicted and sent to prison for two years. He spent his last three years of life in poverty, in a self imposed solipsist exile. An ironic end for a man who was so caught up in the decadence and aesthetics of life. Wilde wrote some of the most famous and popular plays of the Victorian period; including: <I>The Importance of Being Earnest,</B></I> <I>An Ideal Husband,</B></I> and <I>Salome.</B></I> His novel, <I>The Picture of Dorian Gray,</B></I> is one of the premier gothic horror novels of the 19th century, and it also incorporates very strong Faustian themes. Sadly, the great writer is known more for his lifestyle than his prose, and it is the former that is truly remarkable. The letter is in very fine condition; light overall toning; usual folds are present. Matted alongside the original envelope, addressed in his hand and a lovely photo of Wilde. The entire piece has been framed to an overall size of 18" x 10.75".
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