Description:

A. A. MILNE
(1882 - 1956) English poet and author most remembered for his creation of Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore. Scarce, fine content A.L.S., 2pp. 8vo., Chelsea, Sep. 29, 1926, written just weeks before the publication of Milne's most famous work, 'Winnie The Pooh'. This fine letter offers insight into Milne's sharp sense of humor, and includes indirect references to 'Winnie The Pooh'. Milne refers to a person in his letter as a 'cygnet' (a young swan), a reference which may have been in mind as Winnie The Pooh was a blended name created by Milne, being a combination of the name 'Pooh', named after cygnet swan they met on holiday and 'Winnie', a black bear cub he often saw at the London Zoo. There is also a lighthearted poke at his publisher, Methuen. The letter, on Milne's Chelsea letterhead, reads in part: '...I have arrived safely at the house to which you sent me and think that I shall like the situation. I wanted to begin a serial story for the Daily Mail at once, but the man here said 'No, there's a letter we must write first'. I said 'Oh, I see', and began writing 'Dear Methuen' but he snatched me away from the paper and said it wasn't that sort of letter at all, which disappointed me rather because I thought I had got literary situation. But he promises me we should do some poetry afterwards, I said 'All right.' And of course which he began 'Dear Vincent', I said 'Oh! know that man well; let me write the letter, while you get the ink off your hands.' He was terribly pleased with me, and I'm to keep on saying "Thank you" until I run out of ink...I went on saying 'Thank you' until I had run out of ink, we should never get that (illegible) done today. But really I am to say 'Thank you very much... and I'm... proud of my pen', and something about hoping his work would be worthy of me...Assuming you, Sir my respects, and again thanking you for obtaining me this literary situation which I had always wanted from a cygnet or to speak. Yours faithfull [sic] The Pen...Now we are going to practice his signature A. A. Milne...' A delightful letter, in very good to fine condition.

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April 7, 2022 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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