Fabulous pairing of an original pencil sketch of Armstrong drawn by an admirer on an off-white 4.75 x 8 sheet, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “Best wishes to Raymond A. Swainston, From Louis Armstrong, 24/11/33”; and a cordial ALS to Swainston by Armstrong, two pages, 4.75 x 6.75, The Midland Hotel letterhead, October 20, 1932, in full: “Just received the wonderful drawing you made of me and I must tell you, it’s ‘marvelous’ ‘and how’ I autographed it, and here it is. And would you be so kind as to draw one more like this one and autograph it to me? ‘Gee’ I must have one of these for my ‘scrap book.’ So first chance you ‘have’—Send me one—’Wilya?’ ‘PLEASE?’” Archivally suede-matted and framed together with a biographical plaque to an overall size of 20.5 x 33. In overall fine condition, with light creases to the letter. Based on the discrepancy between the date Armstrong signed the sketch and the date of the letter, he and Swainston must have corresponded and exchanged sketches at least a few times during the early 1930s. An exquisite and unusual set of items sent from an iconic celebrity to his admirer, assembled in a handsome museum-quality display.
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