Lot #580

Maxfield Parrish: Parrish responds tersely to a writing request: “What an awful thing to ask! It’s like asking: ‘Let’s hear you speak French.’”

Description

Parrish responds tersely to a writing request: “What an awful thing to ask! It’s like asking: ‘Let’s hear you speak French.’”

Beautifully-penned ALS, two pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 7, personal letterhead, February 10, 1933. Rather terse letter to a woman who asked for a handwriting sample. In full: “I have your note of Feb 7th requesting a specimen of my hand writing. What an awful thing to ask! It’s like asking: ‘Let’s hear you speak French.’ Needless to say making a body extremely self conscious. Well, here’s the specimen, such as it is: it’s queer, but my own, and I’ve had no outside help whatsoever. I am sorry the ink is a bit thin, but I feel sure you will understand how in these times we’ve had to water it. I even heard of a firm who saved forty-four gallons of ink a year by instructing their clerks not to dot their i’s. Your remarks about my work are appreciated, but I feel you will do better in law than in art.” Accompanied by the original mailing envelope. In fine condition. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.

Auction Info

• Auction Title: Fine Autographs and Artifacts
• Dates: #352 - Ended 12/09/2009

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This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
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