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Touching trio of items sent by Audrey Hepburn to a young British admirer, Linda Barnes, who was hospitalized while battling anorexia in 1963. Then just 13 years old, Barnes had written to Hepburn—her great inspiration—enclosing a rose with her card; the letter reached Hepburn through Paramount publicity representative James Wilcox, and Hepburn responded with personal warmth, sending photographs, a handwritten letter, and a scarf she had chosen herself. The group comprises:
- Vintage glossy 8 x 10 photo of the Hollywood icon in a three-quarter-length pose, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, "To Linda, with love, from Audrey Hepburn."
- ALS signed "Audrey," two pages displayed in a 5.5 x 11 window, March 10, 1963, in full: "I just received your sweet card with the beautiful rose—which made me very happy. I was so delighted to hear that I am one of your favorites. As I was not sure which picture you would like best of all I am sending you several for your scrapbook. Enclosed also is a scarf which I thought you would like. I find it so pretty with all it's woodland flowers, most of which grow up here in the mountains and I know you find in England too. I send you my warmest wishes, and love."
- The colorful pink-and-white floral-patterned scarf sent along with the letter, folded to show off its airy wildflower meadow design, with tall blue delphinium-like blossoms, purple thistles, yellow and pink wildflowers, fine fern fronds, wispy grasses, and scattered butterflies.
Impressively triple-matted and framed with non-reflective, museum quality glass, and conservation-grade matting to an overall size of 26 x 33.5. In very good to fine condition, with light creasing and gouging to the photo, and light foxing to the letter.
A deeply affecting Hepburn piece, remarkable not only for its signed photograph and handwritten letter but for the survival of the very scarf she selected as a gift for a seriously ill young fan. The gesture reflects the grace and sensitivity that defined Hepburn both on and off screen: rather than sending a routine secretarial reply, she wrote in her own hand and chose a personal keepsake she thought a teenage girl would enjoy. Barnes treasured the scarf and letter for decades, and the ensemble stands as a rare, intimate record of Hepburn’s compassion at the height of her fame.
