The Hardy letter. (Click on image to enlarge).
The Hardy letter. Click on image to enlarge.
A personal letter dictated by Thomas Hardy on Christmas Eve in 1912 comes up at Limerick Auction Rooms on Saturday, November 12. The letter touches on the subject of the death of his wife and the fact that he is unable to read or write clearly due to his eye illness. The sale of 500 lots contains a first 1913 edition by Thomas Hardy of A Changed Man and other stories published by MacMillan in 1913.
The Hardy first edition (click to enlarge).
Another rare lot is a World War I death plaque relating to Limerick nurse Elizabeth Grace Stewart. She was a staff nurse in Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service Reserve, who died on service in February 1916. The Stewarts were Limerick silversmiths. Such plaques are common for men, but rare for women.
UPDATE: The letter sold for 260 plus fees.