Description:

Basil Rathbone
Los Angeles, CA, January 14, 1939
Basil Rathbone ALS Accepting Patronage at UCLA
ALS

An autograph letter signed by English actor Basil Rathbone. 1p, measuring 7.25" x 10.5", Los Angeles, dated January 14, 1939. On personal letterhead, signed "Basil Rathbone." Writing to Miss Lolita Hiebert, Rathbone accepts an invitation to be a patron at UCLA. With flattened mail folds. Mounting residue on the verso along with an authentication sticker. Boldly signed.

Reading in full:
"Mrs. Rathbone and I are much honored by your invitation to become a patroness and patron of Mu Chapter at the University of California at Los Angeles, and we are very happy to accept. I cannot say at the moment whether we will be able to attend the formal induction Ceremony on Sunday Feby 12th as in all probability we shall be away at that time."

Philip St. John Basil Rathbone (1892-1967) was an Anglo-South African actor who rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films. Known primarily for appearing in costume dramas and swashbucklers, he occasionally did horror films as well. His most famous role was that of Sherlock Holmes, appearing in fourteen films made between 1939 and 1946. The first of these, "The Hound of the Baskervilles," was released March 31, 1939.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 7.25" x 10.5"
  • Medium: ALS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

August 27, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000