Description:

Charles Dickens
n.p., ca. 1863
Charles Dickens Signed Partial Letter Shortly Before Son's Death: "Poor Walter has had smallpox, and now has fever"
Signature
A clipped signature of Charles Dickens, with a partial letter on verso discussing his son Walter's health. Measuring 5" x 2.5", n.p., n.d. [ca. 1863] The signature "Charles Dickens" has been clipped from the conclusion of a letter. On the reverse is a small portion of the letter in which Dickens discusses soaring temperatures which are affecting the elderly in the community and his son's illness. With flattened mail folds, moderate toning, and soiling throughout. Mounting residue at the edges. Boldly signed.

The partial letter on verso reads in part:
"…I think that's all the news I have - except that the glass is at 90 in the shade, and that elderly persons collapse in the streets and are found under umbrellas - which they carry as sunshades. Poor Walter has had smallpox, and now has fever, and is invalided and sent to the Hills. I had a letter from him…"

Although undated, the context of this letter suggests that it may have been written shortly before Walter Dicken's death on December 31, 1863. Walter became a cadet in the East India Company, leaving England in 1857 at the age of 16 to combat the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Walter Dickens rose to the rank of lieutenant and served in the 26th Native Infantry Regiment, and was attached to the 42nd Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch). Things seemed to have been going well for Walter until his health started to decline: he fainted of sun stroke, suffered from Smallpox, and caught a fever. On top of his illness, Walter became deeply entrenched in debt. By Christmas, Walter was invalided back to Britain on medical leave, but he never made it. On December 31, 1863, he suffered an aortic aneurysm at the hospital and died within seconds. His father did not receive the news of Walter's death until his own birthday on February 7, 1864.

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: 5" x 2.5"
  • Medium: Signature

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 worldwide 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 who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, 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 7, 2024 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