Sick, the famous aviator Alberto Santos Dumont apologizes to a friend he was supposed to meet in Paris.
- Handwritten letter from Alberto Santos Dumont to Mr. Del Valle, 53 avenue Victor Hugo.
- One page.
- In French.
- 22 cm x 17.5 cm.
- No exact information about location and date.
- Excellent condition of conservation.
- Unique piece.
My dear friend,
I'm so sorry for not coming yesterday. I wasn't feeling well.
From your friend, A. Santos Dumont
Alberto Santos Dumont (1873 - 1932) became known, above all, for being one of the first - the first? - to take off aboard a gasoline-powered airplane. Unable to accept his media exposure, feeling responsible for the frequent plane crashes and their use as a weapon during the war, Santos Dumont suffered emotionally. He exiled himself to sanatoriums in Switzerland and France, returning to Brazil only in 1931, to live out his final days.
Researcher Mr. Sergio Douglas Cavallari very kindly helped us understand this letter:
When did Santos Dumont write this letter?
I can almost guarantee that it is something from after World War I. In my research, I clearly concluded that there are "two" Santos-Dumonts: one before and one after the conflict (World War I). Even his handwriting changed, with the appearance of the "=" symbol in place of the hyphen. (...) Many say that he started writing Santos=Dumont to emphasize both his Portuguese-Brazilian and French origins. In my opinion, this is complete nonsense. He started using the "=" instead of the hyphen, that's all, because it appears throughout the text of several letters, not just in his signature.
Another sign that this is something that happened after World War I is that he talks about his health. Several biographers say that, at that time, it was common for him to "disappear" from friends and social gatherings, due to depression. He would then give some kind explanation, so as not to be rude or make people feel guilty. In 1925, he was hospitalized at the famous Valmont clinic, near Lausanne.
Who was Mr. Del Valle, the recipient of this letter?
There were several personalities living in Paris at the time with the surnames Valle or Del Valle. One of the most famous was the Spanish caricaturist and painter Evaristo Valle, who was exactly the same age as Santos-Dumont. The inventor was a close friend of these artists, and the cartoonist Sem (Georges Goursat) was admittedly his best friend. The building at 53 Victor Hugo Avenue also looks like it used to be a hotel or a set of rental apartments; it is very similar to several other addresses of Santos-Dumont that I have collected from his letters.
This letter, in perfect condition, helps us imagine the brilliant inventor at the end of his life, in Paris, struggling with depression. The letter is simple, but we can highlight some interesting details: the comment on his poor health (with a mistake in French), exceptionally large and legible handwriting and the initials ASD printed in monogram format, in Asian style, printed on high-quality paper.
