In 1927, interned in Switzerland, Alberto Santos Dumont continued to be interested in and root for other aviation pioneers.
- Handwritten letter from Santos Dumont to Tissandier.
- One page.
- In French.
- 18 cm x 21.5 cm.
- February 17, 1927.
- Valmont, Switzerland.
- Perfect condition conservation, except for a small stain of blue ink (Santos Dumont's fingerprint?) in the last sentence before the signature.
- Unique piece.
French transcription
My dear Tissandier
Très content de vous savoir dans la bonne neige et en compagnie de votre petit. En voilà un qui sera fort. Merci pour l’”abrasso” by Mr Bettancourt.
Je ne sais pas si je vous ai déjà dit, mais je suis en train de travailler ici à maitriser l´art de la “reliure” et avec beaucoup de plaisir et succès.
Ortis qui est un connoisseur et qui est ici, m´a fait beaucoup de compliments. Ortis is the director of Vogue. Do you think that Pinedo will travel from Africa to Brésil on a Seoul bond? It will be beautiful.
Messages to all friends of Megève
En vous souhaitant encore de grandes glissades et des beaux arrêts votre ami
Santos Dumont
Valmont 17.2.27
Portuguese translation
My dear Tissandier,
I am very happy to know that you are in good snow and in the company of your little one. There is someone who will be strong. Thank you for the “hug” from Mr. Bettancourt.
I don't know if I've told you, but I'm working here to master the art of "bookbinding," and I'm doing it with great pleasure and success. Ortis, who is an expert and is here, has given me many compliments. Ortis is the director of Vogue. Do you think Pinedo will cross from Africa to Brazil in one go? That will be beautiful.
My greetings to all the friends of Megève. Wishing you great slides and beautiful stops, your friend,
Santos Dumont
Valmont, 17.2.27
In 1927, Santos Dumont spent time at Valmont, a renowned clinic in Switzerland, to rest and receive medical care. At that time, he had retired from aeronautical activities, as his health was deteriorating, both physically and psychologically. At Valmont, he lived with other personalities of the time, such as the editor of Vogue magazine, with whom he shared a passion for bookbinding.
In this letter to his friend Tissandier, he mentions Francesco de Pinedo, who was a famous Italian aviator. Pinedo had made two fantastic trips around the world. The first, in 1925, took him from Rome to Japan and back to Rome, via Australia. The second, which concerns us here, took place in 1927 and consisted of a circuit that left Rome towards the Amazon forests of Brazil, returning to Rome, via the United States, Newfoundland and the North Atlantic. This second trip was a suggestion of Mussolini, who wanted to awaken a sense of national pride in the Italian immigrants in North America. The difficult circuit would serve to demonstrate the quality and versatility of Italian aircraft, as well as the bravery of their pilots.
On February 13, 1927, the pilot and his two crew members (a navigator and a mechanic) took off aboard the Santa Maria toward North Africa. The trip was undoubtedly epic and marked by incidents that transform men into heroes, and that was how they were welcomed in Brazil. The trip continued, the Amazon was crossed and the plane soon flew over American territory, the first time that a foreign aircraft had done so.
Here we have a very interesting letter from Santos Dumont: in excellent condition, it mentions both Santos Dumont's personal life, retired in Valmont, and his continued enthusiasm for the progress of aviation. Santos Dumont's letters are much sought after, especially in Brazil, Europe and the United States, particularly those — the rarest — in which Santos Dumont talks about aviation.
