In 1922, Santos Dumont gave two photographs to a friend.
- Handwritten letter from Santos Dumont to a friend.
- One page.
- In French.
- 27 cm x 18.2 cm.
- June 27, 1922.
- Paris, France.
- Good condition Regarding conservation; the second page has a different color (we haven't identified the reason) which does not alter the text or the signature.
- Unique piece.
Transcription in French
27.6.1922
My dear friend
J´ai encore deux photos pour vous et comme je pars à la campagne pour quelques jours, je les laisse sur mon bureau dans un carton avec votre nom (ce carton se trouve en place à côté d´une photo du Cardinal Mercier) en montrant cette lettre à la direction de l´hôtel, ils vous laisseront prendre vos photos.
Friendships of Santos Dumont
Translation in Portuguese
27.6.1922
My dear friend,
I still have two photos for you, and since I'll be in the countryside for a few days, I've left them on my desk in a folder with your name on it (this folder is next to a photo of Cardinal Mercier). By showing this letter to the hotel management, they will let you pick up your photos.
Santos Dumont's friendships
Living at the prestigious Claridge Hotel in Paris, Santos Dumont wrote this letter in 1922 to inform a friend that he had left him two photographs, probably autographed portraits. That year, the famous Brazilian aviator was going through a difficult period, facing serious health and emotional problems. Brazil was celebrating the Centennial of its Independence in Rio de Janeiro, a major event in which he was invited to participate, and his airplane, the 14-bis, was on display.
However, his delicate state of health, coupled with growing concern about the use of his invention for war purposes (as observed during the First World War), left him deeply distressed. Cardinal Mercier, mentioned in the letter, was a major figure in the resistance against the Germans in Belgium during the First World War, probably someone Santos Dumont knew and admired, since his portrait was in his office.
This simple letter from Santos Dumont demonstrates, once again, the aviator's great generosity. Written in French, quite lengthy and in good condition, it is perfect for enriching a collection about the Brazilian aviator, aviation pioneers, or great Brazilian personalities.
