Letters of famous women to be auctioned

People who love the art of letter writing as much as I do will want to pay special attention to two upcoming auctions, both of which feature letters from famous (and infamous) women.

The first, taking place in Paris, is a collection of some 1,500 letters written by women such as Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot and Edith Piaf. One of my favorites is the historic letter from Catherine the Great (who was the queen of England from 1509-1533, and the first of King Henry VIII’s many wives) addressed to the pope asking that he reject Henry’s request for an annulment.

The second auction, which is being held in Beverly Hills, California, will feature a great deal of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, including a number of personal letters written to her by her one-time husband, baseball star Joe DiMaggio. Here’s an excerpt from a letter DiMaggio wrote to Monroe, dated Oct. 9, 1954:

“Don’t know what you’re (sic) thoughts are about me, – but I can tell you I love you sincerely – way deep down in my heart, irregardless (sic) of anything.”

I don’t know about you, but reading these iconic letters has me inspired to go beyond sending out thank you cards and Christmas greeting cards this year – it’s time to bring back the lost art of letter writing.