[Gardening] Jekyll, Gertrude. Group of Three Autograph Letters, signed, to artist William Nicholson

1. Munstead Wood, January 4, 1921. One sheet, two pages. 4 3/4 x 7 3/4 in. (121 x 197 mm) (sight). "Dear Mr. Nicholson, Many thanks for the private view cards - I shall hope to place them within- How I wish I could go myself to see others context... work besides the portrait which I should much have wished to see by daylight. I am so desperately- no doubt quite foolishly- but there it is-shy about anything to do with personal publicity that I am asking Mr. Hudson not to put me in C.L. The gallery is quite enough, where it will be more when merged in other pictures. The Whistlers book out here get but I shall expect it tomorrow & will return it to you in London before long. I did enjoy all your kindness & capital good fellowship. Yrs. sincerely, Gertrude Jekyll." Creasing from old folds. In mat and in frame, 10 x 13 in. (254 x 330 mm.) Unexamined out of frame.

2. Munstead Wood, January 6, 1921. One sheet, 4 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (114 x 190 mm.) "Dear Mr. Nicholson, The Whistlers book safe this morning- Again I find one of these little brass screws that I can only suppose belongs to your lamp. This time it was on the floor, & I felt it under my foot like... the Roseleaf- Mr. Hudson wishes so kindly and privately about the portrait in Country Life, that I feel obliged to relent. Yrs Sincerely G. Jekyll." White stain along top margin; creasing from old folds; in mat and in frame, 9 3/4 x 13 in. (248 x 330 mm.) Unexamined out of frame.

3. Munstead Wood, January 13, 1921. One sheet, 7 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (184 x 159 mm). "Dear Mr. Nicholson, I send what Ned calls 'peonies' of praise of the picture. & am glad & proud, as your humble, passive auxiliary- If you... receive the press notices would you let me see any, that seem to you worth consideration? With many thanks I return your Whistler- the letters were so familiar to me that I must have had them before, but the 10 o'clock was new and beautiful. I wonder why his signature is always called a butterfly. It is a mixture of a pansy and a little... devil. The pansy stands for his wonderful sense of colour; the little devil for some of the rest of him, and he is careful to remind you that he has a sting in his tail. Yrs Sincerely, G. Jekyll." Creasing from old folds, white stains to left margin, in mat and in frame, 12 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. Unexamined out of frame. (318 x 292 mm).

Fine group of autograph letters by garden designer and author Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932), to English artist William Nicholson (1872-1949). The portrait of Jekyll, completed in October 1920, is now in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Property from the Collection of Renny Reynolds

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

[Gardening] Jekyll, Gertrude. Group of Three Autograph Letters, signed, to artist William Nicholson

[Gardening] Jekyll, Gertrude. Group of Three Autograph Letters, signed, to artist William Nicholson