Beschreibung:

5 Autograph Letters Signed ("Jackie"), 16 pp, four from London and Nice, [July and August, 1955], and one from Ravenna, [August, 1962], including original transmittal envelopes addressed to "Mrs. Hugh D. Auchincloss," creasing to upper margin of one Nice letter, folded; WITH: original telegram sent from Jackie to her mother, 1 p, sent September 14, 1955. Provenance: Mrs. Elisa Sullivan. REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF LETTERS from Jackie to her mother during a solo continental vacation while Jack recovers from back surgery. Beginning with a 1955 stay in London with sister Lee and her husband Michael, Jackie writes home about her first encounters with London society, noting the Astors, Andrew Devonshire, the More O'Ferralls, David Gore (Lord Harlech, to whom she would become very close). She notes, "The longer I stay here the more I love it – because it isn't till the English really like you that it is any fun." She writes of her trip to Ascot ("after every race you rush out & have a drink with everyone under the umbrellas- then you tear to the paddock and the bookies"), watching polo, dining at Blenheim ("the duke was less lecherous than usual"). She also notes missing Jack, who is recovering from back surgery, and hopes he will come to join her. By late July 1955, she writes from Nice with a sketch of Lee and Michael's flat there, and notes "Jacques Prevert, the existentialist poet has the terrace below us... guess who was having tea with Prevert – Picasso – Michael kept staring over the terrace and they smiled sickly at each other." Anticipating Jack's arrival, she writes, "If only he feels well enough to stay over here maybe he'll get his strength back...." A few weeks later, "Jack has arrived – and it's too good to be true – he is in marvelous health – had a lovely rest in Sweden... Jack at last seems to be relaxing." Written during a tumultuous summer for the young quasi-newlyweds, these letters offer an intimate glimpse into Jackie's mindset at a pivotal moment. Also, included is a letter from Jackie postmarked August 21, 1962, from Ravenna, where she again is travelling alone while Jack, now president, works in Washington. She poignantly notes, "I never realized that even in Hyannis there is always a certain tension one lives with & to have it vanish completely was so incredible.... I keep wishing [Jack] could have a change of scene like me... Hammersmith will be his Ravello." She relishes her chance to relax, but notes "Then the Agnelli's came and they organized life to such a degree - & seem to need 3 hours sleep a day – we had a rather hectic week."