FR EN
a letter written in cursive handwriting on a piece of paper
Premium Artcurial

Estimate €800 - €1,000
Sale commission
Description
MERMOZ Jean L.A.S. ‘Jean’, Buenos Aires, 23 December 1927, to his ‘Beloved Mum’; 2 pages, in-4, on Aeroposta Argentina letterhead. Head of the Buenos Aires aerodrome. ‘Time is starting to drag without any news from you’; it takes forty days to receive a reply. ‘I believe we are going to officially inaugurate the international route on 10 January. So you’ll be getting letters more often, as I’ll be writing to you regularly whenever the post goes out, i.e. every eight days. When I think that the day after tomorrow will be Christmas! It’s already warm here. In fact, summer begins in a few days’ time. […] My thoughts will be with you. It’s been a long time since I last spent Christmas with my family! […] I’m settling in well here. It now feels as though I’ve never lived anywhere else. I’ve had a lot of work these past few days with administrative organisation, especially for someone like me who’s not very good with paperwork. What’s more, I have an Argentine bookkeeper and two secretaries. I’ve got plenty to help me get back into the swing of speaking Spanish. Once all that’s sorted, I’ll have peace of mind on that front. I’m also overseeing the development of the aerodrome, which is 50 km from the city, and the construction of the hangars. I’ve got my work cut out for me. On top of that, I made a special delivery to Rio de Janeiro five days ago. Buenos Aires to Rio in a single day: 2,300 km. I returned the day after next, breaking all speed records, which has earned me excellent press coverage here.’ He’s staying with private hosts and living like a prince, whilst putting money aside. ‘I’m a member of an athletics and rowing club. I miss the beach. No swimming here. We’re right at the mouth of the Río de la Plata. The water’s black – not at all inviting. I’m off to Montevideo in the next few days, where I’m due to meet up with Larre Borgès and the other Uruguayans. I’m told a rather grand reception awaits me there. In January, I’m off to Paraguay on my own with an aeroplane and a mechanic to explore the country and find landing strips to be used for a future route. […] Then it will be on to Chile and Patagonia. Some wonderful journeys in store! However, I’m feeling a bit bored at the moment because I’m not flying as much as I used to’… Correspondence, no. 131. Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Passed down through the family
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Historical Memories
Auction location
Auction time 11/03/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like