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an old letter from a man who is writing on a piece of paper
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Estimate €600 - €800
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Description
MERMOZ Jean L.A.S. ‘Jean Gilberte’, Marseille, 26 November 1930, to his ‘dear little Mummy’; 4 pages, in-8, on Hôtel de Noailles letterhead. Seaplane test flights. He has had “quite a lot of work these days with my seaplane test flights, setting off at 9 o’clock in the morning and often not returning until 6 o’clock in the evening”. He is concerned about his mother’s health; she is due to return to La Bourboule for a course of treatment. He assures her of all his affection and that of Gilberte. A mother “remains the mother of the little child we once were, and the tenderness we feel for her withstands all meanness, all disappointments, all suffering”… He does not yet know ‘the date on which I will be able to make my crossing. My test flights will be practically finished shortly. All that will remain is to wait for authorisation from the Ministry… who knows if it will come? I am waiting for Daurat so that I can go to Saint-Raphaël with him in the seaplane. The Pothez isn’t working: constant engine trouble. Martinoff is in despair… naturally. Guillaumet and Étienne arrived yesterday to take their seaplane pilot’s licence. So the good old team is now back together in Marseille”… Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family
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About the sale Historical Memories
Auction location
Auction time 11/03/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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