Agnes Keith Letter Sold for over £1000
Agnes Keith Letter 1943
This cover appeared in ebay on 29/09/2011 and ended on 09/10/2011 with a jaw dropping price of £1022! Surprisingly there were only 6 bidders involved in the whole 10-day frenzy with a total of 16 bids. Unfortunately the auction was privately listed where the bidders' identities were completely unknown.
The cover itself is a remarkable piece of history and antiquity from Agnes Keith. It was sent from Los Angeles, California (cds dated Oct 30, 1943) to Kuching, Sarawak, during the occupation of Borneo. It was received in the women and children's camp at Batu Lintang, Kuching. The letter itself brings that warm sentimental feeling because it was sent by Agnes Keith's aunt from California (Mrs. H. M. Kimball) who would have been distressed by the news of their captivity by the Japanese - I wonder what the content of the letter would have been.
The cover is marked with two censors - the US and the Japanese censor markings. The U.S. censor is strucked at the left lower corner in circle numbered 849, while there is a rare boxed Japanese censor mark at the centre left. The cover also bears an unusual "Ag" (Auslandprufstelle) transit mark indicating a transit to Vienna, Austria. A transparent examiner's tape was applied at the left aspect of the cover numbered 793.
Another examples of Agnes Keith's letter here.
