Dominic Winter Auctions
Lot 693
* Piper (John, 1903-1992). Two Autograph Letters Signed, 'John Piper', Fawley Bottom Farmhouse, nr Henley-on-Thames, 9 November 1940 & Pentre, Bethesda, Bangor, 17 January 1946, both to William [Scudamore Mitchell], the first beginning, 'John brought your letter with him this week which we found v enjoyable, if much of the life it described sounded otherwise. I send a photo [not present here], of water-colour of Hamsey Ch[urch], in case it amuses you. "Plain Oak Seats: Art, but decent" I see I have noted in my sketchbook - but "I took the liberty of expunging them from the drawing" as Sidney Pitcher F.R.P.S. of Gloucester once said to me about the fir-trees at the Rollright Stones - introducing a singularly bare-looking photo... ', recounting how he visited Hamsey at the beginning of the war and saying that William is doing 'invaluable work on our hatchment heritage' and hoping Sir Harry and Sir Charles will remember him when they get into parliament, 'as advisors on Historical Monument Preservation to the New Era Government' , a little spotting and some creasing and one short tear to right margin, 2 pp., 8vo, the second letter beginning, 'It was an enormous pleasure - series of pleasures - to see you posted in the Times alive and well, as we did, then to hear you were home from John, now to hear from you in person. Your letter is fascinating and it will be even more fascinating when we meet again... ', saying that 'For our own part we have had fun and hell during the war but nearly all fun, and we have taken the first opportunity of escaping from our beam ends at Fawley Bottom to come to the frozen mountains of Cambria where we have taken this house (no modern conveniences whatever: hip bath in front of kitchen fire, the size of an occasional table) in order - ostensibly - for me to paint frozen mountains. It is far too cold of course to do that... ', telling William to take time to look at some churches before he goes to Austria and telling him not to go abroad for too long, 'The country needs you', a couple of minor spots, 3 pp. on 2 sheets of letterhead, 8voQTY: (2)NOTE:William Scudamore Mitchell (1912-1987), advertising manager at Shell prior to the Second World War. Mitchell worked with John Betjeman and John Piper on the Shell Guides series, and was himself the author of East Sussex, A Shell Guide (Faber & Faber, 1978). During the war, Mitchell was sent to Singapore where he was interned by the Japanese, as a prisoner-of-war on the Burma Railway. His account of the experience was published in 1996 as The Setting Sun, An Account of Life in Captivity under the Japanese. Mitchell later worked as advertising manager for the Egg Marketing Board until his retirement. He stayed at Fawley Bottom with John and Myfanwy Piper on numerous occasions, and owned several works by Piper.
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