
Luke Batterham
Senior Valuer
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£300 - £400
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Senior Valuer
In his catalogue, Michael Silverman quoted this letter with evident relish, the accident-prone Forester being in high spirits: "My favourite joke is about the Cardinal-Archbishop who found himself beside the Chief Rabbi at a City dinner. Said the Cardinal, absentmindedly – 'Can I help you to a little of this ham?' 'I shall wait for that until Your Eminence's wedding breakfast.' The other story I like is about the three girls who went for a tramp in the woods. He is now in hospital. For publicity I have not much to suggest. Published a novel eight years ago, nearly, at the age of 22, & have regretted it ever since. One of the very few people who have succeeded in getting a motor boat down 300 miles of the unnavigable river Loire – may be the only one. Was wrecked in the Thames once on Good Friday, kicked off my shoes while swimming ashore, could not, of course, buy new ones, & came back to London by train (& taxi) in stockinged feet in a crowded excursion train".
The Philadelphia Public Ledger Syndicate was formed in 1915 to sell and distribute features to the Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Journal; Forester being a frequent contributor to the Post, which was to serialize Commodore Hornblower in 1945.