Charteris (Leslie, 1907-1993). Collection of signed letters to Eileen Cond, 1933-59. 17 in total, of which 4 autograph, the rest typed, all signed ‘Leslie Charteris’ with his characteristic underline, all one page, 14 on Charteris’s personalised stationery (of which 11 with his ‘Leslie Charteris’ letterhead and red edges), the rest on hotel stationery, the first letter (February 1933, on Hotel Lexington stationery) with a few nicks, rust-marks from a paperclip to head of 2 others, overall in very good condition (qty: 17)

A set of charming responses to what was presumably a maddening stream of letters from eccentric autograph collector and hotelier Eileen Cond (1911-1984), of The Den, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, later of Yew Tree House, Ombersley, Worcestershire. In addition to granting Cond’s requests for his signature (either in copies of his books or on her personal bookplate), Charteris provides interesting updates on the progress of the 'Saint' stories and reveals among other things his misgivings about ever allowing them to be filmed: ‘I don’t know when you’ll see the Saint on the screen, because I know too much about the movie business even to put him at their mercy. I should require a controlling interesting myself; but I haven’t yet said that to a potential buyer who didn’t forthwith run away howling’ (February 1934). Cond seems eventually to have insinuated herself well enough into Charteris’s life to have become part of his fiction: ‘You know, I actually did use your sister Meryl’s name in one of my books – I only wish I could remember which one it was’ (October 1947).