Stein, Gertrude, American writer, poet and art collector (1874-1946). Autograph letter signed ("Gertrude").

[Paris], "Rue de Fleurus", 27 Dec. 1908.

8vo. 4 pp. on bifolium.

 3,500.00

To "my dear people", i. e. Hortense (Guggenheimer) Moses and her son Dickey: "Many thanks for the three Dickies and the papa and the mama. Seems to me Dickey looks a good deal like his papa Jakie [...] Please say Merry Christmas to him [...] and did he eat too much candy like aunty Gertrude [...] Oh Dickey, you are going but we are never too young to learn. Dickey, Dickey listen to the words as they tumble off your wise auntie's pen, never, no never when the Merry Christmas time comes round don't you ever eat too much sweet cake and sweet candy and above all [...] don't ever mix up such sweet cake and sweet candy with salt pickles. Dickey, a lady what never tells lies tells you that that's a bad way to do. She did it, her big brother did it [...]".

Stein refers to her older brother, Leo Stein, and to Hortense Guggenheimer Moses, the cousin of her close friend, Etta Cone (1870-1949), who with her sister Claribel, collected an important grouping of modern French art. Stein penned this letter about 6 years after her arrival from Baltimore to Paris where she established her renown salon [...]".

One short tear at center fold, otherwise in good condition, with holograph envelope.

Stock Code: BN#31933 Tag: