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Auction: 25066 - Historical Documents, Autographs and Ephemera
Lot: 140

French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, An Early Left-Handed Example to John Palmer
1797 (4 Sept.) Autograph letter signed from Bath to John Palmer, M.P. with reference to Palmer's son, reading "I left Lord St. Vincent perfectly well 15 days ago, and he begged me to assure you that the moment your son has served his time that he will instantly promote him." Signed "Believe me Dear Sir, Your Most Obedient Servant, Horatio Nelson". Reverse panel removed otherwise very fine example, among the earliest known of Nelson's left-handed letter writing.

provenance:

The John Goddard Collection, November 2015
Phillips, November 2001

Notes: Nelson famously lost his right arm in battle just forty-one days prior in the Battle of Santa Cruz, Tenerife. Many memorable quotes have come down to us regarding the incident, Nelson is remembered to have said in reference to his arm "Doctor, I want to get rid of this useless piece of flesh here", and we know that he wrote to Lord St. Vincent three weeks earlier than our letter that "a left-handed Admiral will never again be considered as useful."
John Palmer (1742-1818) served as M.P. and Mayor for Bath, and is well known among philatelists as Surveyor and Comptroller General of the Post Office and mastermind of the Mail Coach postal system.

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Estimate
£4,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£3200