| Margaret Mitchell: Selections from one of the rarest, most extensive collections available. | |
|---|---|
| An Extremely rare autographed copy of Gone With the Wind.: $19,500.00 |  |
| Photograph signed by Olivia DeHavilland. (photo coming soon) | |
| Touching personal notes from Margaret Mitchell shortly before her death. | |
| Photo of Margaret Mitchell, Sims and a cat. | |
| Post Card describing "Northern Memorial Day".PRODUCT ID: 2175 PRICE: $1,595.00 | |
| "Doodlin' Card" - A get well card signed by Mitchell.PRODUCT ID: 2201 PRICE: $750.00 | |
| Note re: Maud the Cat.PRODUCT ID: 2200 PRICE: $1,495.00 | |
| Margaret Mitchell Marsh signed Christmas card.PRODUCT ID: 2202 PRICE: $750.00 | |
| The Historian's Gallery Quick Index |
The author of Gone With The Wind, Margaret Mitchell, was quite shocked to see the remarkable success of her book. Within a matter of months, she went from obscurity to overwhelming national and international acclaim, much to her distress. When the time came for David O. Selznick to make her book into a movie, Ms. Mitchell wanted nothing more to do with the project. Despite the constant urging of Selznick and others, she refused, saying that who they really needed was the well known Atlanta Artist, Author and Historian, Wilbur G. Kurtz, Sr.. In a letter to the Selznick Studios, Margaret Mitchell wrote, "Mr. Wilbur Kurtz of Atlanta is a well-known architect and painter. More than that he is our greatest authority on the Civil War...". She would have known this well because she had maintained a close friendship with Mr. Kurtz over the years and often turned to him for historical advice while writing the book. So expert was Kurtz on the history of Georgia, in fact, that he was commissioned to write all of the historical markers in the northern half of the state.
On Mitchell's recommendation, and his outstanding credentials, Mr. Kurtz was hired promptly in January of 1938, and is listed in the movie credits as the official Historian. He left Atlanta immediately with his wife Annie Laurie, who would work with him constantly. Together, their impact was tremendous; there is scarcely an aspect of the film in which their influence is not seen. Mr. Kurtz even solved the problem of how to recreate the red clay of Georgia in California - by crushing bricks into dust - and was commissioned by Georgia's Governor to create a painting of Twelve Oaks for the Governor's Mansion, complete with Leslie Howard mounted on horseback as Ashley Wilkes. In her article which appeared in the "Macon Telegraph and News, 30 April 1939" as quoted in her book White Columns in Hollywood (Mercer University Press, Macon GA 1986, page 209) fellow technical advisor Susan Myrick summed up his impact on the filming this way: "As for Wilbur Kurtz, he is practically king of the place.".
While her father and mother were in Hollywood, Wilbur Kurtz' daughter ,Nell Fambrough, sent them her first edition copy of Gone With The Wind. In it her father and mother collected the signatures of many cast members from the movie as well as that of the author herself. Below is a listing of those signatures and their inscriptions, just as they appear in this very book:
Then, on the title page, there is taped a single ivy leaf with an inscription in the hand of Nell Fambrough that reads: "From Margaret Mitchell's grave, Oaklawn Cemetery Atlanta, Ga. Sept. 3, 1949 Daddy, Mother, Billy & I Labor Day Weekend". This means that this ivy leaf was taken from Mrs. Mitchell's grave when Wilbur G Kurtz, Sr., his wife Annie Laurie, their daughter Nell and her son Billy visited it just two (2) weeks and a day after her death.
This is quite literally, the most remarkable piece of Gone With the Wind history that we have ever seen. It is easily one of the best, if not the best, piece available to any collector today, and comprises an entire collection of the highest caliber unto itself. We currently have it on display with the rest of the Kurtz family collection, of which this is the only item for sale, in our Atlanta gallery.
This piece, as with all others from The Historian's Gallery,
may be purchased on approval and comes with our full guarantee of authenticity.
Please feel free to contact us with your questions and comments. Any offer
is contengent upon prior sale. Return to top of page
Photograph signed by Olivia DeHavilland (photo
coming soon)
Two Signed, black and white photographs available. Both
are of her as Melanie from Gone With The Wind. Beautifully framed to museum
quality standards. Return to top of page
Margaret, Sims, and cat 
This photograph has been identified by, among others, Ms. Marianne Walker as the last photograph taken of Margaret Mitchell before her death. In her book Margaret Mitchell & John Marsh: The Love Story Behind Gone With the Wind (Peachtree publishers, Ltd. Atlanta, GA), Ms. Walker illustrates a portion of the photograph on page 379 with the following description, "Throughout her life, Peggy loved cats. Taken only weeks before her tragic death, this is believed to be the last picture of her, at the age of 48". The young boy with her is her cousin, whom she seemed to have grown quite attached in the last year of her life.
The following lots are personal notes to this little boy, one even mentions her cat, "Maud" that may be the one pictured here. Many of these pieces are extremely rare as they are hand written. In checking our records for the past five (5) years, we find no example of hand written material being offered for sale, with the exception of the Henry Love Angel collection which included the manuscript for "Lost Laysen". One reason for the lack of hand written material is that Ms. Mitchell typed virtually all of her correspondence. Another reason is that she left instructions for all of her personal papers to be destroyed after her death.
These rare items offer us a unique, personal look into
the life of one of the most celebrated literary figures of our time. In
them we see her devotion to family, love of her native south, and interest
in history. As many of these contain personal content as well as dates,
one can tie them directly to events in her life as recorded in her biographies.
This is a chance for the collector to own a document from Margaret Mitchell
unlike any others on the market. Pieces as unusual as these can not be
replaced, so contact us now, before they are gone forever. Return
to top of page
Post Card describing "Northern Memorial Day" 
Margaret Mitchell wrote this postcard to her nephew, Sims Maddox in 1949. The color picture on the front shows the Old Swedes Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Mitchell and her husband were visiting his mother. The card itself, postmarked May 31, is in good condition, but has yellowed slightly with age.
"We
are up here visiting John's mother. Today is Northern Memorial day and
we saw their parade from our hotel room. We were surprised to see that
they have "Sons of Union Veterans" just as we have "Sons of Confederate
Veterans". If we go to New York, I will try to go to Bannerman's Store
and see their firearms. Your cousin Margaret" Return to
top of page
"Doodlin' Card"
Inscription reads: "Your cousins Margaret and John". Return
to top of page
Note re: Maud the Cat 
A short Handwritten Letter from Margaret Mitchell to her cousin Sims Maddox.
April 5, 1949
Sims dear, that was a fine picture you sent me. The cat, Maud, loves the smell of it and has tried to eat it twice. Thank you for it.
I've been sick a month now but I'm getting better. When I'm well I want you to come to see me.
Your affectionate cousin
Margaret
Return to top of page
Margaret Mitchell Marsh signed Christmas card
A Christmas card signed by Margaret Mitchell which was sent to her cousin
Sims Maddox.
From your cousins
Margaret and John Marsh
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