Hello, I’m Brad and I collect historical letters. It all began when I was reading a biography of a certain historical figure and thought it would be surreal to have a letter written and signed by the subject of the book I was reading. I prefer a letter over a mere autograph as the latter (check the vowel!) can be completed in a nonchalant second whilst the former is something into which the writer would have put time and thought. A little research led me to discover the trade in historical letters, or autograph letter signed, as they’re commonly known.
Upon hearing “historical letters” you may naturally think of figures such as Queen Victoria, Lord Nelson, or Napoleon. Letters written by such iconic characters do of course exist but they are priced well beyond my budget. However, far from being a handicap, financial limitations have two significant benefits. Firstly, I am compelled to seek out lesser-known letter writers who are nonetheless interesting. I’d wager that most of the letter-authors on this blog are initially anonymous to you but after reading the short summary of their lives you may wonder why they’re not better known. Secondly, I can be confident that my letters are genuine. Forgeries do of course exist, but a forger would surely put his efforts into creating a fake that could sell for £1500 rather than a mere £50. Besides, my main dealer has been in the trade for over 40 years and I trust him explicitly.
I hope you enjoy seeing these letters and learning about some fascinating people. The fact such slips of paper can survive in good condition for well over a hundred years never ceases to amaze me and it is always a privilege to be able to hold and read them. I shall endeavour to transcribe the letters but the quality of handwriting in some cases is so appalling that my efforts are sometimes patchy.
As a stickler for correct spelling and grammar I would be mortified to make such mistakes myself but as I shall be creating most of my posts between midnight and 0300 I trust the reader will cut me some slack should any mistypes materialise.
Where possible I have included pictures of those who wrote the letters. Some are photographs; some are paintings. Sometimes the hands are visible. Take a moment to look at the hands, for they are the hands that handled the letters, that held the pens that glided across the pages, putting their owners’ thoughts to paper. When I hold a letter in my hands there is a sense of the years, decades, centuries between the writer and me falling away and for a brief moment I can connect with someone who lived long, long ago. This is why I collect personal historical letters.
When opportunities arise I may add information to my posts. Be sure to check the date at the bottom of the page to see when it was last edited.
9th December 2025
Brad's Letters 