Autograph Letter Signed from Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue, Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art, to 'Mr Sawyer', expressing Queen Elizabeth II's gratitude at the opportunity of purchasing a miniature book from the library of Queen Mary's Dolls' House.
2pp., 4to. 20 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Signed 'Geoffrey de Bellaigue'. He writes that he has had a reply to a letter (he has written to the Queen) 'concerning the miniature book entitled "Statesmen" which you purchased at the sale at Sothebys on 17 July 1972 (Lot 636)'. He continues: 'Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth feels that this book should be acquired for the Doll's House, and would be very glad to purchase it on the basis of the price you paid in the sale rooms, £240, plus a 10% commission.' He adds that the queen has 'asked me to tell you how grateful she is that you should have made the book available to her on such generous terms'. The letter concludes: 'I have little doubt that the book must indeed be the one which originally belonged to the library of the Queen's Dolls House.'