An autograph letter to Paul Maze, signed (Winston S. Churchill), 5 March 1927

The letter opens with Churchill thanking Paul Maze for his thoughts on his latest publication, (probably volume III of The World Crisis, which was published that month). He continues that due to the Budget looming ahead I have no time for painting just now, but when that burden was lightened I shall hope [to] go back to it, & to drink again at the fountain of your knowledge. Churchill at this time was Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Stanley Baldwin's Conservative Government.

Fourteen typed letters, variously signed (Winston S. Churchill, W, Winston S. C), dating from 1938 -1960

The topics in the letters range from a simple thanks, to discussing exhibitions, acknowledging the receipt of a gift of pastels and crayons, the gift of a drawing of Churchill's wife Clemmie, to their health and travels. The letters are variously on Chartwell, 28 Hyde Park Gate and 10 Downing Street headed paper, the last with embossed stamp of the Prime Minister.

A typed letter, signed (Winston S.Churchill)

The letter is thanking Paul Maze for suggesting that Churchill address the Home Guard over the radio and saying how well it appears to have been received and that the artist should add this to the services you have rendered to the Home Guard. Churchill had addressed the Home Guard on 14 May 1943, to mark the third anniversary of the formation of the unit and praising the vital service they performed in the defence of Britain. Paul Maze served in the Home Guard during the Second World War.

The letter was written at The White House, Washington D.C., 17 May 1943 on 10 Downing Street embossed headed paper, with Prime Minister embossed stamp (upper left).

Two autograph letters from Anthony Eden to Paul Maze

The first letter: Eden is thanking Paul Maze for the present that Maze had sent. We were moved more than anything else, by the thought that prompted you to send it. He continues that he is going into the country for a while, but once they are settled that the artist will come and dine. On 20 February 1938, Anthony Eden had resigned from the British Government over Neville Chamberlain's appeasement towards Italy.

The second letter: Eden thanks Paul Maze for the gift of an enchanting little picture, which he intends to hang in his London property. The letter references the current troubled international scene. The day that the second letter was written, Anthony Eden appeared on the front cover of Time Magazine. King George VI had died on 6 February. The letter is written on House of Commons embossed and black edged mourning paper.

Baroness Clementine Spencer-Churchill, One autograph and six typed letters

One letter thanks Paul Maze for the lovely water colour of the proud American flag.I have hung it in his bedroom where he can see it when he looks up when he is working in bed. Another thanks Paul Maze for a small Napoleonic scene which he fitted into one of Winston's cigar boxes and which Baroness Spencer-Churchill had lit with a little electric bulb and it looks quite fascinating - specially if the other lights in the room are put out. She is asking for further details of the subject, as she might auction it for her Aid to Russia fund. One is a copy of a letter to Averell Harriman, then US Ambassador to the Soviet Union, asking the recipient to ask Stalin for a drawing of Winston Churchill back. She wrote Because it makes him look undignified and ridiculous I have never liked a clever pencil sketch of Winston playing cards. She continues When we were staying at Hyde Park with the President last August, I was startled and vexed to see a copy of it had been sent to him, and that it was on public view in the President's museum in the grounds of his house...It is, of course, fun to see "the Great" in their unguarded and dishevelled moments! But I feel this is a sketch which any enemy would like to see scattered broadcast, and any friend would prefer to laugh at privately. A fourth letter discusses not publishing a photograph of Hitler, as it shows Hitler in a much more favourable light than he is usually depicted here. He certainly seems tense and even fanatical, but not at all abnormal. Or even very unpleasant. Two others are thankyou letters variously for strawberries and for a painting to the Golden Book of Roses, compiled for their Golden Wedding. The handwritten letter to Paul Maze discusses the artist's recent exhibition which the Churchills enjoyed seeing. She goes on to discuss Winston's health, his strength is sadly diminished and he grows weaker, week by week - the strain of the war years is showing now. She says that they are going on Friday to Blenheim till Monday (Private he now has 2 male Nurses).

William Averell Harriman (1891-1986) was an American businessman and politician, who served as US Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1943-6) and the United Kingdom (1946-7), as well as 48th Governor of New York (1955-9).

Four of the letters are on 10 Downing Street embossed headed paper, one on Chartwell headed paper, one on 28 Hyde Park Gate headed paper and one on copy paper.

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Auction Details

Wednesday 21 October, 11.30am BST
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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