Charles Bukowski letter to Ann Menebroker sells for $1,500 (1 Viewer)

[Ponder]

Charles Bukowski letter to Ann Menebroker sells for $1500

Hello Ann--

Hold yourself together, the glue may arrive to keep you and Wayne going.
Of course I'd like to see you but I can promise you nothing-
neither sex or love or maybe not even understanding. But
I would like to see you. We could have some drinks and lounge
about and you could stay as long as you wished. Things are
quiet here. People do come by but not too often. I have no
strong attachments. There is one lady who says, "Bukowski,
I don't see why you don't love me. I'm a beautiful woman."
"Sorry," I tell her, "I've got the lever turned to OFF."
I don't know if I ever want to get back into a strong
affair again. I am too emotional, I am too sentimental; when
when the games begin--the hard games men and women play
against each other, I am lost.
Well, the book finally came out, it's a fat one, SELECTED POEMS,
and my name's on the cover so I suppose that I wrote them.
Try to stay well and don't feel too bad, or if you do
feel too bad, remember it happens to all of us. Hold, dear,
hold to the fucking walls, and soon you'll be laughing, you'll
be thinking, how did I ever let it get hold of me like that?
All we need is time--to straighten out, feel better, and then
make the same mistake all over again.

love, BUK

 

[Socratease]

I don't know the typical market value of such letters. Is that about par?

 

[mjp]

That's odd, that it would be reported like that. Is that news?

 

[Bukfan]

I would'nt call it news. We've often seen Buk letters for sale on Ebay, some of them were also written to well-known people, as I recall. The price does'nt seem exceptionally high either. We've often seen Buk letters to more or less unknown people sell for $800-1000 on Ebay. Perhaps The Guardian had'nt anything better to report in their culture/book section that day...:)

 

[Rekrab]

It's a great letter, strong content, and the price is a little higher than average, but it's hardly news. Puzzling.

 

[roni]

I find it really high for a single letter of minor importance.
There have been Buk-PAINTINGS for that price!

 

[Fransmeister]

Buk letter to Ann Menebroker

I have found my perfect buk letter! Written back in 1974 to long term letter correspondent and famous poet Ann Menebroker. As far as I know it has not been previously published. I have been searching a long time for a genuine letter with the right buk ingredients and was so happy to lay my hands on this one. The original envelope was also included but I am not sure if I will frame only the letter or also the envelope?!

Here it is. sorry for the somewhat poor scan.

Cheers,
T

 

[Gerard K H Love]

Thank you for posting the scan. It looks good...or should I say fine?

 

[james]

yes, that's a great buk letter. congrats!
re: framing the letter with the envelope, i did it with my "perfect buk letter" and am very happy with it. here's a look:

 

[cirerita]

Is that letter addressed to Charlie Mehrhoff?

 

[james]

cirerita, i'm not really sure who the charlie is. the name and address was missing when i got it. for some reason charlie merhoff sounds right though...

 

[james]

cirerita,
i figured out why charlie mehrhoff sounded right: the seller included this book with the letter. i forgot all about it...

so who is this mehrhoff fellow?

 

[hank solo]

I think that Charlie Mehrhoff was one of the editors of 'Mountain and Plain Motorcycle News'.

 

[LickTheStar]

Wow a signed\inscribed book included in a letter purchase? Awesome deal.

 

[cirerita]

Yep, Mehrhoff was involved in the biker mag and in other obscure littles from the early 90s. For some reason, those are harder to find than, say, Epos or Quixote.

 

[james]

very interesting. thanks Hank Solo and cirerita for the info.

LTS, yea i was very impressed when the package arrived. well, after i figured out the letter was inside the book and the book was signed...