Auction house excitement as letter by Mary Webb goes under the hammer
A letter written by one of Shropshire's most important women is to go under the hammer at an auction.
The letter was written by Mary Webb who was an English romantic novelist and poet during the early 20th century.
Her work is set chiefly in the Shropshire countryside involving many local characters and people that she knew.
The letter, addressed from Rose Cottage, Pontesbury, where Webb lived from 1914 to 1916, is dated 1915 and refers to being sent chapters of her book The Golden Arrow.
The document, which is estimated to fetch between £150 and £200, is being offered as part of Whitchurch-based firm Trevanion and Dean's next auction on Saturday. Viewing is from 9am.
It coincides with a new exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery entitled 'Treasures: The Literature and Landscape of Mary Webb's Shropshire', which will be open until June 5.
Auctioneer Christina Trevanion, a partner at the firm, said it has traditionally secured strong prices for Shropshire-related pieces, including £3,000 for a W H Smith of Whitchurch cheese vat in its last auction.
Ms Trevanion said: "We are delighted to have this beautiful letter in our auction.
"Mary was an incredibly important literary figure in Shropshire in the early 20th century, and it is an honour to have even just a small fragment of her work here."
Public viewing times are from 12pm to 7pm today and 9am to 5pm tomorrow.
