Bidspirit auction | [VARIOUS AUTOGRAPHS, LETTERS, & DOCUMENTS]

[VARIOUS AUTOGRAPHS, LETTERS, & DOCUMENTS] - CHINUA ACHEBE (1930–2013) - Typed Letter Signed and Inscribed Photograph - CHINUA ACHEBE (1930–2013) Typed Letter Signed and Inscribed Photograph, mentioning Wole Soyinka, Amos Tutuola, Akinwande Oluwole Isola and Gabriel Okara, 1983 Typed letter signed “Chinua Achebe” by the renowned Nigerian writer, dated 25 October 1983, on Achebe’s personal headed stationery from P.O. Box 53, Nsukka, Anambra State, Nigeria, and addressed to Mrs Siv Lind, Helsinki, Finland. Achebe thanks his correspondent for her letters and apologises for having failed to answer her earlier communications. Enclosing a photograph, he explains: “Here is a photograph taken quite a few years ago. But I have nothing better.” Of particular literary interest, Achebe then helps his correspondent to contact several prominent Nigerian writers: “You may be able to reach Soyinka, Tutuola, Isola and Okara through Dr. K. Omotoso, University of Ife, Nigeria.” The references are to Wole Soyinka, Amos Tutuola, Akinwande Oluwole Isola and Gabriel Okara, placing the letter within the remarkable network of Nigerian writers active in the second half of the twentieth century. The letter is signed in blue ink “Chinua Achebe”. Together with a black-and-white photographic portrait of Achebe, extensively inscribed by him on the reverse in blue ink: “For Mrs Lind’s collection?Helsinki, Finland With best wishes Chinua Achebe?Nsukka – Nigeria?October 1983” and signed “Chinua Achebe”. An excellent literary association item from the author of Things Fall Apart, combining a signed letter with a personally inscribed photograph. The letter is especially noteworthy for Achebe’s references to other distinguished Nigerian authors, including Wole Soyinka, who three years later became the first African writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Two items: one typed letter signed and one inscribed photograph.