Auction hopes for Potter letter

Potter signed the letter 'much love from, Beatrix Potter' Enlarge Image

A letter from Beatrix Potter to a young fan apologising for the quality of one of her books is expected to fetch up to £2,500 at auction in Exeter.

The four-page letter to Joy Shapland was written by the Peter Rabbit author in 1913.

In it, Potter apologises for her book The Tale of Pigling Bland, explaining that she had been poorly.

Auctioneer Rachel Littlewood of Hampton and Littlewood said: "This letter is such a unique piece of history."

"We have already had a lot of interest and I have been responding to e-mails from all over the world."

'Surprised'

In the letter, Potter - whose other books included Mrs Tiggy Winkle and Jemima Puddleduck - explained she had been so ill she "thought it was the last of Peter Rabbit".

She then goes on to say that her printers had urged her to produce another book in time for Christmas.

The letter reads: "My dear Joy, I have had a photograph of you and nice funny pictures of Mrs Tittlemouse since last June! It is almost too late to say thank you; you will be quite surprised to get a letter.

Potter drew three pigs in the letter

"I was very ill last spring - I thought it was the last of Peter Rabbit and since then I have been drawing - dozens of pigs.

"I have been so tired of them, but the printers said all the little friends would be disappointed if I did not screw out my normal Christmas book.

"I'm afraid it is not very good this time but I have done my best, now am well again I will hope to do better next year."

She adds: "I am glad you like Mrs Tittlemouse. I am fond of her too, and I like going round with a mop and doing house work, but the children in the village where I live don't call me that name - they call me Peter Rabbit!!

"A friend of mine has got a grey squirrel called Joy, she is very tame and lives in a big parrot cage."

The letter will be auctioned on 15 March. It is part of a wider sale of 18th and 19th Century costume books, as well as some 400 lots of antiquarian books.