Dear Helaine and Joe: I am writing in regard to a letter I received from Norman Rockwell in 1972. Can you tell me the value of such a letter with his signature? I would appreciate your evaluation.
Sincerely, — J.E.H., Derby, Kan.
Dear J.E.H.: The problem with letters and photographs received from famous people is that great care needs to be taken in order to ensure that the letter or photograph was actually signed by the famous person in question and not by a secretary, public-relations person or some sort of a mechanical device (autopen, rubber stamp and so forth).
Luckily, the signature on the letter in today's question compares favorably with known examples of Norman Rockwell's actual signature, and we have no reason to doubt that this missive was not typed and signed by Rockwell himself. As for the typing, we feel that if this letter had been done by a secretary, his or her initials would have appeared near the bottom of the page, as is the standard procedure.
Rockwell was born in New York City in 1894, and he wanted to be an artist from a very early age. He dropped out of high school to attend art school, and he was a highly focused student at the National Academy of Design and, later, at the Art Students League in New York City, where he studied under Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman.
This portion of Rockwell's life is interesting in regard to the advice he gave to J.E.F., which was to go to an art school and not to a college if she seriously wanted to be an artist. In addition, it must have been a big thrill for J.E.F. to have been told by an artist of Norman Rockwell's stature that her art work "was very good indeed."
At this point it might be interesting to discuss the various Monetary values of a Norman Rockwell signature can vary according to where they occur. A simple autograph, for example, is worth (for insurance replacement purposes) only about $100 to $125 when it appears by itself on a blank sheet of paper.
A signed photograph, on the other hand, is worth almost quadruple that amount, at between $400 and $450. A letter handwritten and signed by Rockwell (called an "ALS" or "autographed letter signed") is a little harder to judge because the value depends to a certain degree upon the content of the letter itself.
A Rockwell ALS written to wish someone a happy birthday would be far less valuable than one that describes the artist's vision for creating his most famous set of works — the "Four Freedoms" series, which were done in response to a speech given by Franklin Roosevelt. It is hard to say what a Rockwell letter with such important special content might be, but a general run-of-the-mill Rockwell ALS should be valued in the $500-to-$600 range.
It is important to point out that J.E.F.'s letter is not an ALS, but is a LS or a signed, non-handwritten letter. The content is interesting and sweet but is not the kind of message that imparts interesting insights into the artist's life and work and would not make a collector's heart leap with the anticipation of owning such a document.
Rockwell died in 1978, and currently there is a growing interest in his work, and J.E.F. should insure her letter for between $200 and $250 if its condition is as good as it appears to be.
Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of the "Price It Yourself" (HarperResource, $19.95). Questions can by mailed to them at P.O. Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.