ALS signed “John P. Snyder,” two pages, 4.75 x 7, On Board ‘R.M.S. ‘Titanic’ letterhead, April 10, 1912. Letter to a friend. In full: “While I sit here at the writing desk peacefully and complacently smoking ‘one of your best’ I just want to thank you ever and ever so much. Everything reached me in perfect order at the hotel, and my real regret upon leaving London was that I was unable to get down to Great Queen Street so as to bid you good bye. If you ever come to America try to come to Minneapolis where I shall be only too glad to try and make your visit pleasant as well as interesting. Thanking you again for your remembrance.” Each page has been professionally cotton backed. Repaired complete separations to central horizontal folds of both pages, slightly affecting a few letters of text, a few old blocks of tape toning, and scattered light toning and dampstaining, otherwise very good condition.
John Pillsbury Snyder, whose family is associated with the Pillsbury Baking Company, was a first class passenger on Titanic who embarked with his wife Nelle in Southampton. They were returning to Minnesota from their honeymoon in Europe. Some accounts hold that a crewman had called out “Put in the brides and grooms first,” and so honeymooning couples were among the first shown to the lifeboats. Snyder and his wife survived the disaster and were rescued by Carpathia from Lifeboat 7. Snyder mailed this letter at one of Titanic’s two stops, Cherbourg or Queenstown. A very scarce letter written on board the ship just days before the sinking. RRAuction COA.
