Sold – Charles A. Lindbergh Relates That the Spirit of St. Louis Is in Fine Shape, Describes the Receptions He Is Receiving

When Lindbergh was in New York readying for his epochal flight to Paris, the Wright Corporation assigned Richard Blythe to help him with his mail, the press, and general PR. Before he took off, while in Paris, on Lindy’s return voyage from Paris on the U. S. Navy cruiser Memphis,
and again after he returned, Lindbergh worked with Blythe. The two men became fast friends, forging a relationship that would last until Blythe's death.

On June 11, 1927, Lindbergh arrived back in the United States.  He immediately got his first taste of the reception that lay ahead: a convoy of four destroyers, two army blimps, and 40 airplanes accompanied the Memphis up Chesapeake Bay. Hundreds of thousands were on hand to see him. On June 13 more than four million people turned out for events honoring the flier in New York. He received the Orteig Prize a few days later, and on the 18th returned to St. Louis and was received with acclaim.

Lindbergh then agreed to go on a three month tour of America organized and sponsored by Long Island millionaire, Harry Guggenheim, and the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. He departed on the Guggenheim Tour from Michel Field, Long Island, on July 20, 1927, and in the ensuing three months he would visit 48 states and 92 cities. He would partake in many parades (someone calculated that in these parades Lindbergh had traveled a combined distance of 1,290 miles), would give 147 speeches, and would personally log 260 hours and 45 minutes in the air while flying 22,350 miles. He returned to Michel Field on October 23, 1927.

During the tour Lindbergh was always on the move, always occupied with his non-stop receptions, and had precious little time for himself. His correspondence was particularly neglected, and he was months behind in answering it. This is well illustrated by a search of public records going back almost forty years, which shows that just one Autograph Letter Signed written by Lindbergh from the day he took off for Paris until the Guggenheim Tour ended has reached the market (and that was a dozen years ago). Nor do we recall ever having seen one before.

"The plane and engine are both in excellent condition and show very little sign of use."
 

Autograph Letter Signed, on "Huckins Hotels" letterhead, four pages, Oklahoma City, September 29, 1927, to Blythe, expressing his surprise that the adulation he was receiving continued unabated, and that "The Spirit of St. Louis" was holding up well under the strain of constant flights. "This letter is, as most others, about two months late. Every city and town on this tour compares to Washington, New York, and St. Louis in the receptions; if not in volume, then in intensity. Consequently I have very little time available for writing. We all thought that, as time went on, the enthusiasm would die down, but it is still as fresh as ever at each city visited and there are no apparent signs of diminishment. The plane and engine are both in excellent condition and show very little sign of use. As you know, the motor has not been overhauled yet we have not had even minor difficulty on the tour and it has been in the air a total of 301 hours. (93 hrs previous to this tour). I am looking forward to seeing you in New York in October.” From the Richard Blythe Aviation Collection. A very important letter for both rarity and content.