FREUD ~~ IN ENGLISH — WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICAL CONTENT
“BUT I CANNOT TAKE HIM MYSELF. I HAVE GIVEN UP TREATING PATIENTS AND DEVOTE MY TIME TO THE INSTRUCTION OF PHYSICIANS. IF MR. K. COMES HE WILL BE TREATED BY ONE OF MY EXPERIENCED PUPILS. I WILL PICK OUT ONE WHO TALKS ENGLISH.”
FREUD, SIGMUND. (1856-1939). Austrian neurologist; founder of psychoanalysis. Exceptional Autograph Letter Signed, “Prof. Freud”, on his name-imprinted stationery, in English. 1 ½ pages, octavo. “Wien, IX., Berggasse 19”, May 12th 1922. Very fine condition. Accompanied by the original envelope addressed to “Miss Joyce Grudge, St. Jean de Luz, Villa Cyreano, Basses Pyrenees, Frankreich”, with two stamps and postal cancellation. Also accompanying the letter are carbon copies of three letters that Grudge had written Freud, giving background medical details of Mr. Kimball’s [the prospective patient] condition. Freud writes:
“Dear Miss Grudge, I remember very well are [sic] the particulars of Mr. Kimball’s case and the arrangements which were broken up by the war.
Answering to your question I dare say Mr. K’s chances have obviously not been improved by 8 years’ delay but he still may expect from the treatment some degree of alteration which will result in a relief of Mrs. K’s situation. So I do not advise against his coming here. (I am absent from July 1st to Sept 30th). But I cannot take him myself. I have given up treating patients and devote my time to the instruction of physicians. If Mr. K. comes he will be treated by one of my experienced pupils. I will pick out one who talks English. Yours truly, Prof. Freud”.
This is just an exceptional content Freud letter on many levels. The acknowledgement and suggestion by him, for trying a course of Psychoanalysis for Mr. Kimball after an 8 year interruption due to World War I, and the statement by Freud that he is now no longer treating patients is the type of content that one wants. When Freud further suggests he will get someone whose he has personally trained and who “talks English”, we can see the medical necessities of the case come into focus. Add to this that the letter is written in English, and entirely in Freud’s handwriting, and those two factors ramp up the rarity, and thus, the desirability of this letter, making it simply: One of our “Best of the Best”. ™
$24,000.00
