Thank you so much to Jean Pascal for sharing this news with me. A letter written by Henry VIII to Francis I in 1539 is being auctioned in Lyon on 15th December. You can find out more at http://www.debaecque.fr/html/fiche.jsp?id=6623048&np=1&lng=fr&npp=10000&ordre=&aff=&sold=&r=, but in the letter the King of England complains about acts of piracy on English ships off the coast of Dieppe.
Wouldn't you just love the letter?!
The English translation switches off the item, but the original letter is remarkable, how beautiful is the handwriting. How wonderful to see
How wonderful to see the letter in good condition. This is an item of historical significance and should not be auctioned but given back to us to keep in the National Archives. Items of historical importance are not private sale items, they are national treasures that belong to the people. I hope a member of a national archive or museum buys them and they come to the people. It would be a pity to see this item vanish into a private collection that nobody sees.
In an ideal world, yes, but there are many, many documents, portraits, artefacts etc. in private collections. It would be wonderful if a museum could buy this letter but I think it would be lovely if it could be kept in France, seeing as it belonged to Francis I.
I agree, was not thinking about it belonging to King Francis, yes, it should certainly be in their country and hopefully in their museums or archive. Here and in Southampton we have large collections of documents and personal items, many donated by relatives of the Titanic. This is good, as is them being in the families of the lost or surviving people, as they are dear and beloved things to treasure from loved ones. I always feel sad when an item turns up for sale from someone not connected to the ship and is sold to some collection not connected to the ship. But it is a sad fact of life, and before she was found and protected, some people claimed salvage and the law allowed this as it was a loss. It is also a gravesite, although there are no remains, so it is difficult. What a wonderful thing though that so much personal history still exists after all this time. I hope someone finds something belonging to Anne Boleyn. I know we have her prayer book, but something else would be very nice.