A significant Typed Letter Signed (“Amelia Earhart”), one page, quarto, on her personal Rye, New York stationery, dated September 8, 1933. Addressed to her soon-to-be technical advisor and close friend, pioneering stunt pilot and United Air Service manager Paul Mantz, this letter captures Earhart in a pivotal year between her 1932 solo Atlantic crossing and the planning stages for her upcoming long-distance flights.
Earhart seeks Mantz's technical counsel on a persistent issue with the Sperry gyro in her famed Lockheed Vega (the aircraft in which she made her historic Atlantic solo), indicating her deep trust in his expertise. She further announces her plan to "fly west next month," a likely reference to her ongoing lecture tour or preparations for future record attempts. The charming personal note regarding the gift of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s aviation classic Wind, Sand and Stars (published just that year, 1933) adds a layer of intellectual kinship and warmth.
Provenance: From the private collection of Paul Mantz; by descent.
Historical Context: By late 1933, Earhart was America's most famous aviatrix, balancing celebrity with rigorous preparation for new challenges. Paul Mantz, a renowned Hollywood stunt flier and master of aircraft mechanics, was becoming her essential ground-based confidant for technical matters. This letter perfectly bridges the gap between their early correspondence and their later professional alliance, illustrating the mutual respect that underpinned one of aviation's most famous partnerships.