A rare handwritten letter by Jane Austen is expected to become one of the most valuable pieces of her legacy when it goes under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York this October. Written on April 11 1805 while she was living in Bath the letter to her beloved sister Cassandra captures her wit her sharp observations about social life and the intimacy of their lifelong bond. Only about 160 of Austen’s estimated 3000 letters are known to have survived many of them saved by Cassandra after destroying the rest. That scarcity makes this particular letter especially precious to collectors and historians.
The letter is estimated to fetch between 300000 and 400000 dollars a price that would make it the most valuable Jane Austen letter ever sold. It will headline Sotheby’s By a Lady auction which celebrates female literary icons. Also featured in the collection is a first edition of Emma which Austen personally sent to fellow novelist Maria Edgeworth creating a rare and meaningful link between two great writers of the period. Other highlights include a playful handwritten poem by Austen that pokes fun at outdated medical practices and six first edition copies of her novels all of which together are valued at nearly one million dollars.
The significance of this auction extends beyond money. Cassandra’s choices to preserve some letters while destroying others shaped how Austen’s life story is understood today. Every surviving letter provides a glimpse into her world her humor and her relationships beyond the novels that have made her immortal. For fans and collectors this sale offers not just ownership of a rare object but a direct connection to the voice of one of literature’s most beloved figures.