SIGNED LETTER TO JOHN R. NEILL by BAUM, L.FRANK

NEILL, JOHN R.. BAUM,L.FRANK. SIGNED LETTER TO JOHN R. NEILL. Offered here is an incredible Oz related letter from Baum to Neill. Typed on Oz Film Manufacturing stationery (L. Frank Baum President) with Neill illustration in the upper corner, the text fills an entire 8/12 x 11 sheet of paper, signed in ink by Baum. The letter begins: "Dear Johnny Neill: Sharpen your pencil, sip an absinthe frappe and try to imagine this character in "The Scarecrow of Oz." It is an Ork, quite a prominent actor in the story, and I quote this introduction from the text: [followed by 28 lines of text]... You will observe the Ork is not a water creature, although it first appeared in a cavern, where it had escaped from the clutches of a whirlpool, as had Trot and Cap'n Bill. During the story it flies thru the air with Trot upon its back. There is also the "Bumpy Man" in the story: a fellow with little bumps all over him.... The principal character [sic] are Trot, Cap'n Bill, Dorothy, Ozma, Glinda, Wizard, Ork, Bumpy Man, Scarecrow, Button Bright, King Krawl, of Jinxland; Princess Gloria, his niece; Googly Gee, a wealthy old courtier; Pen, a gardener's boy; a Wicked Witch named Blinkie. Warm regards; congratulations; affection; admiration--to our Johnny from [signed] L. Frank Baum. Letters such as this with the combination of Oz text and the incredible association between author and artist, rarely appear on the market.