Rare letters from Shrewsbury's father of evolution Charles Darwin to go under the hammer
Four handwritten and signed letters by the Shrewsbury born father of evolution are expected to reach up to £6,000 when they are sold at auction.
The letters have been entered into auction by descendants of William Caster Tait, a fellow British naturalist who was corresponding with Darwin about the collection of samples.
Aaron Dean, a senior valuer and auctioneer at the Cheshire saleroom of Adam Partridge Auctioneers and Valuers, said: "It is a magical feeling holding a letter written by Charles Darwin, the father of evolution.
"One pictures Darwin sitting at a table writing the letter, or dictating to Emma, with goodness knows what other correspondents, books, notes, ideas and specimens surrounding him."
In the letters Darwin, who died in 1882, kindly asks for Tait to collect a specimen of Drossophyllum Lusitanicum (flycatching plant) from Portugal.
Also, he discusses tailless dogs, the horns of Merino sheep, mentions his paper on climbing plants and, in one letter, that he is not very well following a fall from his horse.
Although Mr Dean now works for Macclesfield-based Adam Partridge Auctioneers and Valuers, he's well aware of the significance of the sale to Shropshire as he hails from Trevanion & Dean auctioneers in Whitchurch.
The letters, all from 1868, include one written and signed by Darwin and three written by his wife Emma but believed signed by Darwin. The recipient Tait was a naturalist and author himself and penned the book The Birds of Portugal, published by Witherby in 1924.
An auction will take place at Adam Partridge Auctioneers and Valuers in Macclesfield on Thursday, November 18, with an expected sale price of between £4,000 and £6,000. The lot number is 2644.
They are part of a larger auction of fine art, boutique, silver, jewellery and watches on sale between November 16 and 20.
More information is set to go live on the auctioneers website this weekend at adampartridge.co.uk, or telephone 01625 431788.
