''19 Lakeside Road, Poole, [England] September 25, 1968.'' Tolkien writes to Messrs Maple & Co., Bournmouth: ''Dear Sirs, I enclose acceptance of your 3 estimates dated Sept 7th, 14 and 20. I regret this delay, but I was detained for a further week in hospital in Oxford and since my return last Friday I have been still under treatment. I hope by the end of this week to be able to attend to things again. Above all to complete the clearance of the library floor to enable it to be clean and covered. Until that is done, necessary movement of furniture cannot be carried out, and I shall not be able to house the Teigrimouth divan [a long low sofa without arms or back] quoted in estimate 2. But the work required for this and for the old chair (estimate 3) can proceed, if it is not already taken in hand. I enclose a cheque, on account of £50. My bankers are the National Provincial: my main account is in Oxford, but the manager of the banks in Canford Cliffs is sufficiently acquainted with my business. Yours truly J.R.R. Tolkien.''
''19 Lakeside Road, Poole, [England] September 25, 1968.'' Tolkien writes to Messrs Maple & Co., Bournmouth: ''Dear Sirs, I enclose acceptance of your 3 estimates dated Sept 7th, 14 and 20. I regret this delay, but I was detained for a further week in hospital in Oxford and since my return last Friday I have been still under treatment. I hope by the end of this week to be able to attend to things again. Above all to complete the clearance of the library floor to enable it to be clean and covered. Until that is done, necessary movement of furniture cannot be carried out, and I shall not be able to house the Teigrimouth divan [a long low sofa without arms or back] quoted in estimate 2. But the work required for this and for the old chair (estimate 3) can proceed, if it is not already taken in hand. I enclose a cheque, on account of £50. My bankers are the National Provincial: my main account is in Oxford, but the manager of the banks in Canford Cliffs is sufficiently acquainted with my business. Yours truly J.R.R. Tolkien.''
Further to Stu's posting, I had the original Bonhams auction details in my archive. Just adding as info re the price. It was sold for $647 back in March 2008. Quite a rise in price.
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