JERRY SIEGEL WHITE POWDER THREAT LETTER Memorabilia
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SOLD ON: Monday, 08/21/2023 9:36 PM
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1951 Letter from Jerry Siegel to Jacob Liebowitz; w/ white powder in envelope; includes toxicity lab analysis; signed by Siegel
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1951 Letter from Jerry Siegel to Jacob Liebowitz; w/ white powder in envelope; includes toxicity lab analysis; signed by Siegel
DESCRIPTION
A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
1951 Letter from Jerry Siegel to Jacob Liebowitz; w/ white powder in envelope; includes toxicity lab analysis; signed by SiegelThis shocking signed letter from Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel was written on Dec. 17, 1951, to executives at National Comics Publications (later DC Comics) during his desperate campaign to be properly compensated for the superhero's success. (Siegel and Joe Shuster had sold Detective Comics the rights to Superman in 1938 for $130, with National later acquiring the title.) This troubling letter was mailed to National executives as addressed to "Messers DONENFELD, LIEBOWITZ & SAMPLINER," but it was National Vice-President Jacob Liebowitz who opened the envelope to find a Christmas "curse."
"May you become subject to all of the horrible maladies that beset mankind," Siegel begins--and that's just the start of his embittered holiday message. More troubling, Liebowitz found the envelope from Siegel contained a mysterious white powder. Most of that powder remains preserved in this lot with the original envelope, as well as the lab report that National received after concerned executives sent the powder to be examined.
Thankfully, the letter from Dec. 29, 1951, has the scientists at NYC's Adam Laboratory reassuring National's employees that the powder was tested on a lab animal and confirmed to be corn starch--meaning that this poison-pen letter is now safe to be appreciated as a notorious part of lost comic book history!
1951 Letter from Jerry Siegel to Jacob Liebowitz; w/ white powder in envelope; includes toxicity lab analysis; signed by SiegelThis shocking signed letter from Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel was written on Dec. 17, 1951, to executives at National Comics Publications (later DC Comics) during his desperate campaign to be properly compensated for the superhero's success. (Siegel and Joe Shuster had sold Detective Comics the rights to Superman in 1938 for $130, with National later acquiring the title.) This troubling letter was mailed to National executives as addressed to "Messers DONENFELD, LIEBOWITZ & SAMPLINER," but it was National Vice-President Jacob Liebowitz who opened the envelope to find a Christmas "curse."
"May you become subject to all of the horrible maladies that beset mankind," Siegel begins--and that's just the start of his embittered holiday message. More troubling, Liebowitz found the envelope from Siegel contained a mysterious white powder. Most of that powder remains preserved in this lot with the original envelope, as well as the lab report that National received after concerned executives sent the powder to be examined.
Thankfully, the letter from Dec. 29, 1951, has the scientists at NYC's Adam Laboratory reassuring National's employees that the powder was tested on a lab animal and confirmed to be corn starch--meaning that this poison-pen letter is now safe to be appreciated as a notorious part of lost comic book history!