CHARLES SCHULZ & VAN PELT ARCHIVE OF LETTERS, PHOTOS & EPHEMERA.
Item Description
This extensive archive includes a variety of personal correspondence between Charles Schulz and the Van Pelt Family spanning the 1950s through the 1980s. Lot includes assorted personal family photographs, signed Christmas cards, typed/signed letters, handwritten/signed letters and other assorted ephemera.
Photos -
- photo of his home, inscribed "Our New House. It Keeps Us Warm And Dry"
- photo mounted to paper noted "And Mimi Schulz" showing children eating ice cream
- photo mounted to paper showing Schulz w/first wife Joyce and daughter, captioned "They Met Sparkie, Joyce," w/early "Peanuts" book page attached below
Christmas cards -
- early 1950s w/photo of Mimi and Monte Schulz, Monte seated at piano w/Beethoven bust like Schroeder while Mimi holds Bach (whom Schulz actually preferred over Beethoven) sheet music
- card sent after Schulz's move to California includes handwritten message explaining layout of new home, which is shown in attached overhead photo
Letters -
Handwritten
- "Peanuts" letterhead stationery is dated 1952 and notes "Despite All Claims To The Contrary, Fritz Van Pelt Did Not Think Of All The Ideas In This Book";
- letter w/handwritten "Peanuts, Inc." title at top is dated Dec. 20, 1955 and mentions enclosed check for cartoon idea, ending w/Schulz's trademark humor, reading "If You Get Any More Ideas, Send Them To Walt Kelly." Letter has been signed "Regards, The Master's Secretary's Assistant"
Typed
- letter on "Charles M. Schulz" letterhead dated Jan. 24, 1968 apologizes for not sending Philip Van Pelt the original comic strip he requested for friend name Charlie Brown (this comes w/photocopy of letter and original envelope)
- typed poem of sorts for "Th'Original Lucy" Louanne Van Pelt w/inkstamps and newspaper clippings collage
- letter on "Charles M. Schulz" letterhead dated April 9, 1973 thanks Fritz for sending copy of interview and mentions Monte Schulz was back in Colorado Springs to watch hockey and apologizes for not visiting, instead opting for a phone call.
- four photocopies of photos/card
- typed and stapled news story about the strip ending
- newspaper review of Schulz biography, magazine article about the 40th Anniversary of "Peanuts" and accompanying typed letter from article author
- newspaper section covering 40th Anniversary of "Peanuts"
- coverless copy of "Peanuts" #2 comic book (Aug. 1963)
- 1975 "Family Circle" article written by Schulz
- newspaper article about Schulz and what he means to Santa Rosa
- three newspaper articles about the upcoming end of "Peanuts"
- Dec. 20, 1987 "Peanuts" Sunday page from "Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph"
- newspaper interview/interest piece on Schulz
- Colorado Springs "Steppin' Out" newspaper magazine section w/content about 50 years of "Peanuts"
- newspaper clipping about sale of "Peanuts" syndication rights
- four newspaper articles (two duplicates) about Louanne Van Pelt and her connection to "Peanuts"
- photocopy of 1994 typed letter
- photocopy if Schulz's obituary
- photocopy from Schulz's military days
- printed examples of two of the "Peanuts" daily strips offered in this auction
Archive also includes two large original art marker drawings of Snoopy. One depicts him doing his trademark happy dance and has been folded into quarters w/3.75" tear at top and some tape at edges. The other shows him dancing in jacket and hat. This art (drawn on back of large envelope) shows moderate moisture staining. Both are VG overall. All signed/inscribed items date from 1952-1973. Varying degrees of handling wear/aging, conditions vary from VG to Exc. Van Pelt Collection.
One of the things that secured Charles Schulz' "Peanuts" as one of the all-time great comic strips is the everyman quality Schulz gave his characters. This was in part due to Schulz borrowing from real life friends and family. Introduced March 3, 1952, Lucy quickly became one of the most popular "Peanuts" characters. But where did Lucy (and later her brothers Linus and Rerun) come from? It can be traced back to the year Schulz and his first wife spent in Colorado Springs, CO in 1951. While living there, they made friends with the neighbors, the Van Pelt Family. Anything familiar about that name? Well, the Van Pelt's daughter - Louanne Van Pelt - served as the inspiration and namesake for Lucy Van Pelt, and the rest is history.
We are pleased to offer this selection of items from the Van Pelt Collection, which features many items that were personalized by Schulz (known to friends and family as Sparky) to Louanne, including the original art for three "Peanuts" daily strips.
