"THE POSITION FOR THE WEST IS NOW VERY DANGEROUS" EDEN (Sir Anthony, Earl of Avon, 1883-1977, Prime Minister) & his widow Clarissa (born 1920, Dowager Countess of Avon, née Spencer)

Fine collection of one good Typed and Autograph letter from Eden and 2 Typed Letters signed from Clarissa to John Sparks, his letter thanks him for taking "such excellent care of our few pieces of porcelain. We are very fond of them and are happy to have them with us here again. You may have noticed that the lovely Yung Chang period piece you gave me was not among them. Happily it has not suffered on that account. I always kept this piece in my bedroom at Downing Street and it was packed separately ..." the autograph postscript says that "Like you I am sorry for the loss of these two years in the Middle East. The position for the West is now very dangerous ...", 1 side 8vo., Donhead House, Shaftesbury headed paper, 29th July 1958, Clarissa's letters also thank him for his care of their china and she also says that her "husband has asked me to thank you for your generosity and to tell you what pleasure your words give him ...", each 1 side 8vo., Donhead House and Rose Bower, Salisbury, 2nd July and 16th August 1958, together with carbon copies of Spark's letter to her in which he says that he does "not wish my Firm to charge anything at all for the storage of the pieces here, nor for the packing, as I am one of the many thousands who are grateful to your husband for all that he has done for us in this country .." and also copies of the valuations and other correspondence with the firm,

Recognised as one of the most respected London dealers in Chinese art, John Sparks supplied an international clientele of collectors, including Queen Mary, from whom the company received the Royal Warrant of Antiquary of Chinese Art in 1926. The next year John Sparks moved to larger premises at 128 Mount Street in Mayfair, London, where it remained until it closed in 1990. It was founded by John Sparks (1854–1914), a former merchant mariner who served on ships on the Far Eastern routes.
Eden is referring to The Suez Crisis which was the invasion of Egypt in late 1956 by Israel, followed by the United Kingdom and France. As a result of the conflict, the United Nations created the UNEF Peacekeepers to police the Egyptian–Israeli border and Prime Minister Anthony Eden resigned.

Item Date:  1958

Stock No:  39469      £675

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