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Reggie Kray’s prison manuscript letters appear for sale at Gary Don, UK
Kray’s letters and ephemera date to 1988, written while in a ‘relationship’ with a Bradford woman
Paul Fraser Collectibles, Tuesday 25 October 2011
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Letters penned by notorious London gangster Reggie Kray are auctioning in Leeds, UK.
The collection of 24 notes dates to Kray's time in prison after being convicted in 1969 of stabbing rival gangster Jack 'The Hat' McVitie to death.
Kray's notes were sent to a woman named Jane from Bradford in 1988 with whom he struck up a relationship.
According to auctioneer Gary Don, Jane - who is otherwise anonymous - has decided to part with the letters because she is in a new relationship.
The letters will appear at auction alongside a teddy bear gifted to Jane by the gangster.
Also included in the sale is a drawing from Kray. Featuring a beach scene and titled Tranquility, it is signed "Your friend, Reggie Kray."
 The Kray twins with their older brother Charlie (centre) in the 1960s, photographed by David Bailey |
Don expects the items to sell for "significantly" beyond their £300 estimated value. This is likely considering that Kray photographs and letters last year sold for £20,780.
Among the lots auctioned at Gorringes in 2010, consigned by the twins' official biographer and confidante John Pearson, was a photograph of Reggie's brother Ronnie with Tory peer Lord Boothby, sold for £550.
The Lord once sued the UK's Daily Mirror tabloid for alleging that he and Ronnie had a homosexual relationship.
Ronnie died of a heart attack in 1995 at Broadmoor Hospital, Crowthorne, UK. Reggie later died from a cancer battle in 2000.
The Kray twins are among many deceased gangsters to have enjoyed posthumous success at auctions around the world. Memorabilia linked to John Dillinger, Al Capone and Jacques Mesrine has also attracted collectors.
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