Andrew Carnegie Autographed Signed Letter.

CARNEGIE, Andrew.

Item Number: 31002

Autographed Letter Signed by Andrew Carnegie. Letter to Professor Henry Fairfield Osbourne, in full: “Yours of April 11th received. I am not surprised that you were delighted with Hale. He is a genius of who much can be expected. We are in the midst of preparations for leaving and I cannot possibly add to my engagements, but upon my return shall be glad to see you.” Cloth-matted and framed with a plaque, portrait, and a United States Steel Corporation promissory bond for $100,000. In fine condition, with the typed body of the letter very faded, but Carnegie’s signature vibrant. Entire piece measures 23.25 inches by 31.5 inches.

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish American industrialist who led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century, and is often identified as one of the richest people and Americans ever. He built a leadership role as a philanthropist for the United States and the British Empire. During the last 18 years of his life, he gave away to charities, foundations, and universities about $350 million (in 2015 share of GDP, $78.6 billion) – almost 90 percent of his fortune. His 1889 article proclaiming "The Gospel of Wealth" called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society, and it stimulated a wave of philanthropy.