ALS August 9th c.1977 (Beaton mentions in the letter he received his CBE about 5 years ago in his letter which would make it approx. 1972)

Kensington: Cecil Beaton, 1977. First Edition. First Edition. Signed by Author. August 9th on his 8 Pelham Place, Kensington printed blue letterhead. 8vo., 3 pages in dark blue fountain pen. Addressed: "Darling Anita". (Very likely Anita Loos, an American Actress, with whom Beaton had a long friendship with. The letter starts about his CBE & he muses about being honoured and then writes "that will be it". He goes on to say" " I don't know why [Malet?] gave me the Knighthood. Anyway it has brought me a nice letter & news from you & that's important" Beaton goes on to talk about the countryside, Cornwall, mentions Scotland, Cumberland & that he's leaving for Germany & then Turkey. "...This should be another first". Plans for the fall are vague, mostly due to Alan Lerner, but I may come over for M(y) F(air) Lady Preim(eyer) a lot to tell you - but have to be a long session...I hear such good news of Natasha. What wonderful friendships she does inspire. You have been such an angel to her. With blessings to Gladys ... you from always Mr Cecil Beaton."A very chatty letter in fine condition, signed Cecil Beaton."

Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, CBE [1904 - 1980]. A colourful English fashion & portrait photographer, diarist, painter, interior designer & an Academy Award-winning stage & costume designer for films & the theatre. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1970.

In the 1920s Beaton became a staff photographer for Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines.


He won many awards between 1955 and 1970 during his outstanding career and in 1972 was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for recording the fighting for the British Ministry of Information during World War II. He is well known for his portrait of the 3 year-old blitz victim Eileen Dunne (1940) in a hospital bed in the north of England.

Some of the famous celebrities he photographed over the years:
Mick Jagger, Marilyn Munroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr.,Rudolf Nureyev and the British Royal Family including the Queen's Coronation Day in 1953.

Beaton won Academy Awards for Best Costume designs for GIGI and My Fair Lady as well as the Academy Award for Best Art Direction in My Fair Lady. As well, he won Tony Awards for Best Costume design for My Fair Lady, Quadrille, Saratoga and Coco to name but a few.