Cornell Auctions to Sell Kennedy-Capote Letters
Six letters between Jackie Kennedy and Truman Capote go to auction on November 21, estimated at $40,000 to $80,000.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Jewelry
Cornell Auctions will sell six letters between Jackie Kennedy and author Truman Capote on November 21 as part of a larger sale of Capote-linked items from biographer Gerald Clarke. The letters are estimated to fetch between $40,000 and $80,000, and will be sold together in a single lot.
Why it matters
The lot offers a rare window into the personal correspondence between a former first lady and a major American writer. Its sale also reflects continued public interest in the possessions and relationships of Truman Capote.
The six letters, three on White House letterhead and four bearing postmark dates, are estimated at $40,000 to $80,000 and will be sold together as one lot. The sale runs online via LiveAuctioneers or in person at Cornell Auctions in Bellport, New York, with bidding starting at 11 a.m.
The players
Cornell Auctions
Cornell Auctions is an auction house based in Bellport, New York, that is conducting the sale of the Kennedy-Capote letters.
Truman Capote
Truman Capote was an American author best known for the nonfiction novel In Cold Blood and for his close friendships with prominent figures of his era.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was the wife of President John F. Kennedy and a former first lady of the United States who later became a book editor.
Gerald Clarke
Gerald Clarke is a biographer and author of Capote (1988), whose collection of Capote-linked items is being auctioned.
The details
The letters are believed to date from 1963 and 1964 and include Kennedy's thanks to Capote for his book and for a porcelain rose. They are part of the auction 'The Magpie and the Swans: The Possessions of Truman Capote,' drawn from the collection of biographer Gerald Clarke, author of Capote (1988).
Timeline
June 1963: Kennedy's undated card to Capote, presumed written, thanks him for his book.
November 1963: President John F. Kennedy is assassinated.
December 1964: Kennedy writes a three-page letter thanking Capote for a porcelain rose.
November 21, 2026: Cornell Auctions sells the letters and Capote-linked items.
Legacy Market
The sale follows Gerald Clarke's 1988 biography Capote, whose research materials have become collectible artifacts for the author's readership. Auction houses increasingly sell literary correspondence as standalone collectibles, and this lot fits that trend.
Collectors and literary enthusiasts can bid online or in person, with the lot estimated at $40,000 to $80,000. Buyers should factor in auction house fees and other costs beyond the hammer price when planning a bid.
The takeaway
Collectors interested in literary history can track estimates and results from Cornell Auctions, which may offer a useful gauge of demand for mid-century correspondence. Early research into an auction lot's provenance and estimate helps bidders decide before the sale.
What happens next
Bidding for the Kennedy-Capote letters opens at 11 a.m. on November 21, 2026, both online via LiveAuctioneers and in person at Cornell Auctions in Bellport, New York.
Further reading
Browse more stories in the Jewelry section for related collectible and auction coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ELLE Decor.
