Current 93 - David Tibet - Handwritten letter with original envelope - Hand signed
04
days
13
hours
56
minutes
34
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Clara Rivera
Holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in film management, specialising in classic cinema and music memorabilia.
Estimate € 330 - € 380
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Description from the seller
David Tibet / Current 93 – Original handwritten letter from 1990 with original envelope
For sale is an extraordinary original historical document by David Tibet, founder and central figure of Current 93: a fully handwritten personal letter from the year 1990, together with the original letter envelope.
This is not merely a autograph or a signed page, but a complete personal correspondence from an important phase in the development of Current 93.
Historically particularly interesting content
The letter contains personal statements by Tibet about Aleister Crowley and the Thelema/occultism scene.
What is particularly remarkable is the explicitly critical statement:
“Please don't waste your time with Aleister Crowley: he has nothing to offer except confusion.”
This statement is especially interesting in the historical context of Current 93. The early works of David Tibet and Current 93 were heavily influenced by occult, mystical and Crowley-related themes. At the end of the 1980s and in the early 1990s, Tibet's artistic and spiritual orientation increasingly moved toward Gnosticism, Christian mysticism, and apocalyptic themes. The present letter comes precisely from this important transitional phase.
Insights into the underground scene at the time
The letter is also particularly interesting because Tibet not only expresses personal thoughts there.
He mentions concrete people, projects, and planned concert and travel activities for 1990/1991.
Among others, Amiens and Sol Invictus as well as further activities of the time are addressed.
Thus the letter possesses, in addition to its autograph value, an independent documentary value for the European industrial, experimental and apocalyptic folk scene around 1990.
Current 93 was at that time closely connected with other important artists of the scene. The milieu of Current 93, Sol Invictus, Death in June and Nurse With Wound formed one of the central networks of the European underground music of the era.
Complete original handwriting
The entire letter was personally handwritten by David Tibet with ink.
The individual handwriting makes this piece significantly more personal than a usual signed album or autograph card.
Handwritten works of Tibet hold a special collector value within his artistic milieu. Specialized dealers accordingly offer original handwritten and artistic works by Tibet as standalone collectible items.
Rare letter paper
The letter was written on the rare, single-sided illustrated letter paper
“The Final Church of the Noddy Apocalypse.”
The letter paper itself represents an interesting piece of original Current-93-/David-Tibet ephemera.
Original red Tibet stamp
In addition, the letter bears the characteristic red original stamp of David Tibet.
The combination of personal handwriting, special letter paper, and original stamp makes the document an exceptional piece from Tibet's early milieu.
Original envelope with extraordinary postal history
Of course, the original envelope is included.
The envelope bears a London postmark from July 1990 as well as the German postmark:
“Irrläufer”
The existing postmarks document an unusual shipping history: the shipment reached its recipient only in December 1990, several months after it was sent.
Thus not only the letter itself has been preserved, but also its original postal history.
Letter and envelope form a cohesive historical ensemble.
Provenance – Archive Rainer Zücker
The document comes from the private archive of Rainer Zücker, a German mail-art artist and fanzine maker of the 1980s and 1990s.
Zücker was in personal contact at the time with various artists and figures in the European industrial, experimental, mail-art and underground scene.
The provenance adds an additional historical context to the document.
Why this piece is special
The exceptional combination of:
- complete original handwriting by David Tibet
- year of origin 1990
- historically interesting passage about Aleister Crowley
- concrete information about the then activities of Current 93
- mention of Amiens and Sol Invictus
- rare illustrated original letter paper
- red original stamp of David Tibet
- original envelope
- London postmark from July 1990
- German postmark “IRRLÄUFER”
- unusual, multi-month shipping history
- provenance from the Rainer Zücker archive
makes this item an extraordinary historical collector’s piece.
It is particularly interesting for collectors of:
Current 93 • David Tibet • Apocalyptic Folk • Industrial • Experimental Music • Neofolk • Dark Ambient • Mail Art • British Underground • Sol Invictus • Death in June
Comparable collectible items
Signed original documents and manuscripts by David Tibet are collected internationally. A current offer with two original signed documents, for example, is offered at US$360.
Even more important, however, is that original handwritten works by Tibet are offered by specialized dealers as standalone art and collectible objects.
The present letter goes beyond a conventional autograph, as it represents a complete personal correspondence with original envelope and contemporary postal documentation.
An extraordinary time document from the milieu of David Tibet and Current 93.
David Tibet / Current 93 – Original handwritten letter from 1990 with original envelope
For sale is an extraordinary original historical document by David Tibet, founder and central figure of Current 93: a fully handwritten personal letter from the year 1990, together with the original letter envelope.
This is not merely a autograph or a signed page, but a complete personal correspondence from an important phase in the development of Current 93.
Historically particularly interesting content
The letter contains personal statements by Tibet about Aleister Crowley and the Thelema/occultism scene.
What is particularly remarkable is the explicitly critical statement:
“Please don't waste your time with Aleister Crowley: he has nothing to offer except confusion.”
This statement is especially interesting in the historical context of Current 93. The early works of David Tibet and Current 93 were heavily influenced by occult, mystical and Crowley-related themes. At the end of the 1980s and in the early 1990s, Tibet's artistic and spiritual orientation increasingly moved toward Gnosticism, Christian mysticism, and apocalyptic themes. The present letter comes precisely from this important transitional phase.
Insights into the underground scene at the time
The letter is also particularly interesting because Tibet not only expresses personal thoughts there.
He mentions concrete people, projects, and planned concert and travel activities for 1990/1991.
Among others, Amiens and Sol Invictus as well as further activities of the time are addressed.
Thus the letter possesses, in addition to its autograph value, an independent documentary value for the European industrial, experimental and apocalyptic folk scene around 1990.
Current 93 was at that time closely connected with other important artists of the scene. The milieu of Current 93, Sol Invictus, Death in June and Nurse With Wound formed one of the central networks of the European underground music of the era.
Complete original handwriting
The entire letter was personally handwritten by David Tibet with ink.
The individual handwriting makes this piece significantly more personal than a usual signed album or autograph card.
Handwritten works of Tibet hold a special collector value within his artistic milieu. Specialized dealers accordingly offer original handwritten and artistic works by Tibet as standalone collectible items.
Rare letter paper
The letter was written on the rare, single-sided illustrated letter paper
“The Final Church of the Noddy Apocalypse.”
The letter paper itself represents an interesting piece of original Current-93-/David-Tibet ephemera.
Original red Tibet stamp
In addition, the letter bears the characteristic red original stamp of David Tibet.
The combination of personal handwriting, special letter paper, and original stamp makes the document an exceptional piece from Tibet's early milieu.
Original envelope with extraordinary postal history
Of course, the original envelope is included.
The envelope bears a London postmark from July 1990 as well as the German postmark:
“Irrläufer”
The existing postmarks document an unusual shipping history: the shipment reached its recipient only in December 1990, several months after it was sent.
Thus not only the letter itself has been preserved, but also its original postal history.
Letter and envelope form a cohesive historical ensemble.
Provenance – Archive Rainer Zücker
The document comes from the private archive of Rainer Zücker, a German mail-art artist and fanzine maker of the 1980s and 1990s.
Zücker was in personal contact at the time with various artists and figures in the European industrial, experimental, mail-art and underground scene.
The provenance adds an additional historical context to the document.
Why this piece is special
The exceptional combination of:
- complete original handwriting by David Tibet
- year of origin 1990
- historically interesting passage about Aleister Crowley
- concrete information about the then activities of Current 93
- mention of Amiens and Sol Invictus
- rare illustrated original letter paper
- red original stamp of David Tibet
- original envelope
- London postmark from July 1990
- German postmark “IRRLÄUFER”
- unusual, multi-month shipping history
- provenance from the Rainer Zücker archive
makes this item an extraordinary historical collector’s piece.
It is particularly interesting for collectors of:
Current 93 • David Tibet • Apocalyptic Folk • Industrial • Experimental Music • Neofolk • Dark Ambient • Mail Art • British Underground • Sol Invictus • Death in June
Comparable collectible items
Signed original documents and manuscripts by David Tibet are collected internationally. A current offer with two original signed documents, for example, is offered at US$360.
Even more important, however, is that original handwritten works by Tibet are offered by specialized dealers as standalone art and collectible objects.
The present letter goes beyond a conventional autograph, as it represents a complete personal correspondence with original envelope and contemporary postal documentation.
An extraordinary time document from the milieu of David Tibet and Current 93.
Details
Artist/band
Current 93 - David Tibet
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Number of objects
1
Material
Paper
Type
Handwritten letter with original envelope
Condition
Near mint
Extras
Hand signed
Sold by
