> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Rediscovered Samuel Johnson letter fetches more than four times its estimate at auction
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/rediscovered-samuel-johnson-letter-fetches-more-than-four-times-its-estimate-at-auction/
- Published: 2023-09-21T06:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-09-20T13:49:22.000Z
- Description: A recently-discovered letter written by one of Lichfield’s most famous sons has sold for more than four times its estimate at auction.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Heritage, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:01, News

A recently-discovered letter written by one of Lichfield’s most famous sons has sold for more than four times its estimate at auction.

The correspondence from Samuel Johnson was discovered amongst a cache of documents kept in a cupboard in a Gloucestershire country home.

The letter – written to Sophia Thrale – had previously been known about, but had officially been logged as lost by scholars having disappeared from public view.

But it was rediscovered during a valuation at the house, leading to it being sold to an organisation described as “a British institution” by Chorley’s auctioneers for £38,460.

Werner Freundel, director at Chorley’s, said:

> “Samuel Johnson’s charming letter to a young Sophia Thrale will remain in the UK and we hope it will be displayed to the UK public in time.”  
>  
> Werner Freundel, Chorley’s