An extensive collection of correspondence and related items from Hugh Hefner to his high-school (and life-long) friend, Jane Borson Sellers, comprising (1) Youthful Correspondence: 28 autograph letters signed and 37 typed letters signed ("Hugh"; "HH"; "Hef"; "Goo"), totalling approximately 456 pages (mostly 11 x 8 1/2 in.; 280 x 217 mm), accompanied by 25 original autograph or typed envelopes, 6 original narrative cartoon drawings by Hefner, and 2 post cards, many of the letters and all of the envelopes illustrated with original pen-and-ink drawings by Hefner, often finished with colored pencils, some typed letters with extensive autograph postscripts and other emendations, Chicago, Illinois; Madison, Wisconsin; Camp Chafee, Arkansas, and elsewhere, 13 February 1943–5 August 1946. Also with Jane Seller's copy of the 1944 Steinmetz High School yearbook, Silver Streak, illustrated with reproductions of many drawings by Hefner.



(2) Later correspondence: approximately 88 typed letters and cards signed by Hefner, a few possibly with proxy signatures, a few signed by members of his staff or family, Los Angeles, 1 November 1985–17 December 2010.



(3) A copy of the first, undated, issue of Playboy, signed twice by Hefner: on the front cover with a self caricature and on the first page with a drawing of the bunny logo; and with a presentation note laid in, "To Janie—With love, Hef." Together with 51 printed invitations to various Hefner parties (birthday, New Year's Eve, Midsummer Night, Halloween, and two weedings), 1986–2011; and 25 printed Christmas cards from Hefner, 1986–2010. Accompanied by an album of photographs of Hefner, including candid snapshots by Jane Sellers, and an album of magazine, newspaper, and other clipping about Hefner. The overall condition is very good to fine; a few letters creased, stained, or with marginal tears or chips; cover of the first issue of Playboy splitting at central fold.

Hefner before Playboy. Altho🌞ugh the present correspondence extenꦰds to 2011, the most significant and revealing portion covers the years from 1943 through 1946, during which Hefner finished high school at Chicago's Steinmetz High, joined the Army, and entered the workforce. Hefner and Jane Borson dated each other's best friend, and when Jane moved to California after her father was recruited as an officer in the Army Transportation Corps, they began a correspondence that has continued through eight decades.

Hefner's letters show him to be a facile writer and amusing writer, a talented cartoonist, and a keen observer of popular culture—all attributes that would serve him well when he launched Playboy. He also offers plenty 𒊎of news and advice about the high school dating scene. His letters are filled with reference to current music (Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Frank Sinatra) and film, but also show an awareness of how World War II was likely to affect the lives of his "gang" of friends. His letters while in the Army mention both D-Day and the German surrender, as well as the boring routine of t𝓀raining.

It is tempting to look for the mature "Hef" in these early letters, but for the most part, they reveal an intelligent adolescent, eagerly looking forward to adulthood, but reluctant to leave youth entirely behind, as these selected exceprts show. "I s'pose you think I'm pretty fickle, liking three girls so much in just three letters, but I've figured out another answer" (22 August 1943); "For myself, I seem to fall fast, history proves that. ... You know as well as I do that it always seems to be first one girl, then another" (12 February 1944); "It's hard to realize we're so darned close to real maturity. Frightening isn't it? ... It was too darn much fun being a kid. ... I 'spect though, that when we come out of this war, we'll all be a lot different. I hope none of us have lost any of that stuff that made our old gang what it used to be ... anyway, hope we don't change deep down." (5 July 1944); "I'm going on 23 in all my social life now. A guy 18 doesn't stand much chance and one one seems to doubt that I'm 22 going on 23, so that's what I am, Also, it's a good ace up the sleeve for disillusioning a femme if she gets too serious" (8 March 1945); "Ya gotta come back, I want all the old characters back in the the comic like it used to be, and some new ones, too.🐠 ... I can see it now, when it evolves into a family strip like Blondie, with everybody married" (1 January 1946).

A full inventory of the letters, with a synposis of content of each, is available on request.