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#85
Title:
1951 Balboa Bay Club Newport Beach Postcard Victor McLaglen Wife Margaret Letter
Description:
Up for sale is an extraordinary piece of California and Hollywood history: a 1951 aerial view postcard of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach, California, featuring a complete handwritten letter signed by Margaret M. McLaglen, the wife of Oscar-winning actor Victor McLaglen.
The front of the postcard displays a detailed aerial photograph of the Balboa Bay Club at 600 West Ocean Front, showing the main clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, private beach, and marina filled with yachts. The back includes printed promotional details of the club alongside a full handwritten letter from Margaret to her friend Mrs. Carl Merriman (Bessie Merriman) of Clovis, California.
In her message, Margaret writes about living with Victor in their cabana by the sea at the club, sharing that Victor spends his days hunting and fishing while she keeps house and makes rugs. She updates Bessie on family news regarding Victor's children, including "Speed" (renowned film and television director Andrew V. McLaglen) and daughter Sheila. The recipient, Bessie Merriman, is also a historic Central California figure who helped organize the 1914 Clovis Festival, which established the historic Clovis Rodeo.
The postcard bears a 1951 Newport Beach postmark and a 3-cent George Washington stamp. It is a rare piece of archival ephemera connecting Golden Age Hollywood royalty, Orange County coastal history, and Central Valley heritage. The item is in strong vintage condition with clear, legible handwriting in blue ink and intact postal markings.
