Thursday, July 10, 2008

Auction Report: Upcoming

Sotheby's London will hold a sale of English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on 17 July. A few highlights from among the 340 lots (not counting the Spilsbury autopsy cards) include:

- Some typescripts of Joyce's Finnegan's Wake (100,000-150,000 GBP)

- Several original Beatrix Potter watercolors (40,000-60,000 GBP apiece)

- A collection of household accounts and other items from the court of Nell Gwynn (40,000-60,000 GBP)

- A first edition of Wordsworth's first book, An Evening Walk (1793); just three copies of this book have sold at auction in the last three decades, so don't be surprised if it surpasses the 25,000-30,000 GBP estimate.

- A first edition of Gulliver's Travels (1726). This one has some damage (including a detached cover), but the estimate is still 20,000-25,000 GBP.