Alice’s Copy of Carroll Brings Top Dollar
The first edition, dedication copy of Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, presented to the original Alice by Lewis Carroll, fetched $115,000 at a Profiles in History auction on December 16. Another first edition of the book that also came with two fine original pencil drawings by John Tenniel of Alice and Humpty Dumpty sold for $46,000.
The auction was full of items science fiction and fantasy fans would love to own. Beatrix Potter’s personal copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit went for $92,000; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, First Edition, first state of the text and first state of the plates, cost a bidder $51,750; and The Time Machine: An Invention, first edition, presentation copy inscribed by the author, H.G. Wells, brought $25,875.
Inklings fans would have needed deep pockets to take home The Fellowship of the Ring, first British edition in dust jacket: its new owner paid $11,500. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, with a tipped-in autograph letter about Narnia by C. S. Lewis, was a comparative bargain at $9,200. Diana has wanted a Lewis autograph for years, but more becoming of Scrooge than Peter and Susan, just before the auction I blew the family fortune on a used 2007 Camry.
The full press release follows the jump.
For Immediate Release
THE REAL ALICE’S COPY OF THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS SELLS FOR
115 THOUSAND DOLLARS, LEADING PROFILES IN HISTORY AUCTION OF OVER A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF CHILDRENS LITERARY CLASSICS
Calabasas, CA, December 17, 2009- Profiles in History, the world’s leading auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia, completed a special auction of the Pat McInally Collection of Children’s Literature yesterday, December 16. The sale brought in a total of $551,454, lead by a First Edition, Dedication Copy of Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, presented to the original Alice by Lewis Carroll, which sold for $115,000. Other highlights included The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter’s personal copy specially bound for the First Trade Edition, which sold for $92,000, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, First Edition, first state of the text and first state of the plates which sold for $51,750 and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, First Edition, First Issue Presentation copy which sold for $46,000 and also came with two fine original pencil drawings by John Tenniel of Alice and Humpty Dumpty.
ADDITIONAL AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS - SOLD PRICES
· The Time Machine: An Invention, First Edition, presentation copy inscribed by the author $25,875
· The Nursery “Alice”, rare First Edition, presentation copy inscribed by Lewis Carroll’s sister $17,250
· The Tale of Peter Rabbit, First Edition $13,800
· The Fellowship of the Ring, First British Edition in dust jacket $11,500
· Winnie-the-Pooh, Now We Are Six, The House at Pooh Corner, The Christopher Robin Story Book
Set of First American Signed, Limited Editions in publisher’s boxes $11,500
· The Wind in the Willows, Fine First Edition $11,500
· Mother Goose in Prose, Baum’s first published book for children and the first book appearance of
Dorothy of Oz $9,200
· The Story of Little Black Sambo $9,200
· When We Were Very Young, Winnie the Pooh, Now We Are Six, The House at Pooh Corner
Publisher Deluxe Issues in original boxes $9,200
· The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, with a fantastic tipped-in Autograph Letter about Narnia
by C. S. Lewis $9,200
· Wind in the Willows, dialogue script with over 250 of Walt Disney’s handwritten annotations
throughout $9,200
· The Wizard of Oz, presentation copy of the motion picture songs sheet music signed by
Harold Arlen and inscribed to screenwriter Mannie Manheim $8,050
· The Wizard of Oz, original press book complete with herald $6,900
· Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, First Edition, presentation copy inscribed by Lewis Carroll
to the mother of Edith Blakemore, one of his child-friends $6,900
· Peter and Wendy, First American Edition inscribed by J. M. Barrie with a handwritten letter
of Barrie $6,900
· Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, First Edition, one of only 200 soft cover
copies printed $5,750
Note: All prices include Hammer Price plus 15% Buyer’s Premium.
About Profiles in History:
Founded in 1985 by Joseph Maddalena, Profiles in History is the world’s leading auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia. Profiles in History has held some of the most prestigious and successful auctions of Hollywood memorabilia. Their auctions include costumes, props and set pieces from both vintage and contemporary film, television, and rock ‘n roll. Profiles in History’s location in Calabasas Hills, CA- virtually a stone’s throw away from every major Hollywood studio - ensures a constant flow of fantastic and rare artifacts. With an extensive network of dealers, collectors, and public & private institutions, they are proud to play an important role in the preservation of motion picture history.
Prior Profiles in History Hollywood auctions highlights include the “Cowardly Lion” costume from The Wizard of Oz ($805,000); a full-scale model T-800 Endoskeleton from Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($488,750); a T.I.E. Fighter filming miniature from Star Wars ($402,500); a King Kong six-sheet movie poster ($345,000); the Command Chair from the “U.S.S. Enterprise” ($304,750); Harrison Ford’s hero blaster from Blade Runner ($258,750); the original “Robot” from Lost in Space ($264,500); Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber ($240,000); a Frankenstein one-sheet movie poster ($212,400); the Black Beauty car from The Green Hornet ($192,000); George Reeves’ Superman costume from The Adventures of Superman ($126,500); the H.R. Giger designed Alien creature suit from Alien ($126,500); a full-scale T-Rex head from Jurassic Park ($126,500), the Leaping Alien Warrior figure from Aliens ($126,500), Christopher Reeve’s ‘Superman’ costume from Superman: The Movie ($115,000), C-3PO’s helmet ($120,000), The Wizard of Oz ‘Winkie’ Guard Costume ($115,000); a “Ming the Merciless” cape from Flash Gordon ($115,000) and the Hydraulic screen-used Velociraptor from The Lost World: Jurassic Park II ($115,000).
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