A first edition of Ian Fleming’s (1908-64) first James Bond novel Casino Royale will go under the hammer at Thomson Roddick’s June 21 sale in Carlisle. It is one of around 4700 first impression copies published in 1953.
The book, which has slight chipping and wear to the dust wrapper, was included among several boxes of books brought in by a private vendor, who is thought to have purchased it from a jumble sale.
It is estimated at £5000-8000.
Thought to depict Hiawatha and Minnehaha, this late 19th century white marble group is going under the hammer at Summers Place Auctions on June 13 in Billingshurst, West Sussex.
The fictional characters of Hiawatha and Minnehaha were immortalised in The Song of Hiawatha, an 1855 epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-82). The epic relates to the adventures of the Ojibwe warrior and the tragedy of his love for Minnehaha.
The 4ft 2in high (1.27m) high piece is estimated at £20,000-30,000.
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An autograph letter signed by Charles Darwin (1809-82) is among the highlights of Bloomsbury Auctions’ Books & Works on Paper auction on June 22 in London.
The letter, estimated at £4000-6000, was written in December 1866 on mourning stationery to an unknown recipient. It reads: “Four editions of the Origin have appeared; that published last month is considerably added to and can be purchased through any bookseller. I am glad to hear that you are interested in the subject.”
The letter refers to the fourth edition of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, which was released in November and featured several corrections and additions to the previous ones, including a discussion on whether one or many forms of life first appeared.
