Tsuktiben Jamir
Saffronart is not foreign to art lovers in the country. Well, they are set to host their upcoming online auction from 16th– 17th May 2023. However, this auction is curated specially for ‘Signed, First and Limited Edition Books.’ So, if you are a fan of collecting special edition books, do not miss out on this rare opportunity. The auction has an exciting collection of books by the likes of Jane Austen, Sir George Bernard Shaw, Lal Behari Day, Norman Mosley Penzer, D H Lawrence, Sir Richard Francis Burton, Major Evans Bell, Kalidasa and Horace Hayman Wilson, R K Narayan, Damien Hirst and Jason Beard, David Beckham, among many others. What’s even more exciting is that some of these books have been signed by the authors themselves.
Courtesy: Saffronart.
According to Safronart, the auction will be “a dedicated sale offering 65 lots that include historical, cultural, and archival volumes as well as rare classics. Each book in this auction has been carefully selected for its unique features, including being signed by the author, being a first edition, or being part of a limited print run.”
Among the collection, some highlights of the auction include ‘The Sussex Edition of the Complete Works in Prose and Verse of Rudyard Kipling’, a limited-edition 35-volume set with Volume I autographed by Kipling, and ‘Beauties of Lucknow,’ a rare and priceless album of photographs of singers, dancers, and actresses from the Oudh Court that provides a glimpse into Lucknow’s rich cultural heritage, are among the highlights.
In addition, the auction is also graced by one of only two people (the other one being Bob Dylan) who have won both an Oscar and a Nobel Prize, George Bernard Shaw’s ‘The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza’ which comes from the author and is a presentation copy, with a special humorous inscription by Shaw for the half-title of the presentation: “Well, just to spite your / Eldest Sister / and your / Extraordinary Mother / who won’t let you read St. Joan / (she has evidently not read it herself) / here goes! / G. Bernard Shaw / for Joan Noel Anderson / 16th May 1931.”
Courtesy: Saffronart.
In lot number 11, we also have James Earl Carter’s ‘White House Diary.’ President Jimmy Carter hand-signed the book as “J Carter” on a bookplate that was adhered to the half-title page. He was regarded as one of the finest Presidents in US history. ‘Madela: The Authorised Portrait’ (London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., 2006) by Mac Mahataj, Ahmed Kathrada, and Kate Parkin, is also making an appearance at the auction in lot number 12. The book has been signed by Nelson Mandela himself.
‘The Annexation of The Punjab and The Maharajah Duleep Singh’ by Major Evans Bell with an autograph note signed by Maharajah Duleep Singh, as well as ‘The Mégha Dúta’; or ‘Cloud Messenger’, a Sanskrit poem written by the great Kalidasa and translated into the English language (with notes and illustrations) by Horace Hayman Wilson will also be part of the exhibition.
With such a unique collection, the auction is expected to be a huge success, and this will be one of Saffronart’s many great initiatives.
In order to check out the Auction Catalogue as well as to pre-register for bidding, head on over to: https://www.saffronart.com/auctions/signed-first-and-limited-edition-books-2023-4676
‘Signed, First and Limited Edition Books’ auction by Saffronart
16th – 17th May 2023 (Online)
Viewings in Mumbai
5th – 17th May 2023
11 am – 7 pm. Monday to Saturday
(Sundays by appointment only)
