Auctions « Lewis Carroll Society of North America

Rackham Alice

Bloomsbury Auctions (London) is selling a beautiful Rackham Alice, signed by Rackham with a wonderful ink sketch of the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle. It is part of the “Books, Manuscripts, Prints, and Original Artwork” sale on July 9.

New Old Dodo Picture

In all the hubbub of newly released character and scenery pictures from Tim Burton’s Wonderland, only the Telegraph (U.K) has taken note of a previously undiscovered 17th century picture of a dodo. The picture is particularly important as it was drawn before the bird became extinct, although it is uncertain whether it was drawn from life. The picture is to be sold at auction by Christie’s on July 9.

Bloomsbury Auction

Bloomsbury Auctions’ Literature, Manuscripts and Modern First Editions sale on April 23 has quite a few Carrollian items: Lots 333, 772, 856, 1097, 1099, 1104, 1162, 1227, 1301, 1408, and 1409 include modern limited editions signed by illustrators such as John Vernon Lord and presentation copies of Euclid and His Modern Rivals and The Game of Logic.

Photos at auction

Bonham’s auction house in London has 15 Carrollian items – photographs, two letters, and a first edition of Through the Looking-Glass (Lots 135 to 150) – included in Sale 16761 – Printed Books, Manuscripts, Music & Photographs on March 24.

More auction items

Bloomsbury New York has a first American edition of Through the Looking Glass and The Harp of a Thousand Strings (the first -albeit unauthorized and uncredited- appearance of Lewis Carroll’s work in a book) up for auction on January 25, while Bloomsbury London has a Dali Alice on the block on February 26.

If only the best will do…

If you are looking for something more authentic than a facsimile, and don’t mind being a few weeks late, you could always bid on an Arthur Rackham-illustrated Alice in Wonderland (a limited edition and, I presume, first edition but not actually stated) up for auction at Bonham’s on March 4.

Auction Muchness

Tomorrow’s (June 24, 2008) auction at Bonhams in London includes five items from the Blakemore family: an “original [purple] ink drawing of Edith Blakemore in a beach costume, holding a bucket and spade, leaning against a wheel” by Lewis Carroll (Lot 119); and inscribed presentation copies of “An Easter Greeting to Every Child Who Loves ‘Alice’” (Lot 115), Symbolic Logic, Part I (Lot 116), Eight or Nine Wise Words About Letter-Writing (Lot 117), and Alice’s Adventures Under Ground (Lot 118).

In addition, the International Poster Gallery of Boston will be having their “Summer of Love” poster show July 4 to September 1, 2008. Two items of note are “Dartmouth Winter Carnival – Through a Frosted Looking Glass” poster (#USL16197), which has the Jabberwock on skis, and
“Through the Looking Glass” on blotter (#USL15956). (If you don’t know what the blotter is for, probably better you don’t ask…)

Upcoming Events

This weekend, March 8 and 9, the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre of Snellville, Georgia, performs a ballet of Alice with what look like wonderful costumes: www.gwinnettballet.org.

On Saturday, March 15, the Leeds [U.K.] Centre for Victorian Studies, is holding the 19th Northern Victorian Studies Colloquium, on Victorian Ethics. In the section titled: Children and Literature: Zoe Jaques (Anglia Ruskin University) will be giving the following talk at 3:45 pm: “Alice’s Moral Wonderland: Lewis Carroll and Animal Ethics.” Further details from their website: www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/lcvs/Colloquia/Ethics.html.

On Thursday, March 20, PBA Galleries of San Francisco will be holding an auction including illustrated and children’s books (www.pbagalleries.com/live/sale_details.php?s=376&). Of particular note are an Appleton Alice (lot 16) of 1865/6, an 1870 Alice (lot 17), and a first edition of Looking Glass (lot 18)

On Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, Arizona’s Gravity Jazz Dance Theatre will be performing Alice in Wonderland: www.gravityjazzdance.org. (Are those marathon runners?!)

On Thursday, April 3, PBA Galleries’ “fine literature” auction (www.pbagalleries.com/live/sale_details.php?s=377&) will include an 1876 Snark (Lot 18) and a first edition set of S&B/S&BC (Lot 19).

On Saturday, April 26, Storybook Weekend Events of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in conjunction with its performance of Alice In Wonderland, will include a “Mad Hatters Tea Party” in the Great Hall adjacent to the Grand Theater (www.grandoperahouse.org/events/tas/0708/12alice.html), “Queens Croquet” events on the City Square,” and most importantly, a corresponding exhibit at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (www.lywam.org) of a small selection of art and items from LCSNA member Joel Birenbaum’s collection. The exhibit opens on Friday, April 25.

Let "universe" be "books"

Let’s start this all off with an explanation of the blog’s name itself: Let “universe” be “books”. From an auction listing of several years ago, this “original ink Manuscript lesson for teaching Logic, conceived in diagram format and dated by [Charles] Dodgson [aka Lewis Carroll] in the upper right corner ‘5/3/94’” is speculated to have been left in one of his books as a “page marker” – which seems only appropriate.

In other words, this is a sketch or doodle of a diagram for a logic lesson he gave or was planning (more info at A Blog of Bosh). But what a fascinating idea: a universe of books. What bibliophile doesn’t instantly understand the concept? (And then add the modern idea of the constantly expanding universe!) Anyway, while this blog will by no means focus exclusively on books, Lewis Carroll’s books are the main jumping-off point.

Lewis Carroll Society of North America

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