A cache of letters penned by George Orwell sold for a record £84,000 at a Bonhams Printed Books and Manuscripts auction, a figure double its pre-sale estimate. The sale room was buzzing with interest from buyers eager to acquire lots from this largely undocumented period in the writer’s life. All the winning bidders were present in the auction room which attracted mainly private or trade buyers from the UK.
Another strong result was a collection of photographs by Lewis Carroll which sparked considerable interest from collectors. The Portrait of Gertrude, Mary and Caroline Dykes (Lot 149) sold for a staggering £28,800, well over its estimate of £3,000. And an extremely rare portrait of Henry Hobson’s daughter Sarah (Lot 138) achieved a remarkable £16,000 far beyond its pre-sale estimate of £3,000.
David Park, Head of Bonhams Printed Books and Manuscripts department commented on the sale ‘We are delighted by the success of this sale and that the true value of this unique collection was reflected in these outstanding results.’
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