Three photographs of Alexandra Rhoda “Xie” Kitchin, one of Lewis Carroll’s favourite models, are being auctioned at Bonhams Book sale on 8 June.
Alexandra was the daughter of the Dean of Durham who, for 15 years, also held a theological position at the University of Oxford where Carroll, a fellow of Christ Church, lectured in maths.
The three photos, captioned by Carroll himself, show Alexandra in Danish and Oriental costumes. A keen photographer, Carroll considered these to be among his best work. They were given to Alexandra by Carroll’s brother, William, when she got married together with a copy of a ‘The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll’ in which two of the photographs are reproduced. It is significant, perhaps, that only these two photographs of ‘Xie’ and a couple of Alice Liddell, the model for Alice in Wonderland, were selected for the book. The photographs together with the inscribed copy of the book are estimated between £10,000 – 15,000.
Also in the sale is a copy of the first published edition of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ (the first print run was run was not distributed because of a dispute over reproduction quality and ended up being sold in America). This copy is for sale at between £1,500 – 2,000)
For further sale information please go to www.bonhams.com/books
