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P.G. Wodehouse first editions

Freeman’s to offer P.G. Wodehouse first editions May 7

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
P.G. Wodehouse first editions
P.G. Wodehouse, ‘Big Money,’ London: Herbert Jenkins Limited, (1931), first English edition. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Freeman’s image

PHILADELPHIA — On May 7, Freeman’s will present an online auction of the P.G. Wodehouse Collection of William Toplis (1924-2019). The collection encompasses an array of material that spans Wodehouse’s career, from his earliest forays into publishing in the 1890s, to the 1970s when he published his last works. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

William Toplis was a Philadelphia native, veteran of the U.S. Navy, dedicated teacher, and—in true Bertie Wooster fashion—a fervent collector of bespoke suits. His high standards and love for the author’s work allowed him to build a collection without peer. Diligently researched and covering both his literary work as well as his work for the stage, the collection encompasses first editions, manuscripts, original art, sheet music, libretti, scripts and much more. In its breadth, it charts the author’s trajectory from aspiring writer to world-renowned author.

Featured in this sale are many rare and unusual items, including a unique set of P.G. Wodehouse’s personal scrapbooks (est. $3,000-$5,000). Wodehouse compiled these four scrapbooks (below) over an almost 50-year period from 1911 to 1960. They contain hundreds of newspaper clippings, programs, telegrams and other ephemera related to Wodehouse’s career, both on the page and on the stage, and offer a rare glimpse into Wodehouse’s own chronicles of his professional life.

P.G. Wodehouse first editions
British author P.G. Wodehouse compiled four scrapbooks that chronicled a 50-year period of his career. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Freeman’s image

Also on offer is a first issue of Wodehouse’s 1910 novel The Intrusion of Jimmy, charmingly inscribed to Wodehouse’s mother and signed by the author with his nickname, “Plum” (Lot 60, Est. $1,000-$1,500).

P.G. Wodehouse first editions
A first edition of Wodehouse’s 1910 novel ‘The Intrusion of Jimmy,’ inscribed to his mother and signed by the author. Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Freeman’s image

Published six months later in England with a new title, A Gentleman of Leisure, this work represents an important period of Wodehouse’s writing career, when it began to take off in both the United States and England. This, along with numerous other important books – like a first English issue of Big Money in its exceedingly scarce first issue dust jacket (est. $3,000-$5,000) – brings together a robust and expansive collection spanning the illustrious career of P.G. Wodehouse.

An English humorist, Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881-1975) is perhaps best known as the creator of comedic duo Bertie Wooster and his sharp-witted valet, Jeeves, who appeared together in 11 novels and 35 short stories. His humor prodded at the eccentricities of the gentlemanly upper-class, and his poetic writing style captured the attention of audiences around the world. Wodehouse, a prolific writer, published more than 90 novels and 200 short stories in his lifetime, solidifying his place in the English literary canon and in the hearts of his readers.

P.G. Wodehouse first editions
Some of the books in the auction written by prolific British author P.G. Wodehouse. Freeman’s image

For details contact Darren Winston, head of Freeman’s Books & Manuscripts: dwinston@freemansauction.com or 267-414-1237.

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