Let PBA Galleries fill your bookshelves with American greats, Sept. 22
F. Scott Fitzgerald, ‘Tender is the Night: A Romance,’ first printing in the original jacket, est. $5,000-$8,000
BERKELEY, Calif. – On Thursday, September 22, PBA Galleries will host a sale with more than 500 lots of fine literature and ephemera. It will feature scarce works from the counterculture and the Beat Generation, including a large section of rock and psychedelic posters as well as editions from Charles Bukowski, many with original artwork, and a large sampling of the works of Ray Bradbury, John Steinbeck and William Faulkner. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
A highlight of the sale is the 10th novel in the James Bond series, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, signed by author Ian Fleming, and one of only 250 copies published. It was the first title published after the film series began and the only one issued as a signed, limited edition. A color frontispiece portrait of the author by Amherst Villiers is included. The book carries an estimate of $15,000-$25,000.
‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ by Ian Fleming, signed limited edition, est. $15,000-$25,000
Another notable offering is a copy of Of Mice and Men, a first edition presented in custom black morocco and cloth clamshell case. Inscribed by John Steinbeck, it contains first issue points the words “and only moved because the heavy hands were pedula” on page 9 and a bullet between the two 8’s in the page number 88. Its estimate is $7,000-$10,000.
‘Of Mice and Men’ first issue inscribed by John Steinbeck, est. $7,000-$10,000
A featured lot is a publisher’s presentation copy – one of 25 – of Across the River and into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway. A specially-bound first edition, inscribed and signed by publisher Charles Scribner and printed from the uncorrected sheets, it contains errors that were corrected in regular copies of the first edition. It has an estimate of $6,000-$9,000.
A notable copy of Tender is the Night: A Romance by F. Scott Fitzgerald also graces the auction. The last completed novel to be published in his lifetime, this first printing in the original jacket is a find, and is estimated at $5,000-$8,000.
Inscription to Seamus Cooney by Charles Bukowski in his ‘Longshot Poems for Broke Players,’ est. $5,000-$8,000
Just one of the many Bukowski works in the auction is Longshot Poems for Broke Players, his third book, which contains 26 poems and five drawings as well as an interesting inscription to fellow poet Seamus Cooney. It carries an estimate of $5,000-$8,000.
Original painting by Soheyl Dahi from ‘You Do Not Have To Love Me’ by Leonard Cohen, est. $2,000-$3,000
Another remarkable lot is the signed letterpress poem You Do Not Have To Love Me by Leonard Cohen, the first broadside publication by Cohen in a literary career spanning more than 60 years. It is signed and is one of 26 copies accompanied by an original painting by Soheyl Dahi. Its estimate is $2,000-$3,000.
‘The Story of Ferdinand’ by Munro Leaf, first printing in jacket, est. $4,000-$6,000
Other featured lots include a set of original editions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There ($4,000-$6,000); a first edition of The Story of Ferdinand with the rear flap of the dust jacket reading a $1 price ($4,000-$6,000); The Catcher in the Rye, a first edition in the first issue dust jacket with a portrait of Salinger on the rear panel ($4,000-$6,000).
PBA is open by appointment only. For more information about upcoming sales, to schedule a Zoom preview or phone bidding for a future auction, please contact the galleries at 415-989-2665 or pba@pbagalleries.com.
View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/
