DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945) - photo 1
DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945) - photo 2
DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945) - photo 3
DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945) - photo 4
DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945) - photo 5

DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945)

Lot 98
13.02.2025 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 10 080
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1363014
Lot 98 | DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945)
Estimate value
£ 10 000 – 15 000
DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945)
Oscar Wilde and Myself. London, John Long Ltd., 1914
Finely bound first edition of Alfred Douglas’s autobiography, containing original autograph letters from both Wilde and Douglas tipped in. The book describes the author's relationship with Wilde, from their first meeting in 1891 to Wilde's imprisonment in 1895. Douglas provides a personal account of their friendship, with intimate details about Wilde's personality, his wit, and his literary genius, and also explores the scandalous events that led to Wilde's downfall, including his trial and imprisonment for homosexuality, reflecting on his own role in Wilde's life and the impact of their relationship. Wilde writes, in the autograph letter tipped in, on grey letter paper from the Norfolk hotel: 'My Dear Sir, I am a very uncertain worker and I don't really know what I can definitely promise - I don't think I can see my way to doing much more than a little parable on originality - it would be about 1200 words: written in the style of my fairy tales. As for the price - I should take ten guineas - faithfully yours Oscar Wilde.'

Octavo (215 x 138mm). Photographic frontispiece, title in red and black, illustrated with 13 portraits and facsimiles of letters, tipped-in are two autograph letters signed, one from Oscar Wilde (16 Tite St., Chelsea, n.d.), the other from Alfred Douglas (approximately 120 words, refusing permission to publish one of his poems, 26 Church Row, Hampstead, July 22, 1910). Burgundy morocco, sides elaborately tooled in gilt to a wide outer panel, crowned letter ‘D’ gilt to corners of inner panel, gilt spine with raised bands ruled in compartments, crowned letter ‘D’ gilt at centres, edges gilt, turn-ins with wide gilt border, green morocco doublures, bordered in gilt, green watered silk endleaves, top edge gilt (front hinge cracked, joints a little rubbed). Provenance: Barry Humphries (1934-2023; bookplate).
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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13.02.2025 – 13.02.2025
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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