Shakespeare, William. Middlemarch in original parts - photo 1
Shakespeare, William. Middlemarch in original parts - photo 1

Middlemarch in original parts

Sold
$ 87 500
Auction dateClassic
15.10.2021 00:00UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 627632
Lot 143 | Middlemarch in original parts
ELIOT, George (1819-1880). Middlemarch. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood, December 1871-December 1872.

A lovely copy of the first edition in parts of Eliot’s Victorian masterpiece, the work hailed as "magnificent" by Virginia Woolf and "the greatest" of English novels by Martin Amis and Julian Barnes. Due to the scope of her novel, Eliot and her companion George Lewes suggested to her publisher that the novel be published in eight parts priced at five shillings each and issued every two months starting in December 1871. While each part gave the reader more of the story than the traditional monthly serial publications, the more expensive price and the wait of two months for the next part meant Eliot needed to ensure her plot kept the public interested enough to purchase the next installment. Although Eliot found writing for serialization to be an enormously difficult task, Middlemarch proved to be a success. cementing Eliot's reputation and selling 5,000 copies of the edition in parts and 3,000 additional copies of the four volume bound edition. Baker & Ross A10.1.a.

Eight volumes, octavo. With all advertisements and slips announcing next volumes, errata slip in vol. 4, catalogue at end of vol. 8 (foxing to page edges). Original light green printed wrappers (minor lean, light wear and neat re-gluing to backstrips); custom box. Nall Yarmouth Library and Printing Office ticket to vol. 7; W. H. Smith & Son, Strand (blindstamp to rear cover of vol. 6).
Artist:William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Applied technique:Pencil
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
01.10.2021 – 15.10.2021
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

Antiquities of Mexico
Antiquities of Mexico
$16 000
Verbiest's world map
Verbiest's world map
$12 000
A previously unknown invoice for furnishings
A previously unknown invoice for furnishings
$2 800
Iliad, in Latin
Iliad, in Latin
$1 500
New York City commissions a painting of Washington
New York City commissions a painting of Washington
$100
The East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
The East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
$1 000
Inscriptiones sacrosanctae vetustatis
Inscriptiones sacrosanctae vetustatis
$1 200
Huguan County, Lu’an Prefecture, Shanxi Province
Huguan County, Lu’an Prefecture, Shanxi Province
$1 600

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.