Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967)

Lot 270
09.12.2020 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
£ 8 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 470146
Lot 270 | Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967)
Estimate value
£ 8 000 – 12 000
Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967)

Poems. 1906

[SASSOON, Siegfried (1886-1967)]. Poems. [London: Privately printed for the author by J.E. Francis & Co.,] 1906.



First edition of Sassoon’s first book, presentation copy inscribed by the author: ‘To Aunty Fatty [?]. / with much love / from Siegfried.’ One of just 50 copies printed and the only copy to appear at auction since 1986. The most likely recipient would seem to be Sassoon’s aunt Frances (‘Fanny’) Donaldson (née Thornycroft, 1846-1929).



In the first volume of the author’s autobiographical trilogy, published in 1938, he recalls his pride at the printing of this work: ‘The book numbered thirty-six pages and was bound in thick white cartridge paper. The title-page was printed on the cover as well as inside, and the whole was held together by a narrow dark-blue satin ribbon. My book was anonymous. On the title-page I had put four lines by Swinburne, which expressed an exuberant belief in my poetic vocation’ (The Old Century and Seven More Years). Keynes A1.



Octavo (197 x 130mm). (Some spotting.) Original printed wrappers, blue silk tie (some spotting); housed in cloth portfolio. Provenance: Siegfried Sassoon (presentation inscription on inside front wrapper); his sale Christie’s, London, 4 June 1975, lot 194 – Sotheby’s, New York, 15 October 1982, lot 59 – H. Bradley Martin (bookplate, his sale, Sotheby’s New York, 1 May 1990, lot 3160) – J. O. Edwards (book label).

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