The Dream Life of Balso Snell, the dedication copy - photo 1

The Dream Life of Balso Snell, the dedication copy

Sold
$ 12 600
Auction dateClassic
26.05.2022 10:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
USA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 753013
Lot 358 | The Dream Life of Balso Snell, the dedication copy
The Dream Life of Balso Snell, the dedication copyNathanael WestWEST, Nathanael (1903-1940). The Dream Life of Balso Snell. New York: Contact Editions, 1931. The dedication copy of West's 1931 first novel, inscribed on the limitation page: “*Alice Shepard; Pep’s book / Nathanael West. *Priscilla’s crock.” Shepard had attended Pembroke College with West’s sister Laura. West and Shepard were secretly engaged from 1929-32, but by 1933 were broken up. Some attributed this to West's poverty or perhaps religious differences, as Shepard was Catholic. "Pep" was the subdued West's nickname, bestowed on him in irony by friends at summer camp. West, who came from a middle-class Jewish family, attended high school in New York City and college at Brown University, where he graduated in 1924. Balso Snell was written during a 15-month stay in Paris and it told the story of an odd assortment of grotesque characters inside the Trojan horse. Published in an edition of 500 copies, only 15 were in cloth. This copy is number one. Octavo (242 x 155mm). Publisher’s blue cloth, printed boards (some fingersoiling to paper and cloth). Custom slipcase.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
26.05.2022 – 26.05.2022
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 17:00   
Tu 09:30 – 17:00   
We 09:30 – 17:00   
Th 09:30 – 17:00   
Fr 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

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.