News | June 17, 2023

Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter Corrected Page Proofs Sold for $693,000

Christie's

Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter proof

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter corrected page proofs led Christie’s' Fine Books and Manuscripts June sales, going for $693,000 to philanthropist and bibliophile Stuart Rose.

The Bruce M. Lisman Collection of Important American Literature: Part One's top lot was Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard, 1840) which made $441,000. Other highlights included: 

  • Herman Melville’s Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life, inscribed, from the Bradley Martin collection, which brought $176,400
  • the 1851 London edition of Melville’s The Whale which realized $170,000
  • a signed, autograph letter by Mark Twain to his future father-in-law, dated 29 December, 1868, defending his reputation, which went for $151,200
  • a presentation copy of The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, given to George Mullet, which made $138,600
Hawthorne family's copy of The Scarlet Letter
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Christie's

Hawthorne family's copy of The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter MS
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Christie's

The Scarlet Letter MS

Part of The Scarlet Letter proof
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Christie's

Part of The Scarlet Letter proof

Part of The Scarlet Letter proof
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Christie's

Part of The Scarlet Letter proof

The Magnificent Library of Norman Bobins: Part One, American Color sale was led by Prince Maximilian and Karl Bodmer’s Reise in das innere Nord-America in den Jahren 1832 bis 1834 which was sold for $529,200. Other notable results included: 

  • The Yellowstone National Park by Thomas Moran and Ferdinand Hayden, which went for $403,200
  • Picturesque Views of American Scenery by Joshua Shaw and John Hill, sold for $163,800
  • William G. Wall’s Hudson River Port Folio, which realized $100,800
  • J.P. Cockburn’s Views of Quebec, hammered down at $94,500

The Magnificent Library of Norman Bobins: Part Two, The Colourful World, takes place July 13 in London.

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