The Halsted B. Vander Poel collection of English literature. [ Christie's, auction catalogue, sale date: 3 March, 2004 ]

Christie's, London, auction catalogue for the sale held on 3rd March, 2004. Laminated illustrated wrappers, 4to, 27 cm,. 291 pp, plates, ills. 360 lots. From the preface: "Where to begin? Perhaps the nucleus of this remarkably personal collection groups itself round the name 'Browning'. The 73 letters from Robert Browning and Julia Wedgwood to each other are in themselves a significant memorial, they lead on to books, to the copy of Browning's Poetical Works that the poet gave Wedgwood on 17 April 1865, as well as Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Last Poems the year before. There are copies of Aurora Leigh, the first edition of 1857 with the autograph dedication bound in as well as the Tauchnitz edition given to Mrs. Fitzgerald. Sordello was given to W.C Macready, Two Poems (1854) by both Brownings belonged to Thomas Carlyle (did he buy it at Arabel Browning's charity bazaar for which the book was printed?). But best of all, perhaps, is the first edition of 7he Ring and the Book inscribed 'Alfred, Lord Tennyson, from R.B.' So, then, there is Tennyson, starting with a manuscript fragment of the Idylls of the King and a poem Early Spring, Maud and other poems (1855) is the corrected page proof 4, one of two surviving copies bought privately by George Craik before a Sotheby's auction in 1891. Poems (1842) was given by Tennyson to his sister, Cecilia. There is the legendary first edition of Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat (1859) that belonged to Tennyson and the copy of Demeter (1889) that he gave to Lionel Hallam Tennyson. Almost equally rare is Matthew Arnold's prize poem, Alaric at Rome (1840), a presentation copy to one the author's school friends. ..." Contents: Early Printed Books lots 1-17; 17th century Literature 18-36; 18th century Literature 37-73; The Romantic Movement 74-126; The Victorians 127-230; Oscar Wilde and his Circle 231-255; Early 20th century Literature 256-315; Miscellany 316-360. Two marks to contents, one corner folded, otherwise Very Good.