A rare first edition and author’s presentation copy of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species from 1859 has sold for £305,200, over double its estimate, at Bonhams.
Only 1,250 copies were initially printed in 1859. He gifted one of them to the distinguished botanist and physician Dr. Hugh Weddell whom he greatly admired. Weddell’s name appeared on the manuscript list of persons to receive copies of the first edition of On the Origin of Species drawn up by Darwin between August and October 1859. Matthew Haley, Bonhams Knightsbridge Managing Director and Head of UK Books & Manuscripts said: "The interest in this edition is not surprising given only a few dozen copies were presented by Darwin to his circle."
The sale also saw impressive results for works by Jorge Luis Borges with one autograph manuscript of his short story Funes el memorioso, circa 1942, achieving £70,250, more than 14 times its estimate of £5,000-7,000. Borges’s annotated copy of the first edition of The Aleph from 1949 sold for £35,840, over eight times its estimate of £4,000-6,000.
