Current Events & Trends | September 2023 | Alex Johnson

Five Rare Books for Collectors: Charlie Watts Literature and Jazz Auction

Christie's

Simple Takes a Wife by Langston Hughes

Lots from Literature and Jazz Part I and Part II at the Charlie Watts: Gentleman, Collector, Rolling Stone auction at Christie's are now available to browse on Christies.com. are now available for browsing. The flagship live auction (Part I) will take place in London at Christie’s headquarters on September 28 and will showcase an array of modern first edition books in addition to an impressive collection of jazz memorabilia. The online-only sale (Part II) runs September 15 - 29. A public pre-sale exhibition will take place in London September 20 - 27.

* Simple Takes a Wife by Langston Hughes

Presentation copy of the first edition, inscribed by Hughes to Thurgood Marshall, America’s first African-American Supreme Court Justice: "For Thurgood—My friend—Happy Birthday—‘I am equal, as you are, but separate we remain!’ Sincerely, Langston".

Simple Takes a Wife is the second novel in the celebrated series of stories concerning Simple, an everyday working black man in Harlem. This significant presentation copy unites two men who helped to shape the voice and history of African Americans in the 20th century. Hughes first became acquainted with Marshall when they were classmates at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. His inscription evidently refers to Marshall’s work on the landmark desegregation case for which he led the NAACP’s legal strategy challenging the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1953.

* Black Mask stories by Raymond Chandler

Chandler’s first appearance in print, a complete collection of all his short stories first published in pulp fiction magazine, Black Mask, 1933-37. Very rare in this condition. The most important pulp magazine, Black Mask played a pivotal role in Chandler’s development as a writer. It was first launched by H.L. Mencken, devoted to ‘the best stories available of adventure, the best mystery and detective stories, the best romances, the best love stories, and the best stories of the occult’ and had already published writers such as Dashiell Hammett and Frederick Nebel. Chandler honed his skills in its pages, publishing 11 stories or novelettes before his first book, and it launched his reputation as a foremost writer of detective fiction. Most stories feature private detective Carmady or Johnny Dalmas, precursors to Philip Marlowe. 11 issues, octavo. Original pictorial wrappers by Fred Craft, Rudolph Belarski, or John Drew.

Christie's

Black Mask stories by Raymond Chandler

Christie's

By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie

Christie's

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

Christie's

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

* By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie

"To P.G. Wodehouse with reverence, admiration and many long years of deeply enjoyed reading – no one like you! Agatha Christie": an important presentation copy of the first edition, inscribed by the author. The two writers greatly admired each other’s work and Wodehouse was to be the dedicatee of Christie’s next published novel, Hallowe’en Party (1969). London: for The Crime Club by Collins, 1968.

* The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

A remarkably fine presentation copy of the first edition in book form, inscribed by the author on the title page: "I perambulated Dartmoor before I wrote this book, A Conan Doyle". The present copy is in fine original condition and boasts an unusually interesting inscription for Doyle, who is typically far more formulaic even when presenting books to close associates. An ownership inscription dated 1902 on the front endpaper suggests that the recipient was L. B. Whitehead, a painter from Devon who specialised in local scenes. London: George Newnes, 1902.

* The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Extraordinary presentation copy to "the original “Gatsby”: first edition, first printing, inscribed by the author. Inscribed copies of The Great Gatsby are very rare. The present inscription is by far the most exciting to have appeared at auction: "For Harold Goldman / The original “Gatsby” of this story, with thanks for letting me reveal these secrets of his past. / Alcatraz / Cell Block 17 / (I’ll be out soon, kid. Remember me to the mob. Fitzgerald)".

Fitzgerald’s friendship with Harold Goldman is mostly undocumented, yet the playful warmth of the inscription suggests that the two knew each other well. The gift of this book would seem to date from their shared stint at MGM as screenwriters, during which time they worked on the 1938 film A Yank at Oxford starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. As his inscription makes clear, Fitzgerald was less than satisfied with his time in Hollywood, ‘Alcatraz’ referring to the MGM lot and ‘Cell Block 17’ to his office in the writers’ building. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925.