New York – A rare handwritten letter by Jane Austen sold for $200,075 at Bonhams Fine Books & Manuscripts sale in New York on October 23, establishing a new world record at auction for an autograph letter signed by the novelist. It had been estimated at $80,000-120,000.
From the famous Dodge Family Autograph Collection, the letter is
Cassandra Austen
A revealing, four-page letter written by Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra will go to auction in New York on October 23. Cassandra was the author's most frequent correspondent, and this letter, written on September 16, 1813, covers a range of intimate, familial subjects, from china patterns to health issues. “The letter throughout
Jane Austen's novels criticizing sentimentalism, the British landed gentry, and women's dependence on marriage have remained in print continuously since 1832, when the publisher Richard Bentley purchased the copyrights of all six of Austen's works. For the past 186 years those stories have thrilled readers around the globe. Now
As literary artifacts go, this one evokes childlike delight: an ivory cup-and-ball toy that once belonged to Jane Austen is headed to auction at Sotheby's London on December 13, where bids are expected in the £20,000-30,000 ($25,000-37,000) range.
