A manuscript copy of Charles Dickens' In Memorium will provide the highlight of an upcoming auction of an extraordinary collection of documents from history's greatest writers.
The collection is the property of a distinguished American private collector and contains over 3,000 items, which will be sold over the next two years. Part I of the collection is to be offered on December 18 in Los Angeles.
 Thackeray was second only to Dickens in the Victorian literary world |
Dickens' In Memorium is an obituary tribute to his greatest literary competitor and close friend, William Makepeace Thackeray. Thackeray is best known for his satirical novel Vanity Fair, but was also editor of the Cornhill Magazine in which the obituary was first published.
The obituary sees Dickens devoting a large section to Thackeray's unfinished novel, Denis Duval, which he was working on at the time of his death. Dated January 15, 1864, Dickens describes Thackeray as an "old comrade and brother in arms" and writes warmly of his relationship with the writer.
A stunning piece of literary history, the manuscript presents a fantastic opportunity to own a document that unites two of the Victorian era's greatest writers. It is expected to sell for $60,000-80,000.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a superb selection of Charles Dickens signed letters currently available, as well as authentic strands of his hair.
Also featuring among the many outstanding documents is a First Folio copy of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The work, which has presumably been removed from the complete 1623 folio, is among the best loved of all Shakespeare plays and is estimated at $15,000-25,000.
A Third Folio edition of Shakespeare's collected works sold for $374,500 in May this year. Read more of the latest news on rare books and literary collectibles in our dedicated Books & Manuscripts news section.
