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Sneak Preview of Sylvia Plath/Ted Hughes Bonhams Auction Lots


Maev Kennedy wrote in today's print edition of The Guardian about the forthcoming Bonhams auction:  "Writers' Lives: Auction offers intimate glimpses inside the marriage of Plath and Hughes" (pg 7). The article, though, posted online yesterday. It's safe to say in the Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes realm, the news went viral.

Frieda Hughes is set to auction about 108 lots of items from the estates of Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, and Olwyn Hughes that she inherited. The range of items is breathtaking for peanut-crunchers and collectors, archivists, and librarians. Clothing, jewelry, personal library books, typescripts, and realia such as furniture. The items reflect the lives of, at a minimum, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, Frieda Hughes, Nicholas Hughes, Olwyn Hughes, William Hughes, Edith Hughes, Otto Plath, and Aurelia Plath.

When I learned about the auction in December it was really hard to obey the request for confidentiality. But, I did it! When I saw the early catalogue last, which was honored to proof and to edit, I was practically hyperventilating. I have been given the go-ahead to post a few of them here.

However, please keep in mind this is early, and titles, descriptions, and maybe even pricing is subject to change. The full catalogue will be available about a month before the 21 March 2018 auction date.


PLATH (SYLVIA) - PHOTO FRAME
Green leather folding double photo frame, gilt blocked "S.P." and "June 15, 1954" on the upper cover, slightly rubbed, 215 x 165mm., [1954]

£200 - 400


PLATH (SYLVIA) - JEWELLERY
Plath's "dragon" pendant and chain, with maker's stamp "Coro", base metal, openwork Maltese Cross design flanked by two dragons, some wear, diameter 50mm., [1950s]

£2,000 - 3,000







HUGHES (TED)
Meet My Folks!, FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO SYLVIA PLATH "To Sylvia with all my love from Ted, April 1st, 1961", illustrations by George Adamson, publisher's pictorial boards, dust-jacket [Sagar/Tabor A4], small 4to, Faber and Faber, 1961

£2,000 - 3,000


PLATH (SYLVIA) - CLOTHING
A Japanese blue embroidered silk jacket, light blue lining, 4 toggled "frog" buttons and mandarin collar, shoulders faded, label "Made in Japan"; A blue collarless tunic top, damask pattern, with label "Made in Italy. Dickins and Jones, Regent Street" (2)

£400 - 600


HUGHES (TED)
Animal Poems, SPECIAL PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR TO HIS SON, WITH 9 MANUSCRIPT POEMS, interleaved, with the additional manuscript poems written in black in on 10 pages (including the title), manuscript correction by Hughes to one printed poem ("Otter"), green morocco gilt by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, g.e., slipcase [Sagar/Tabor A13], 4to, [Richard Gilbertson, [1967]

£2,000 - 3,000


Are your appetite's whetted? Start saving your pennies!

All links accessed 24 January 2018.
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