Wikicollecting's Top 10 most expensive children’s books Wikicollecting presents a look at the ten most valuable children's books ever sold at auction, from A.A Milne to the Wizard of Oz.
News-Antique.com - May 01,2012 - 10) The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne, $22,000 (£13,527)
First edition copy of The House at Pooh Corner (1928), second Winnie the Pooh book and the first to feature Tigger and the game Pooh Sticks. On Japanese Vellum, signed by Milne. Sold for $22,000 in June 2008 by Heritage Auctions.
9) German Popular Stories by the Brothers Grimm, $24,000 (£14,757)
First English editions, 2 volumes, of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales (1823 and 1826), with illustrations by George Cruikshank. Sold for $24,000 in April 2005 at Sothebys.
8) All Sorts of Sports by Dr Seuss, $34,004 (£21,523)
Unpublished, unfinished manuscript of Dr Seuss entitled ‘All Sorts of Sports’ (1969), sold for $32,004 in October 2010 by Nate D. Sanders Auctions.
7) Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie, $42,000 (£25,825)
Barrie’s classic Neverland Adventure Peter and Wendy (also known as Peter Pan; or, The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up), first edition in novel form (1911), inscribed presentation copy sold for $42,000 at Christie’s in June 2005.
6) The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, £39,000 ($63,416)
First edition of The Wind in the Willows (1908) with original dust jacket, sold for £39,000 at Sothebys in November 1998.
5) The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, $89,625 (£55,109)
First edition of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937), sold for $89,625 by Sothebys in December 2002.
4) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, $152,500 (£93,770)
Scarce inscribed presentation copy of the first edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), sold for $152,500 in October 2002 at Christie’s.
3) The Rabbits’ Christmas Party: The Arrival by Beatrix Potter, £121,250 ($197,160)
First edition copy of The Rabbits’ Christmas Party (1909), sold for £121,250 in July 2008 at Sothebys. In addition, Potter’s personal signed copy and first edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902) with 41 illustrations by Potter was sold by Christie’s for $95,600 in December 2004.
2) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, $1,542,500 (£937,392)
Rare suppressed first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), a working copy with Carroll’s annotations, with 10 original preliminary drawings by John Tenniel included. Sold for $1,542,500 in December 1998 at Christie’s.
1) The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling, £3.98m ($6.47m)
One of seven known handmade copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, handwritten and illustrated by Rowling, realised £3.98m at Sothebys in November 2007. In May 2007, Bloomsbury Auctions sold a signed and inscribed first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for £27,370.
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