Dec 6, 2024 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
699
Eighteen volumes from Raymond Chandler's library
Estate / Collection: The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection of Raymond Chandler
[CHANDLER, RAYMOND]
Eighteen volumes from Raymond Chandler's library. A group of books from Chandler's library, a few variously stamped or with notations by Chandler, the books in original wrappers or publisher's cloth bindings, about 11 retaining dust jackets. All with some measure of wear and stray stains to the cloth or jackets which are worn with losses, the lot sold as is; Offered with a typed list headed “Raymond Chandler’s Books,” likely prepared by Cissy as there is a manuscript note "my first present to you." Only one book on the list is present in the lot (Garrick Club).
Comprising:
1) New Handbook of Composition. With full page inscription from Chandler regarding certain usages within: “This book is interesting because it was published in 1926 and many of the things I dislike are now standard…” The inscription initialed in ink by Chandler and with two ownership stamps. Publisher’s cloth.
2) Rules and By-Laws of the Garrick Club. Pamphlet in wrappers with Chandler's stamp to the cover and annotations to several rules within including the rules for entertaining ladies. Wrappers.
3) W. Somerset Maugham. Cakes and Ale. Modern Library edition, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and signature of Jean Vounder-Davis, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
4) Rimbaud. Prose Poems from the Illuminations. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and signature of Jean Vounder-Davis, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
5) Desmond Young. Rommel. 1950, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket. Desmond Young was Jean Fracasse's cousin and she was pleased to learn that Ray's library included this book.
6) Frank Swinnerton. The Cats and Rosemary. First edition, 1950, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
7) Basil Davidson. Golden Horn. First edition, 1958, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
8) -W. Somerset Maugham. A Writer’s Notebook. First trade edition, 1949, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and Jean Vounder Davis’s signature. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
9) The Novel in France. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
10 & 11) Two Samuel French published scripts, Alien Corn by Sidney Howard and Behold the Bridegroom by George Kelly. Wrappers. Both with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp.
12) The Classical Tradition. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
13) J.B. Priestly. Bright Day. First edition, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
14) J.B. Priestly. The Plays of J.B. Priestley Vol. III (only). With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and manuscript date. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
15) W.H. Auden. The Collected Poetry of W.H. Auden. Later printing, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
16) Pocket Dictionary of the French and English Languages. Highly worn and without stamp.
17) Sophocles. The Theban Plays. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, wrappers.
18) The Oxford Book of French Verse. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp.
Sold for $2,880
Estimated at $3,000 - $5,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Estate / Collection: The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection of Raymond Chandler
[CHANDLER, RAYMOND]
Eighteen volumes from Raymond Chandler's library. A group of books from Chandler's library, a few variously stamped or with notations by Chandler, the books in original wrappers or publisher's cloth bindings, about 11 retaining dust jackets. All with some measure of wear and stray stains to the cloth or jackets which are worn with losses, the lot sold as is; Offered with a typed list headed “Raymond Chandler’s Books,” likely prepared by Cissy as there is a manuscript note "my first present to you." Only one book on the list is present in the lot (Garrick Club).
Comprising:
1) New Handbook of Composition. With full page inscription from Chandler regarding certain usages within: “This book is interesting because it was published in 1926 and many of the things I dislike are now standard…” The inscription initialed in ink by Chandler and with two ownership stamps. Publisher’s cloth.
2) Rules and By-Laws of the Garrick Club. Pamphlet in wrappers with Chandler's stamp to the cover and annotations to several rules within including the rules for entertaining ladies. Wrappers.
3) W. Somerset Maugham. Cakes and Ale. Modern Library edition, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and signature of Jean Vounder-Davis, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
4) Rimbaud. Prose Poems from the Illuminations. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and signature of Jean Vounder-Davis, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
5) Desmond Young. Rommel. 1950, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket. Desmond Young was Jean Fracasse's cousin and she was pleased to learn that Ray's library included this book.
6) Frank Swinnerton. The Cats and Rosemary. First edition, 1950, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
7) Basil Davidson. Golden Horn. First edition, 1958, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
8) -W. Somerset Maugham. A Writer’s Notebook. First trade edition, 1949, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and Jean Vounder Davis’s signature. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
9) The Novel in France. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
10 & 11) Two Samuel French published scripts, Alien Corn by Sidney Howard and Behold the Bridegroom by George Kelly. Wrappers. Both with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp.
12) The Classical Tradition. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
13) J.B. Priestly. Bright Day. First edition, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
14) J.B. Priestly. The Plays of J.B. Priestley Vol. III (only). With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp and manuscript date. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
15) W.H. Auden. The Collected Poetry of W.H. Auden. Later printing, with Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.
16) Pocket Dictionary of the French and English Languages. Highly worn and without stamp.
17) Sophocles. The Theban Plays. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp, wrappers.
18) The Oxford Book of French Verse. With Raymond Chandler’s ownership stamp.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Dec 6, 2024
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Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on December 6, 2024
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Books, Autographs & Maps
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held a successful auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps onDecember 6, 2024 showcased is a wonderful diversity of Americana, maps, autographs, early books and landmarks of literature and science.
Highlighting the sale was the first edition of Spinoza's Tractatus theologico-politicus from 1670 that soared to $70,350. Spinoza’s Tractatus is his only work published during his lifetime and remains his most significant. It presents a clear theory of natural right, asserting that the love of God leads to love for others. The state exists to ensure liberty, not oppression, with justice, wisdom, and toleration as key. Influential to thinkers like Blake and Goethe, it shaped Romanticism.
The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection offered the largest trove of unpublished Raymond Chandler stories, poetry, letters, books and personal artifacts to come to market. Best known for his Philip Marlowe detective novels including The Big Sleep (1939) and Farewell, My Lovely (1940) and as screenwriter of film noir classics such as Double Indemnity (1944) and The Blue Dahlia (1946), Raymond Chandler is considered one of the top writers in the hardboiled fiction genre alongside Dashiell Hammett and James Cain. Held for decades, the archive belonged to Jean Fracasse [later Vounder-Davis] who was first hired in January 1957 as Chandler's personal secretary but quickly became his close friend, confidant, fiancé and muse to whom he dedicated his last book.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
For information, please contact Peter Costanzo at 212-427-4141 ext 248, Edward Ripley-Duggan at ext 234, or Noah Goldrach at ext 226, or email Books@Doyle.com
