BEDFORD, N.H. – R & R Enterprises ended its latest phone, fax and mail bid auction on July 19. Highlighting the event with a bid of $49,306 – including buyer’s premium – an anonymous collector won a unique 1903 edition of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.

In 1938, as a present to his secretary’s niece, Louis B. Mayer had the edition signed by the film’s cast. On the first free end page, Margaret Hamilton writes, “Very best wishes to Collean, even tho’ I look mean!!, Mag the Hag, Margaret Hamilton.” Frank Morgan adds “sincerely” to his autograph, as does Jack Haley. Ray Bolger’s signature is completed by his sketch of a rubber-limbed Scarecrow. Bert Lahr adds “Lion” to his autograph, and, signed in purple fountain pen on the following free end page, is “For Collean, Love and all good wishes, from Judy Garland, ‘Dorothy.”

The book, in overall good condition, contained a partially deteriorated surface to the spine and cover, and light stains to some pages. Paper loss to the corners and top and bottom edges was also noted for the seven by nine inch lot, which elicited great interest from Oz collectors.