Connecticut River Book Auction
December 2
South Congregational Church
949 Main Street in South Glastonbury, CT 06073.
www.ctriverbookauction.com
860-908-8067

Inspection begins at noon with the auction starting at 6 pm
Happy Holidays from all of us at Connecticut River Book Auction. We have over 200 lots of fiction, history, art and more that we hope will bring a smile to even the face of one – Ebenezer Scrooge.
SOUTH GLASTONBURY, CONN. — Whether it be Hanukkah, Christmas or Saturnalia that you celebrate, Connecticut River Book Auction has assembled a banquet of tasty treats to delight auction-goers on Friday, December 2, at 6 pm at its auction at the South Congregational Church.

The holiday season is a festive time, especially in children’s literature, and no place more so than in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. First appearing in the United Kingdom in a print run of 500 copies, the adventures of Harry, Hermione and Hagrid have delighted children and the young at heart for years. Rowling’s first published work, it has sold well over 120 million copies, making it one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. This sale offers a US first edition issued by Scholastic Press in October 1998 that came from the estate of a Connecticut Fairfield County book agent and is boldly signed by Rowling on the title page.

A second book that might attract the attention of children’s book collectors is a first UK edition of Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. This copy is a first issue with “wade” appearing in place of “wabe” on page 21. Published a few days after Christmas in 1871 (but with an 1872 publication date) by Lewis Carroll, it is the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland that appeared years earlier. Interestingly, the popularity of this second story of life in reverse for Alice where, for example, walking away from an object brings it closer reintroduced readers to the less successful “Wonderland” story.

For readers of Larry McMurtry (1936-2021), the sale offers an uncovered second copy of the 1979 printing of The Uncollected Fictional Works of Larry McMurtry. This copy belonged to Steven Schuster, a Texas professor of history, lover of fine printing and printer himself. From what the auction house can gather, Schuster was involved in this unauthorized small press printing of 35 copies of McMurtry’s earliest works that had appeared in a college student publication. Intended as a work honoring McMurtry’s work, the author perceived it otherwise, bringing a lawsuit against the printer. Nearly all 35 copies were destroyed with the exception of one previously known one, a second copy that Connecticut Book Auction sold last year, and now this third one. For collectors of this respected author’s works, this is a highly desirable and exceedingly rare McMurtry item. As an aside, McMurtry lost the lawsuit and wound up publishing a letter of apology to the printer.
South Congregational Church is at 949 Main Street. For information 860-908-8067 or www.ctriverbookauction.com.

For lovers of children’s fiction there is a 1st U.S. signed edition of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” a 1st U.K. edition of “Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.” with the issue point on page 21 and a 1933 pop-up appropriately titled “The Pop-Up Pinocchio.” Remember the origin story of theTeddy Bear? Well, the popularity of that story led to countless spin-offs including Eaton’s (1909) “Teddy-B & Teddy-G the Bear Detec- tives.” Tired of all that reading then enjoy yourself with a 1933 Stanlo No. 6 “Building Erector Set” in its original wooden case.
For history buffs there is “A Report of theTrial of the Rev. Ephraim K. Avery on an Indictment for the Murder of Sarah Maria Cor- nell” by Hildreth published is 1833, “Lafayette in America Day by Day,” limited to 250 copies and published in 1931, “Christopher Gist’s Journals with Historical Geographical and Ethnological Notes,” a 1st edition with all 7 maps. We also have a signed 1st UK edition of “AThousand Days,” by Schlesinger and by Smith an account of his escape from slavery entitled “Autobiography of James L. Smith,” and published in 1881.
For lovers of fiction we have a wealth of signed volumes. To mention just two there is a 1st edition copy of Sparks “The Note- book,” and a later printing of Asimov’s “The Winds of Change and Other Stories.” There is also an unsigned first edition, 2nd stateof Dickens(1846)“TheCricketontheHearth,”andloadsof signed detective fiction by Lawrence Block and others.
Like fine printing then consider “The Triple Crown Kelmscott, Doves and Ashendene,” issued by Ondine Press limited to 145 copies, “A Letter from Texas,” printed by Carl Hertzog, “Proth- alamion,” printed by Ondine Press limited to 25 copies, and “A Philosophy of Esthetics,” lim- ited to 550 copies signed by the
author with the scarce full color signed print insert and issued by Black Cat Press.
Lastly, for Larry McMurty collectors we have uncovered a copy of “The Uncollected Fictional Works of Larry McMurty.” Only 35 copies of this work were ever printed and nearly all were de- stroyed. This is the third copy known to exist and is from the collection of Steven Schuster who, we believe, was involved in the printing of this item.
For more information on this
6 pm, Friday, December 2nd book auction
to be held at the South Congregational Church, 949 Main Street,
South Glastonbury, CT 06073
visit ctriverbookauction.com
or callTom at 1-860-908-8067.