Connecticut River Book Auction
LIVE and IN-PERSON BOOK AUCTION on JUNE 14th, 2024
South Congregational Church at 949 Main Street in South Glastonbury, CT 06073.
ctriverbookauction.com 860-908-8067

SOUTH GLASTONBURY, CONN. — The Friday, June 14, Connecticut River Book Auction offers for sale a copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fourth and final novel, Tender is the Night. Considered by Fitzgerald as his best work, it is set in the French Riviera and chronicles the lives of its two principal characters descending into darkness as Diver, a psychiatrist, turns to alcohol and Nicole, his wife and patient, struggles unsuccessfully with mental illness.

Started in 1925 after the publication of The Great Gatsby, this novel took eight taxing years to finish and during that time period one can imagine that this once fictional work increasingly became autobiographical as Fitzgerald reworked the story line several times. With each rewrite gravitating more to events in his own life, Diver’s drinking mirrors that of Fitzgerald’s alcoholism, and Nicole’s madness reflects Zelda’s erratic behavior eventually resulting in her being diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia.

First serialized in Scribner’s Magazine, Tender is the Night appeared in book form in April 1934. The initial printing was, by today’s standards, small with a print run of 7,500 copies. Unlike The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night was not received with critical acclaim and enjoyed only mediocre sales success. With the passage of time, however, this work has grown in stature. Modern Library, in listing the 100 most important English language novels of the Twentieth Century, placed it in the 28th spot. Similarly, National Public Radio and other media sources have recognized the significance of this work honoring it on their lists of must-read novels.

The copy Connecticut River Book Auction has for sale is a first edition, first issue with an “A” and the Scribner seal on the copyright page. The dustjacket is missing a small piece off the heel of the spine. The price of $2.50 is unclipped and the front flap includes comments by Eliot, Mencken and Rosenfeld.

The South Glastonbury Church is at 949 Main Street. For additional information, www.ctriverbookauction.com or 860-908-8067.

Inspection begins at noon with the auction starting at 6 pm. ABSENTEE / PHONE BIDDERS call 860-908-8067 for Information
Across New England seeds have been planted and harvesting begun on spring crops like lettuce, radishes and peas. Here at Connecticut River Book Auction the same is true with a mouthwatering selection of fiction, history, art and ephemera ready for the taking.
Let’s start with fiction and a first edition, first issue in dustjacket of E Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece “Tender is the Night.” Published in 1934 in a printing of 7,600 copies it has been ranked by Modern Library as one of the best English language novels of the 20th Century.
Also for sale are these signed 1st editions in dustjacket: Pat Conroy (1995) “Beach Music,” Doctorow (2000) “City of God,” Gurganus (1989) “Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All,” Irving (1994) “A Son of the Circus,” Mailer (1998) “The Time of our Time,” and White (1960) “The View from the Fortieth Floor,” to name just a few.
Like history?Then consider a signed 1st edition copy in dustjacket of McCullough “1776,” or from 1900 a copy of “The Story of the Twenty-First Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War 1861-1865.” There are two desirable 7 volume sets issued by the U.S. Government. The first is “Naval Documents Related to the Quasi War between the United States and France,” and the second is “Naval Documents Related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Pirates.” There is also a unique 1915 POW 12 issue newspaper “The Wooden City A Journal for British Prisoner of War,” that deserves your attention. Also don’t forget to look at Long (1935) “Gray Telephone Pay Stations Yesterday Today Tomorrow,” Pringle (1753) “Observations on the Diseases of the Army in Camp and Garrison in Three Parts,” or Wilkes (1849) “Voyage Round the World embracing the Principal Events of the Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition.”
On the art scene there is the desirable 1927 limited edition of “Inedited Works of Bakst,” and works by Bruce Webber, Eric Sloan and many more. And let’s not forget signed material by Ted Williams, Jim Lorn borg, Willie Stargell, a large advertisement for Professor Harraden’s “System of Hypnotism,” and an exceedingly scarce complete 1989 Sears & Roebuck Bicycle Catalog.
For more information on this 6 pm, Friday, June 14th book auction to be held at the South Congregational Church, 949 Main Street, South Glastonbury, CT 06073 visit ctriverbookauction.com or call Tom at 1-860-908-8067.
South Congregational Church • 949 Main St, South Glastonbury, CT • www.ctriverbookauction.com • 860-908-8067