Welcome to our most expensive sales of April, May, and June 2025. Highlights include a pristine first edition of Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," Dali's surrealist "Alice in Wonderland," and a rare Brussels edition of "Don Quixote." This quarter's diverse offerings span from landmark Renaissance editions to defining works of modern literature.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - £18,200
First edition, first printing with original first issue dust jacket Viking Press, 1939
John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Grapes of Wrath," stands as a defining work of Great Depression literature. Published in 1939, this powerful narrative follows the Joad family's arduous journey from Oklahoma to California, capturing the desperation and resilience of displaced farmers during one of America's most challenging periods.
This exceptional copy presents in fine condition, with its first issue dust jacket showing only the slightest rubbing - a rarity for a book of this age and significance. The copyright page confirms its status as a true first edition, stating "First Published in April 1939." Preserved in a custom-made collector's foldout case, this pristine example offers a glimpse into the novel's original reception, before it became a cornerstone of 20th-century American literature.
John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath is one of the seminal works of American literature. It vividly and empathetically portrays the plight of migrant workers in a way that has never stopped resonating, including with the controversy today over undocumented immigrant workers. The book had a large first printing in 1939 -- between 20,000 and 50,000 copies -- but what made this particular copy so special was its near mint condition. According to one scholar, 'The Grapes of Wrath may well be the most thoroughly discussed novel – in criticism, reviews, and college classrooms – of 20th century American literature.'
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