While The Parish Boy's Progress may not ring any bells, the Charles Dickens classic title Oliver Twist does; the former being an alternate title for the latter. The memorable criminal element characters of the Artful Dodger and Fagin help expose the child labor practices of early 19th century London in a world of poor orphaned children and a hungry Oliver who utters the famous words, "Please, sir, I want some more." This book presents in many publications, and while its 1839 printing by Bentley (London) in 3 volumes has commanded as much as $10,000, later copies published by Bradbury and Evans (London) in 1846 have been valued as high as $17,000. Their original blue-green wrappers with 10 parts were released in installments between January and October of 1846. Collectors may find solace in less costly versions of the first editions but in less pristine condition in the $100-$3000 range.
We collected a sample of 44 auction results of Dickens, Charles's Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress from 3 different auction houses. The lowest overall price realized in our sample was $84 and the highest overall price realized was $17500. The overall average price was $2164 and the median price realized for the book was $831. There were 9 auctions (41%) with a price realized below the low estimate, 7 auctions (32%) exceeding the high estimates, and 6 auctions (27%) within the range of the low and high estimates. Auctions of interest include: a Bonhams sale on April 13, 2015 of a 1846 - Bradbury and Evans edition for $17500 that new edition in original monthly parts; a Bonhams sale on December 10, 2014 of a 1839 - Bentley edition for $10625 that near fine condition housed in a morocco solander case; a Bonhams sale on October 18, 2011 of a 1846 - Bradbury and Evans edition for $10000 that Provenance: W.D. Disney in original monthly parts;Auction House | Auction Date | Author | Title | City | Publisher | Year | Estimate | Sale Price | Auction Page | Copies For Sale | |
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PBA | November 30, 2017 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $3000-$5000 | $3300 | |||
Bonhams | March 1, 2017 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $3678 | |||
Swann | May 18, 2016 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $800-$1200 | $553 | |||
Bonhams | July 29, 2015 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $1421 | |||
Swann | June 17, 2015 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $2500-$3500 | $3250 | |||
Swann | June 17, 2015 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $1800-$2500 | $3000 | |||
PBA | June 9, 2015 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | $50-$80 | $84 | |||
PBA | April 16, 2015 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $700-$1000 | $570 | |||
Bonhams | April 13, 2015 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | - | $17500 | |||
Bonhams | December 10, 2014 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $10625 | |||
Bonhams | November 25, 2014 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $2675 | |||
PBA | September 25, 2014 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $3000-$5000 | $6000 | |||
Bonhams | April 30, 2013 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $1337 | |||
Swann | June 21, 2012 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | $300-$400 | $600 | |||
Bonhams | October 18, 2011 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | - | $10000 | |||
Bonhams | October 10, 2011 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $1000 | |||
Bonhams | June 29, 2010 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $417 | |||
Bonhams | December 15, 2009 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $366 | |||
PBA | October 8, 2009 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $800-$1200 | $780 | |||
Swann | October 1, 2009 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $2000-$3000 | $2640 | |||
PBA | September 17, 2009 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $2000-$3000 | $1560 | |||
PBA | September 25, 2008 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $2000-$3000 | $3000 | |||
PBA | August 21, 2008 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | $50-$80 | $84 | |||
Bonhams | May 20, 2008 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $1203 | |||
Bonhams | March 11, 2008 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $192 | |||
PBA | December 13, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | Philadelphia | Lea and Blanchard | 1839 | $200-$300 | $120 | |||
Bonhams | November 27, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $256 | |||
PBA | July 12, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | Philadelphia | Lea and Blanchard | 1839 | $300-$500 | $192 | |||
Bonhams | June 20, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $840 | |||
PBA | June 14, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | $600-$900 | $600 | |||
PBA | June 14, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Bradbury and Evans | 1846 | $700-$1000 | $420 | |||
Bonhams | February 18, 2007 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $2031 | |||
Bonhams | November 13, 2006 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $974 | |||
Bonhams | June 6, 2006 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $220 | |||
Bonhams | November 8, 2005 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $321 | |||
PBA | November 3, 2005 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $4000-$6000 | $3300 | |||
PBA | April 21, 2005 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | Philadelphia | Lea and Blanchard | 1839 | $200-$300 | $300 | |||
Bonhams | March 22, 2005 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $822 | |||
Swann | November 11, 2004 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $2000-$3000 | $1955 | |||
Swann | April 15, 2004 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $3000-$4000 | $5520 | |||
Bonhams | October 6, 2003 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $204 | |||
Swann | May 22, 2003 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress | London | Richard Bentley | 1838 | $300-$400 | $546 | |||
Bonhams | May 14, 2003 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $361 | |||
Bonhams | March 5, 2003 | Dickens, Charles. | Oliver Twist | London | Bentley | 1839 | - | $377 |