Artunderwraps

First Edition Prices, Values and Auction Results

The influential legacy of writer Charles Dickens includes his final and unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Despite its title, the focal point is actually John Jasper who is secretly in love with his nephew's fiancandeacute;e. Not only is this of great interest for its value as the final work of Dickens but because it has garnered much attention for the speculation on its story's incomplete outcome that ironically remains a mystery. The first edition was published in 6 monthly parts by Chapman and Hall (London 1870) and includes an engraved portrait of Dickens by J.H. Baker and 12 engraved plates by Samuel Luke Fildes.andnbsp;Collectors can expect to pay about $1200-$1500 at auction with the inclusion ofandnbsp;the "eighteenpence" slip pasted over the one shilling price on the front wrapper. Look for the "Edwin Drood Advertiser" present in each part, as well as the inserted advertisements, including the "Cork Hats" slip in part 2. Lesser conditioned copies with wear andnbsp;can be obtained for $100-$400.

We collected a sample of 19 auction results of Dickens, Charles's The Mystery of Edwin Drood from 2 different auction houses. The lowest overall price realized in our sample was $94 and the highest overall price realized was $1188. The overall average price was $527 and the median price realized for the book was $510. There were 0 auctions (0%) with a price realized below the low estimate, 5 auctions (45%) exceeding the high estimates, and 6 auctions (55%) within the range of the low and high estimates. Auctions of interest include: a Swann sale on November 18, 2014 of a 1870 - Chapman and Hall edition for $1188 that first edition in monthly parts; a Swann sale on November 21, 2013 of a 1870 - Chapman and Hall edition for $1188 that first edition in original monthly parts, the earliest issue of part 6 with the "eighteenpence" slip pasted over the one shilling price on the front wrapper; a Bonhams sale on February 18, 2007 of a 1870 - Chapman and Hall edition for $1075 that in six parts;