10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

"Ulysses" Joyce, "The Catcher in the Rye" Salinger, "Harry Potter" JK Rowling and other books of famous writers, sets record at auction after 2000

The first editions of famous writers can decorate any book collection and be a good investment. Factors that shape their prices - is, first, edition (usually limited, sometimes several hundred copies), and secondly, the presence of the author's signature on the inside cover, and thirdly, general books, and Fourth, the merits or regalia author. Before you 10 most expensive first editions of famous writers, whose books were first printed in the last century, and sold at various auction sites for a maximum cost of this century.

"Ulysses" by James Joyce - $ 460,500

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

Copies of the first edition of the legendary novel "Ulysses" became a legend among booksellers and collectors in the first half of the twentieth century. This fact is explained simply: small Parisian publishing Shakespeare and Company in 1922, printed in all from 100 to 150 copies of the novel in the way the Dutch paper. We also know that Joyce has signed only two copies of the first edition. And in October 2002 at Christie's auction it was sold to just one of these books signed! The inscription is addressed to the publisher, Henry Kaiser and dated October 1922. So it is not surprising that the final cost of the rarity was a record $ 460 500 at the maximum pre-assessment of $ 300,000.

"The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway - $ 366,400

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

The novel "The Sun Also Rises" has become a milestone in the work of Hemingway. Unfortunately for his publishers it was just another book budding author. The novel was released a limited edition Scribner's Publishing House in 1926. Copy was sold at Sotheby's auction in New York in April 2004 for a record sum - $ 366,400, exceeding the maximum estimated value of more than three times. Explain this is simple: first, the ideal preservation of books, and secondly, the author's signature on the inside cover. It was addressed to Dr. Don Carlos Guffey and stretched by as much as 20 lines, so it is more correct to call it a letter rather than a signature.

"The Road" by Jack Kerouac - $ 185,500

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

Kerouac was a key figure among the Beat writers, and his novel "The Road" became a cult for representatives of the "beat generation". Over the past 30 years on the auction sites cropped up in all four signed copies of the first edition of the novel, published by Viking Press in 1957. On the famous Christie's October auction in New York, one of these books has set a record price. Its sale price exceeded the maximum estimated more than 2, 3 times and amounted to $ 185 500. The inscription on the inside cover addressed to a friend of Kerouac - Joyce Johnson. It is noteworthy that under the inscription by the writer drew a curve a face that had just been in his spirit.

"The Great Gatsby" by Francis Scott Fitzgerald - £ 84,000 ($ 167,487)

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

"The Great Gatsby" is probably the best literary monument Jazz Age, and remains one of the peaks of not only creativity Fitzgerald, but the whole of American literature of XX century. Its first edition, issued by the New York publishing house Charles Scribner's Sons, sold out instantly. To have survived not so many copies of the first edition in perfect preservation. But they periodically pop up on various auction sites and set price records. So, in June 2007 at Sotheby's in London, one of these books was sold for £ 84 000. The first edition is famous for a large number of typos and design jacket: a woman's face on a blue-green background.

"Marble Faun" by William Faulkner - $ 95600

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

Faulkner is primarily known as an outstanding novelist and writer of the XX century, but few people know that the very first of his book was a collection of poetry. Small Boston publishing Four Seas Company in 1924 published "Marble Faun" money poster edition of just 500 copies. Special impression on critics and readers of the book is not produced, and the first edition of the "Marble Faun" spoke only when Faulkner was the eminent writer. An instance of this collection with the inscription the author's parents was put under the hammer in October 2002 at New York's Christie's auction for $ 95,600, but the sale price and could not exceed the maximum evaluation, which was $ 120,000.

"1984" by George Orwell - £ 46,850 ($ 75,428)

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

The first edition in the legendary US dystopia was released by publishing house Harcourt, Brace and Company in June 1949, and in January 1950 the writer was gone. It is not surprising, that in itself is the first American edition is a collector, and signed copies of "1984" can be counted on the fingers. In December 2012 one of them was sold at London auction Sotheby's for £ 46 850. The dedication on the inside cover is addressed to British writer Osbert Sitwell: presumably, the author signed the book in September 1949, when he was in one of the English hospitals.

"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck - $ 41825

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

The novel "The Grapes of Wrath" is considered one of the best works of the Great Depression. It is for him Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940, and it is for him, John Ford shot the film, received two "Oscar" in 1941. The novel was first published in 1939 by publishing house Viking Press. The book became a bestseller: just over 430 000 copies were sold the first year. But it is sold in the same New York Christie's auction that the first copies of "Ulysses," "Marble Faun" and "On the Road" is unique - it is signed by Steinbeck, and the inscription is addressed to the editor of the publishing house Marshall Best.

"Harry Potter" by JK Rowling - £ 19,700 ($ 40,326)

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

In July 1997, a small London publisher Bloomsbury risked unknown writer to publish a book about the adventures of the young wizard. First edition was only 500 copies, and most of it went straight to the school library. Only a small number of books fell into private hands, and they became the dream of many collectors around the world - because of its rarity and attractiveness. Exactly 10 years after the publication of a copy of the first edition was sold at Christie's auction in London for £ 19,700 at a maximum estimated value of £ 12 000, and in fact once the books cost only £ 5-10!

"The Catcher in the Rye" by Jerome Salinger - $ 32900

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

Salinger did not like the publishing house Little, Brown and Company has designed jacket of the first edition of "The Catcher in the Rye." He demanded to be removed from the rear page a portrait, but in vain: for the explicit request of the author only listened with new editions. The first edition of the book was literally swept off the shelves in the first months after the release of second-hand and become a rarity in the lifetime of Salinger. The most expensive copy is a book which has been started under the hammer in April 2001 at Christie's auction. the cost of sales exceeded the maximum estimated more than quadrupled to $ 32 900. It is difficult to imagine how such a book would have cost if it had been signed by the author.

"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury - £ 4000 ($ 6110)

10 most expensive books writers of the 20th century

Ray Bradbury has become a classic of science fiction during his lifetime. Due to the "lack of seriousness" his chosen genre he never put on a par with Joyce or Hemingway, but to deny the fact that his work had a strong influence on the minds of several generations of readers, it would be foolish. Especially it is necessary to distinguish among them the novel "Fahrenheit 451". It was first published by publishing house Ballantine Books in 1953 and immediately became a bestseller. By themselves, the first edition of this novel are particularly rare and are not just a few hundred dollars. However, the signed copies, of which only 200 are estimated to have thousands Thus, the London Sotheby's in July 2010, one of them was sold for £ 4,000.