Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

NABOKOV, VLADIMIR. 1899-1977. Ada, or Ardor: a Family Chronicle. New York: McGraw-Hill, [1969]. image 1
NABOKOV, VLADIMIR. 1899-1977. Ada, or Ardor: a Family Chronicle. New York: McGraw-Hill, [1969]. image 2
Lot 3147

5 December 2012, 10:00 EST
New York

Sold for US$17,500 inc. premium

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Books & Manuscripts specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

Ask about this lot

NABOKOV, VLADIMIR. 1899-1977.

Ada, or Ardor: a Family Chronicle. New York: McGraw-Hill, [1969]. 8vo. Original cloth; dust jacket. Jacket with light edge-wear, short tear to spine panel head repaired on verso.

PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION, INSCRIBED AND SIGNED WITH BUTTERFLY DRAWING FOR GEORGE HESSEN. Ada is probably Nabokov's greatest novel in English. The inscription is for George Hessen, one of Nabokov's closest friends. His father was Josef Hessen who was editor of the liberal newspaper Rech' in St. Petersburg prior to the family's emigration, and then of Rul' in Berlin. He was a close colleague of Nabokov's father. After the latter was killed while saving Pavel Milyukov from an assassination attempt, the elder Hessen encouraged Nabokov in his writing and indeed became one of his first publishers. He also occasioned the close friendship with his son, George Hessen who became one of Nabokov's most important confidants.
Inscribed works by Nabokov are rare, but the butterfly drawing is a usual motif among them. In this instance, Nabokov diverges from the norm in showing the butterfly alive: alighting on the second "A" of "ADA." In most cases, the butterfly is depicted flat, as already pinned in a collector's case. This copy also bears a presentation card from the publishers on the front free endpaper.

Additional information

Bid now on these items

ADVERTISING POSTERfor 'The Suffragette' newspaper, [c.1913-1914]

ILLUMINATED ADDRESS – CLARA CODD Illuminated printed address signed by Emmeline Pankhurst, [1909]

MUSIC & RECORDINGS – ETHEL SMYTH Collection of printed music, song sheets and records, [c.1911-1912]

SUFFRAGETTE INSIGNIA - SPEAKER Speaker's ribbon for the Great 'Women's Sunday' Demonstration in Hyde Park, 21 June 1908

SUFFRAGETTE INSIGNIA - GROUP CAPTAIN Group Captain's ribbon, [1908]

'WOMEN'S SUNDAY' SASH 1908 Marshal's sash, 1908