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Lot 19

DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE)
Alice's Adventures Under Ground, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY, Macmillan, 1886

24 June 2015, 11:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £2,750 inc. premium

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DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE)

Alice's Adventures Under Ground, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed in purple ink on half-title to "Mrs Arthur Lewis [Kate Terry] from the Author, Jan. 1887", illustrations by the author, publisher's red pictorial cloth gilt, g.e., slightly rubbed at extremities but generally clean, 8vo, Macmillan, 1886

Footnotes

PRESENTATION COPY TO THE ACTRESS KATE TERRY, sister of Ellen and grandmother of Sir John Gielgud. Dodgson first saw Kate performing, aged thirteen, in The Tempest. Of this he reported that "The gem of the piece was the exquisitely graceful and beautiful Ariel, Miss Kate Terry. Her appearance as a sea-nymph was one of the most beautiful living pictures I ever saw...". In 1864 he was introduced to Kate, and her sister, at their home, subsequently taking a photograph portrait of Kate in July 1865. In 1867 Kate married Arthur Lewis, director of a haberdashery firm, thus ending her acting career. Dodgson continued to visit them occasionally at their home at Campden Hill, befriending their daughters. Dodgson noted in his diary entry for January 7 1886 that he spent the day at Macmillan's offices signing copies of Alice's Adventures Under Ground for presentation. It appears he mistakenly inscribed this copy to Kate, rather than her daughter Janet to whom he had sent a letter (dated 5 February 1887) apologising for forgetting that it was to her that he had promised the book. He had however made amends by inscribing a copy to Janet on 10 January.

Provenance: Kate Terry ("Mrs Arthur Lewis", 1844-1924), inscription from author; by descent to her grandson, the actor and radio executive Val Gielgud (1900-1981), typed letter signed loosely inserted.

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