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Father of the Modern Fairy Tale

H. C. Andersen from the Collection of Justin G. Schiller
21 – 29 April 2025

Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the death of Hans Christian Andersen, the father of the modern fairy tale, Bonhams New York is proud to offer this once in a generation collection of association copies of first editions, illustration art, autograph letters, as well as original miniature furniture decorated by Andersen with his original hand-made cutouts. The personal collection of Justin G. Schiller, a prominent collector and bookseller for more than 65 years, this fantastic sale boasts more than 35 association copies to the most important supporters in Andersen's life and career, including the Collin family, Anna Bjerring, the Balling-Naebo family, the Kochs, as well the very rare first appearances of the major fairy tales in their original form, such as "The Snow Queen" (the basis for Disney's Frozen), "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," "The Emperor's New Clothes," and "The Princess and the Pea." Andersen's tales have inspired our favourite movies, plays, and cartoons, as well as art from 1850 to the modern day, included here are original art from his second official illustrator Lorenz Frolich, leading Vienna secessionist Heinrich Leffler, to the modern illustrations of Karl Lagerfeld for "The Emperor's New Clothes." A feast for the eyes and the imagination, a collection of this calibre will not likely be seen again for years to come.

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Lot gallery

116 lots available

TO ANDERSEN FROM HIS ENGLISH TRANSLATOR. BONER, CHARLES. 1815-1870. Autograph Letter Signed ("Charles Boner") to Hans Christian Andersen arranging a meeting to obtain for Andersen an autograph of Sir Walter Scott,

ANDERSEN ON CHARLES DICKENS. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. Autograph Letter Signed ("H.C. Andersen") to William Jerdan of The Literary Gazette on meeting Charles Dickens and thanking him for a glowing review,

PRESENTATION COPY FOR MEÏR ARON GOLDSCHMIDT. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Meer end Perler og Guld. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1849.

FIRST GERMAN COLLECTED EDITION OF THE TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Gesammelte Märchen. Leipzig: Carl D. Lorck, 1849.

PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF EVENTYR. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, Illustrator. H. C. Andersen's Eventyr. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1850.

FAIRY TALES IN FULL RED MOROCCO BY KYSTER. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, Illustrator. H. C. Andersen's Eventyr. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1850 [wrappers dated 1849].

FIRST COLLECTED EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, ILLUSTRATIONS. EVENTYR. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1850.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR MISS AUGUSTA NAEBOE. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Ole Lukøie: Original Eventyr-Comedie af H.C. Andersen. Copenhagen: C.C. Lose & Delbanco, c.1850.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR EARLY BENEFACTOR'S WIFE, HELENE BALLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, ILLUSTRATIONS. Historier. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1852-1853.

PRESENTATION COPIES FOR MRS JULIANE BALLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. [Forst Rekke]. [Forst] - Fjerde Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1858-1860 [1859].

PRESENTATION COPIES FOR HELENE AND AUGUSTA BALLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Rekke. [Forst] --Anden Rekke. Anden Samling. [AND] Tredie Rekke. Anden Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels: 1866, 1862, 1872.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE 1851 PRODUCTION. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Hyldemoer. Phantasiespil i een Act. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1851.

PRESENTATION TO EDGAR COLLIN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Publisher's pictorial wrappers only for Historier (C.A. Reitzels, 1855) with autograph inscription from Andersen to Edgar Collin,

PRESENTATION COPY FOR EDGAR COLLIN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. Copenhagen: Reitzels, 1861.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR MAGDALENA COLLIN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Række. Fjerde Samling. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1866.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR HIS GODSON KAI JONAS COLLIN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. H.C. Andersen's Nye Eventyr og Historier. Forfte Bind. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1870.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR HIS GODSON KAI JONAS COLLIN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Tredie Roekke. Anden Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1872.

PORTRAIT OF EDGAR COLLIN. BACHE, OTTO. 1839-1927. Edgar Collin. Original portrait drawing, charcoal and gouache on paper,

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN HAND-DECORATED DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE. Miniature chest and wardrobe, black painted wood decorated with gilt lacquer cut-outs featuring fantastical motifs by Hans Christian Andersen for his god-children in the family of Jonna Stampe (nee Drewsen), the eldest grand-daughter of his benefactor Jonas Collin,

PRESENTATION COPY FOR BOURNONVILLE. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Contes d'Andersen. Traduits du Danois par D. Soldi. Paris: L. Hachette et Cie, 1856.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR ANNA BJERRING. Nye Eventyr og Historier [Foerste Rekke]. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1858.

PRESENTATION COPY TO ANNA BJERRING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr og Historier. Ny Samling. Copenhagen: Reitzels, 1872.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR LOUISE DE NEERGAARD. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1858.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR STATE COUNCILLOR J.P. TRAP. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Fjerde Samling. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzels, 1860.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR FREDERIK BØGH. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. Anden Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1862 [1861].

PRESENTATION COPY FOR FREDERIK BOGH. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. Fjerde Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1866.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR A POET. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. Anden Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1862 [1861].

PRESENTATION COPY FOR THORA HARTMANN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier - Anden Raekke/ Fjerde Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1866.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR PROFESSOR HOEDT ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Kjendte og glemte Digte (1823-1867). Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1867.

PRESENTATION COPY OF LYKKE-PEER FOR PROFESSOR HOEDT. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. Lykke-Peer. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1870.

FRØLICH ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE FAIRY TALES, PRESENTATION FOR PREOFESSOR HOEDT. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. H. C. Andersens Nye Eventyr og Historier. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1870-1874.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR LAURITZ ECKHARDT. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Femten Eventyr og Historier. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1867.

PRESENTATION COPY TO DANISH ACTOR LAURITZ ECKARDT ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, ILLUSTRATOR. H. C. Andersens Eventyr og Historier. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1873.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR GEORG BRANDES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Dryaden. Et Eventyr fra Udstillingstiden i Paris 1867. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1868.

ON RASMUS NIELSEN AND THE SNOWMAN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Autograph Letter Signed ("H.C. Andersen") to Mrs. [Steen] Bille discussing the theater and applauding Rasmus Nielsen's interpretation of his tale "The Snowman,"

PRESENTATION COPY FOR CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, ILLUSTRATIONS. Eventyr og Historier. Andet Bind. BOUND BEFORE: Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Række. Første Samling. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzels, 1873; 1869.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR SINGER CHRISTINE NIELSEN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, ILLUSTRATIONS. Lykke-Peer. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1870.

AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO HIS ILLUSTRATOR. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Autograph Letter Signed ("H.C. Andersen") in Danish to illustrator Lorenz Frølich pressing him for the promised drawings for "Godfather's Picture Book," the first story in the 1874 collection, Nye Eventyr og Historier, Tredie Bind,

ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR OF GRANDMOTHER TELLING STORIES. FROLICH, LORENZ. 1820-1908. [ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875.] Pen and ink and watercolor, "Bedstemoder fortaeller Historier,"

PRESENTATION COPY TO SOPHIE MELCHIOR ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr og Historier ... Ny samling. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzels, 1872.

COMPLETE SET OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1858-1872.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR THE MICHELSENS. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr og Historier ... Ny samling. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzels, 1872.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR DR HELBERT. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Neue Märchen und Geschichten. Fünfte Folge. Leipzig: Johann Friedrich Hartknock, 1872.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR ERIK OKSEN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. PEDERSEN, VILHELM, ILLUSTRATOR. Eventyr og Historier. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1873-1874.

PRESENTATION COPY TO AMALIE MELDAHL. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. H. C. Andersens Nye eventyr og historier....Tredie Bind. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1874.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR BAYARD TAYLOR. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Gesammelte Historien. Leipzig: L. Wiedemann, 1875.

MEMORIAL MEDALLION FOR H.C. ANDERSEN. [ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875.] POEM BY CARL SCHMIDT. Et Minde om Eventyr og Historier af H.C. Andersen. Copenhagen: Thomsen & Bojesens, 1875.

IN MEMORIAM H.C. ANDERSEN. Ved Hans Christian Andersens Jordefærd i Vor Frue Kirke d. 11. Aug. 1875. Copenhagen: Printed by F.E. Bording, 1875.

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