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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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116 lots available

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. "Scene af: Røverne i Vissenberg i Fyen. Et dramatisk Digt," published in Harpen, Tredie Aargang No. 32,

ANDERSEN'S FIRST "FAIRY TALE." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Kjobenhavns flyvende Post. Copenhagen: Jens Hostrup Schultz, 1827.

PRESENTATION COPY OF THE GENESIS OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Digte. Copenhagen: E.H. Robert 1830.

THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST THREE PAMPHLETS, WITH ALL INDICES AND TITLE PAGES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1835-1837.

THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, [1835-]1837.

FIRST THREE PAMPHLETS OF EVENTYR. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, Fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, printed 1846, 1844, 1837.

THE FIRST FAIRY TALES WITH A SIGNED PHOTO OF ANDERSEN. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, [1842-]1846.

COMPLETE SET OF SIX EVENTYR PAMPHLETS. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1844-1847.

E.H. SHEPARD DRAWING FOR "THE TINDER BOX." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. SHEPARD, ERNEST H, illustrator. He was rich now, he had fine clothes. Original pen-and-ink drawing over pencil, on board,

ORIGINAL KARL LAGERFELD ILLUSTRATION FOR THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES. LAGERFELD, KARL. 1933-2019. Original pastel and ink drawing for Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes (1992), "La cassette de l'Empereur,"

ORIGINAL KARL LAGERFELD ILLUSTRATION FOR THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES. LAGERFELD, KARL. Original pastel for Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes (1992), "Coudre et couper les vêtements invisibles,"

AUTOMATON SCULPTURE FROM THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES. ZELL, SAM. 1941-2023. Automaton sculpture for Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, retitled "The Emperor Has No Clothes,"

FIRST APPEARANCE OF "THE GALOSHES OF FORTUNE." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Tre Digtninger af H.C. Andersen. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1838.

ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR ANDERSEN'S GALOSHES OF FORTUNE. LEFLER, HEINRICH. 1863-1919. Original watercolor for Andersen's "The Galoshes of Fortune" ("Die Galoshen des Glücks") from 1911 Andersen-Kalender Zwölf Märchen,

KIERKEGAARD'S FIRST PRINTED WORK, A CRITIQUE OF ANDERSEN. KIERKEGAARD, SØREN. 1813-1855. Af en endnu Levendes Papirer, udgivet mod hans Villie. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1838.

SECOND SERIES OF ANDERSEN'S FIRST CYCLE OF FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte for Born. Andet Bind [Ny Samling]. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1842 [1838-1841].

FAIRY TALES, PRESENTATION COPY FOR PETER KOCH, IN ORIGINAL WRAPPERS. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, Fortalte For Børn. Ny Samling. Tredie Hefte. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1842 [1841].

ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR ANDERSEN'S "THE FLYING TRUNK." LEFLER, HEINRICH. 1863-1919. Original watercolor on board, for Andersen's "The Flying Trunk" ('Der fliegende Koffer') from 1911 Andersen-Kalendar, Zwölf Marchen,

FIRST GERMAN EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Märchen und Erzählungen für Kinder. Braunschweig: Vieweg und Sohn, 1839.

PRESENTATION COPY FOR DANISH ARTIST ANTON MELBY. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. En Digters Bazar. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1842.

EACH PRINTING OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THE NEW FAIRY TALES ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1844-1845.

FIRST APPEARANCE OF "THE UGLY DUCKLING." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels, 1844.

FIRST APPEARANCE OF "THE SNOW QUEEN," WITH ORIGINAL WRAPPERS. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr - Anden Samling. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1845 [1844].

FIRST APPEARANCES OF "THE SNOW QUEEN" AND "THE RED SHOES." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1844-1845.

SECOND EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S NEW FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1845.

PRESENTATION COPY OF THE SECOND BOOK OF THE NEW FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr - Andet Bind/ Forste Samling. Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1847.

A SUPERB ASSOCIATION COPY OF LYKKENS BLOMST ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Nye Eventyr. BOUND WITH: Lykkens Blomst. Eventyr-Comedie.... Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1845-1848; 1845.

FIRST APPEARANCE IN GERMAN OF "THE UGLY DUCKLING." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Neue Märchen von H.C. Andersen. Berlin: C.A. Wolff u. Comp, 1844.

THE UGLY DUCKLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. Autograph Quotation Signed ("Hans Christian Andersen") from the Ugly Duckling,

FROM THE UGLY DUCKING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Autograph Quotation Signed ("Hans Christian Andersen") in Danish, written in roman script, from The Ugly Duckling,

ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR THE COVER OF THE UGLY DUCKLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. HOYTEMA, THEO VAN, illustrator. Preliminary study for the cover of Het Leelijke jonge eendje (The Ugly Duckling, 1893), pen and pencil and watercolor wash in shades of blue, green, brown, yellow, red, and black, titled and annotated in ink,

DRAFT ILLUSTRATION IN INK FOR THE UGLY DUCKLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. HOYTEMA, THEO VAN, illustrator. Original pen and ink drawing for illustration number 2 in Het Leelijke jonge eendje (The Ugly Duckling, 1893), "Castle with bridge surrounded by water,"

HOYTEMA ILLUSTRATION FOR THE UGLY DUCKLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. HOYTEMA, THEO VAN, illustrator. "But winter passed away at last...." Original illustration art, ink and watercolors on paper,

HOYTEMA'S THE UGLY DUCKLING. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. HOYTEMA, THEO VAN, illustrator. A collection of original artwork for Hoytema's 1893 illustrations for Het leelijke jonge eendje (The Ugly Duckling), including:

LEFLER ILLUSTRATION FOR ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. LEFLER, HEINRICH. 1863-1919. The Nightingale. Original illustration art, watercolor over pencil on paper,

ILLUSTRATION FOR ANDERSEN'S "THE NIGHTINGALE." [ANON.] The Emperor's Nightingale. Original illustration art, watercolor over pencil on paper,

TWO ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS FOR ANDERSEN'S THE NIGHTINGALE. MONTRESOR, BENI (BENITO). 1926-2001. Two finished watercolors for Montresor's illustrations for The Nightingale,

ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR ANDERSEN'S SNOW QUEEN. LEFLER, HEINRICH. 1863-1919. Original watercolor for "The Snow Queen" ["Die Schneekönigin"] for the 1911 Andersen-Kalender Zwölf Märchen,

STEINLEN CHARCOAL DRAWING FROM THE SNOW QUEEN. STEINLEN, THÉOPHILE-ALEXANDRE. 1859-1923. Charcoal drawing for Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen,

UNPUBLISHED ILLUSTRATION FOR "THE SNOW QUEEN." JAQUES, FAITH. 1923-1997. "The Snow Queen" Original illustration art, mixed media on board,

FIRST EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES IN ENGLISH. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. HOWITT, MARY, translator. Wonderful Stories for Children. London: Chapman & Hall, 1846.

FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. HOWITT, MARY, translator. Wonderful Stories for Children. London: Chapman and Hall, [1846].

AMERICAN EDITION OF HOWITT'S FIRST ENGLISH TRANSLATION ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. MARY HOWITT, translator. Wonderful Stories for Children. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1846.

FIRST ENGLISH APPEARANCE OF "THE SNOW QUEEN." ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. The Shoes of Fortune and Other Tales. London: Chapman and Hall, 1847.

THREE EARLY COLLECTIONS OF FAIRY TALES IN ENGLISH: ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. 1. A Danish Story-Book. Translated by Charles Boner. London: Joseph Cundall, 1846.

ANDERSEN'S SCARCE SECOND NOVEL IN ENGLISH. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. The Two Baronesses, a romance. London: Richard Bentley, 1848.

FIRST "COMPLETE" EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES IN ENGLISH. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Danish Fairy Legends and Tales. London: Addey & Co, 1852.

MARY HOWITT AND HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. HOWITT, ANNA. AND MARY HOWITT. Autograph Letter Signed ("A Howitt") mentioning Hans Christian Andersen, "the Danish poet and Romance writer, whose works Mamma has translated," to a Miss Woolley,

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