Miss Lonelyhearts is cherished

Inscribed to a fellow dramatist, a presentation copy of the 1933 first of Nathaniel West’s classic black comedy, Miss Lonelyhearts, did exceptionally well at Christie’s New York (25/20/12.5%).

Extracted from Learn Antiques Gazette | Terence Ryle

Inscribed to a fellow dramatist, a presentation copy of the 1933 first of Nathaniel West’s classic black comedy, Miss Lonelyhearts, sold for $58,000 (£45,590).at Christie’s New York.

Though himself a non-practising Jew, West inscribed it “…for his bar mitzvah from his great and good friend” before giving it to the American humorist and screenwriter Arthur Kober, husband of the playwright and screenwriter Lillian Hellman.

In 2004 this copy made $26,000 (then £16,885) at Sotheby’s New York as part of the Maurice Neville library and three years later sold for £15,000 in the saleroom’s London rooms as part of the Annette Campbell-White library.

This time it more than doubled the high estimate to sell at $58,000 (£45,590).

The sale took place on December 4.