Books News

Pat McInally's childrens literary collection up for auction with Profiles

By April MacIntyre Nov 25, 2009, 5:38 GMT

Calabasas-based auction house Profiles in History announce their holiday auction, taking place December 16, with 101 lots of perfect holiday gifts for the book lover or collector "that has everything."

Calabasas-based auction house Profiles in History announce their holiday auction, taking place December 16, with 101 lots of perfect holiday gifts for the book lover or collector "that has everything."

The top items include The "real" Alice's copy of "Through the Looking Glass" and Beatrix Potter's personal copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

The collection up for auction is from none other than ex-NFL star Pat McInally.

McInally has been collecting children's and young adult literature for over twenty years.  Pat is a former punter and wide receiver for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1976 to 1985.  Pat is the first Harvard graduate ever to play in a Pro bowl and a Super Bowl, and the only NFL player to achieve a perfect score on the Wonderlic Personnel Test.

From Profiles:

The "real" Alice's* copy of Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There ($100,000-$150,000) and Beatrix Potter's own copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, specially bound with a personal inscription ($80,000-$120,000) will highlight Profiles in History's December 16, 2009 auction of the Pat McInally Collection of Children's Literature.

This unique auction of 101 lots will also include a First Edition, first state of the text copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ($40,000-$60,000), a First Edition of Goldfinger, inscribed by Ian Fleming to William Plomer, the book's dedicatee ($60,000-$80,000) and a First Edition, First Issue Presentation copy of Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, accompanied by something extra-two fine original pencil drawings by of Alice and Humpty Dumpty by illustrator John Tenniel ($40,000-$60,000).

[*Ten-year-old Alice Liddell met and inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.]

Worldwide bidding begins at 12:00 PM (noon) Pacific Time and can be placed either in person, via mail, phone or fax.  In addition, Internet bidding is offered at the following sites:

iCollector (HERE)

AND

LiveAuctioneers (HERE)

Other volumes to be offered include Limited Edition copies of Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner and Now We Are Six, all inscribed by author A.A. Milne and illustrator Ernest H. Shepard ($20,000-$50,000 EACH), a First Edition, presentation copy of The Time Machine: An Invention, inscribed by author H.G. Wells, ($20,000-$30,000), a fine First Edition (in dust jacket) copy of Stuart Little, inscribed by author E.B. White ($10,000-$15,000), a First Edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's, The Fellowship of the Ring, ($10,000-$12,000), a First American Edition of Peter and Wendy, inscribed by J.M. Barrie ($6,000-$8,000), a copy of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, with a fantastic tipped-in autograph letter about Narnia by C. S. Lewis ($8,000-$12,000) a First Edition copy of The Story of Little Black Sambo ($8,000-$12,000) and a First Edition of Mother Goose in Prose, L. Frank Baum's first published book for children and the first book appearance of Dorothy of Oz ($8,000-$12,000).

In addition to aforementioned Goldfinger, James Bond aficianados will be competing for inscribed, First Edition copies of For Your Eyes Only ($20,000-$30,000), Thunderball ($15,000-$18,000) and On Her Majesty's Secret Service ($8,000-$12,000) and fans of Harry Potter will find a set of Deluxe Editions copies of the first four Harry Potter books, all inscribed by J. K. Rowling ($6,000-$8,000) as well as other rare editions from the Potter series.

Collectors will find original artwork from the books, including an original John Tenniel drawing of the Gryphon from Lewis Carroll's 1865 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ($60,000-$80,000) and Beatrix Potter's original preparatory drawing of Robin for The Tale of Peter Rabbit ($6,000-$8,000).

A selection of high resolution art is available here