Once upon a time, a skilled and obsessive collector decided to search for books by Hans Christian Anderson. The day and time is not known but the year – YES, we know it was 1994. The collector: Justin Schiller of Kingston, New York. He had been to Denmark as a student youth-hosteling around Europe in the late 1960s, but now he had opened a bookshop in Manhattan specializing in collectible children’s books, and Hans Andersen’s fairy tales top most lists of popular stories. By 1994, he had already been dealing with children’s books for more than 20 years, and after checking into his hotel he began visiting every book dealer in Copenhagen looking for material by and about Hans Christian Andersen. Finding first editions was not easy and of course Justin couldn’t read Danish, but he managed to get a bibliography identifying the printing history of these books and with reference in hand he canvased the local second-hand shops. Several of the top specialists did have first printings and so the collection began.
Gradually first printings in various languages were sitting cheek by jowl, one by one, shop by shop. This gave Justin not only a variety of titles but also provided a broad spectrum of what Andersen wrote, not just fairy tales but novels, poetry, and even an occasional manuscript letter. For a professional bookseller, it was a masterclass for studying Mr. Andersen’s works.
The friendships he developed with other dealers, librarians and private collectors continued for several decades, and as his knowledge grew, he became a resource for both buying and selling rare Anderseniana. In this way, fresh material would come to his attention and his collection grew and grew.
This is how Justin’s deep, complex and desirable library of Hans Christian Andersen developed and it is now being offered for sale in Bonham’s auction rooms. Justin is now 81 years old and he realizes it is time for Andersen to find a new home. His sale is being offered online, mostly without reserve and often opening with $10 bids, and is scheduled to end on April 29th .
If this appeals, here is a snippet from Bonhams.
From now until April 29, Bonhams is offering a once-in-a-generation collection of materials related to Hans Christian Andersen— the Danish author renowned for his timeless fairy tales that have shaped literary history and inspired cultural phenomena across world boundaries.
Timed to the 150th anniversary of Andersen’s death, this sale is regarded as the most significant Hans Christian Andersen offering at auction in the past 40 years and presents a rare opportunity to connect with the author’s enduring magic, which could be of interest to everyone.
Exceptional highlights in this extraordinary collection include:
An original watercolor for Andersen’s classic fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” which served as the basis for the Disney blockbuster Frozen. Estimated between $6,000 – 9,000.
The scarce first collected edition of The Fairy Tales, which notably contains the first publications of "The Princess and the Pea," "Thumbelina," "The Little Mermaid," and "The Emperor's New Clothes." Estimated between $10,000 – 15,000.
Hans Christian Andersen Hand-Decorated Doll House Furniture, which the renowned author made and decorated with fantastical cut-outs for his godchildren. Estimated between $12,000 – 18,000.
