The library of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, containing a rare copy of The Great Gatsby, is up for auction. He writes about it”BBC“.
The late musician’s collection included dozens of rare works, including autographed first editions of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hounds of the Baskervilles. Leading the auction, Christie’s will showcase key pieces from its literary collection in New York, Los Angeles and London before the sale.
A signed copy of The Great Gatsby is the most valuable book in the library. It will be auctioned for an estimated £200,000-300,000.
Fitzgerald signed the book for MGM screenwriter Harold Goldman, with whom he collaborated on Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh’s comedy A Yank at Oxford in 1938.
The caption read: “With gratitude to Harold Goldman, the original ‘Gatsby’ of this story, for allowing me to reveal these secrets of the past.”
Other copies of the collection: rare and first editions of Agatha Christie’s books, PG Waterhouse and James Joyce.
Paul Sexton, biographer of Charlie Watts, said: “He really enjoyed owning them. He valued his time at home and read on the go, so literature was such an important part of his worldview.”
Previously reportedThe Harry Potter costume sold for $101,000 at auction in the US.