BONHAMS SELLS SIGNED COPY OF WIND IN THE WILLOWS FOR £32,400

A SIGNED COPY OF THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS DEDICATED TO THE DAUGHTER OF THE MAN WHO INSPIRED THE CHARACTER OF RATTY HAS SOLD AT BONHAMS 'BOOKS, MAPS AND MANUSCRIPT' SALE RECENTLY AFTER FIERCE BIDDING FOR AN ASTONISHING £32,400. THE INSCRIPTION READS: 'TO FOY FELICIA QUILLER COUCH FROM HER AFFECTIONATE FRIEND KENNETH GRAHAME, OCT. 1908'. FOY WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE NOTED CORNISH AUTHOR, ESSAYIST AND ANTHOLOGIST SIR ARTHUR QUILLER-COUCH AT WHOSE HOME, THE HAVEN AT FOWEY, KENNETH GRAHAME OFTEN STAYED AND WHERE HE FIRST FOUND THE INSPIRATION FOR WIND IN THE WILLOWS. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS IN THE AUCTION INCLUDED THE PRIVATE JOURNALS OF A VOYAGE TO AUSTRALIA 'SPILLING THE BEANS ON THE DRUNKEN ROWS AND CAVORTING ON BOARD' SOLD FOR £14,400. JAMES BELL, WROTE THE DIARY TO KEEP A PROMISE TO A GIRL BACK HOME IN WORKINGTON THAT HE WOULD SEND HER A RECORD OF THE TRIP. A SKETCHBOOK CONTAINING WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY KNOWN PICTURE DRAWN FROM LIFE OF HORATIA NELSON AND HIS LOVER EMMA HAMILTON WAS SOLD FOR £30,000. THE PAINTING IS ONE OF 37 WATERCOLOURS BY ELLIS CORNELIA KNIGHT WHO ACCOMPANIED NELSON, SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON AND HIS WIFE EMMA ON THE FLAGSHIP FOUDROYANT ROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN. A CACHE OF PAPERS RELATING TO THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR, INCLUDING DOCUMENTS SIGNED BY OLIVER CROMWELL MADE £20,400. IN TOTAL THE SALE REALIZED £567,000 WITH 94% SOLD BY VALUE.