Yeats letters, essay to be auctioned in London

A collection of letters and an essay penned by poet William Butler Yeats is to be auctioned in Sotheby's of London next Tuesday.

The album, which includes an annotated, working manuscript of The Tragic Theatre and 18 signed letters written by Yeats is expected to fetch between £60,000 and £80,000.

It is understood several Irish people have contacted the auctioneers eager to snap up the highly sought after personal letters and writing.

Philip Errington, literature expert with Sotheby's, said the lot had attracted universities, institutions, and individuals as it was unusual to get a piece of work of such major importance.

"It is one of the most important groups of manuscripts to have ever appeared at auction in recent times," he said. "It will appeal to collectors of modern Irish literature and we have had conversations with institutions who would like to add this to collections."

A number of Irish and American buyers are believed to have joined the race to buy the collection.

Mr Errington said the writings offered one of the best insights into the mind of Yeats since the 387 page Great Vellum Notebook was sold in 1990 for £180,000.

The album contains 18 letters from Yeats to his friend Sydney Cockerell along with several other personal letters, and a picture of Irish playwright Lady Gregory.

Yeats's essay, The Tragic Theatre, was first published in the periodical The Mask in 1910 and discusses his conception of tragedy in theatre along with many annotations and changes.

The edition on sale next week is 25 pages in black ink, fully annotated and signed.

The collection was put together by Cockerell and maintained as part of a private collection for several decades.

It will go under the hammer next Tuesday as part of the Literature and History Sale.

A first edition of James Joyce's Ulysees, inscribed by the Dublin writer to his friend, the artist, Arthur Power will also be auctioned and is expected to reach somewhere in the region of £15,000 to £25,000.

Several lots of works by Oscar Wilde will also be offered to collectors including a first edition of An Ideal Husband and a number of photographs of Wilde.

PA