Two World Auction Records Set for Books by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle

Two world auction records for books by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle have just been set today at Christie’s London in the 'Part I of Charlie Watts: Gentleman, Collector, Rolling Stone – Literature and Jazz' sale.

Watts’ copy of The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie sold for £60,480, setting a new world auction record for an Agatha Christie book. The previous record was £47,880 (The ABC Murders) set in 2021. The superb copy of the first edition is in an exceptionally rare dust-jacket and wrap-around band. 

Watts’ copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle sold for £214,200, setting a new world auction record for a printed book by Arthur Conan Doyle. This surpasses the previous record $201,600 for The Sign of Four set in 2022. A remarkably fine presentation copy of the first edition, with an inscription by the author on the title page, there has been no inscribed copy at auction since 1991. An ownership inscription dated 1902 on the front endpaper suggests that the recipient was L. B. Whitehead, a painter from Devon who specialised in local scenes.

‘Charlie Watts: Gentleman, Collector, Rolling Stone – Literature and Jazz’ is a two-part auction comprising a library of modern first edition books, together with an extensive collection of jazz memorabilia amassed by the legendary musician and Rolling Stones’ drummer.