Charlie Watts’ first edition Sherlock Holmes novel sets new auction record
At a recent auction at Christie’s, first-edition books belonging to the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts were sold, setting two world records in the process.
The musician, who died in 2021 at the age of 80, had an extensive collection of books which were in high demand at the auction.
According to Christie’s book specialist Benedict Winter, “Charlie Watts holds a unique position within music history and Christie’s is proud to pay tribute to his extraordinary achievements and multifaceted legacy.”
He added, “Charlie built his collection of modern literature and jazz with passion, intelligence and dedication, and this two-part auction celebrates his distinguished collecting taste.”
Watts’ copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles, featuring an inscription by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which reads, “I perambulated Dartmoor before I wrote this book,” sold for £214,200. This surpasses the price of the last Doyle book sold at auction, The Sign of Four, which went for £165,279 in 2022.
His first edition copy of The Great Gatsby also sold for an extensive amount, with the highest bid coming in at £226,800. However, another auction record was set when Watts’ copy of Agatha Christie’s The Thirteen Problems sold for £60,480. The previous highest bid on a Christie book was £47,880 for The ABC Murders in 2021.
Elsewhere, Watts’ copies of Christie’s The Murder at the Vicarage sold for £34,020 and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for £56,700. A bidding war ensued for his copy of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, which was sold for £60,480.
Meanwhile, The Rolling Stones recently returned with their new single ‘Sweet Sounds Of Heaven’ featuring Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder. The track is set to appear on their forthcoming album Hackney Diamonds, released on October 20th.
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