Across the globe, collectors are willing to pay up to six figure sums for early James Joyce material.
Mr Fonsie Mealy of Mealy's auctioneers, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, had quite a lot of Joycean material in a recent auction. "Anything that's signed by Joyce is very rare; very, very scare. Ulysses as such ran into about 35 editions, I think. The signed copies and limited editions of Joyce, anything of Joyce, or letters by Joyce are extremely important."
For instance, Mealy's had a letter accompanying one of what had been about 40 copies of Ulys Beach of publishers Shakespeare and Company, explained that a nail hole through the copy of Ulysses had occurred during packing.
"It was a particularly interesting one and, for the collectors, it was a very rare one because it was one of only about 40 copies. That had nothing to do with the printing but it had got to do with the social background of the book. I think it made about £7,500 (€9,523)," said Mr Mealy.
Signed first editions in good condition, perhaps with a dedication, should fetch about £10,000, while any letter from Joyce in his own handwriting would be worth at least £2,000, he says. Mr Glenn Horowitz, of Glenn Horowitz Bookseller, in New York, specialises in Joycean material. "We deal in rare books, first editions, inscribed books, original letters both autographed and typed, manuscripts - when and if they should come into the market - and anything that is essential to the textual history of Joyce's imaginative writings," he says.
Mr Horowitz privately sold a first edition copy of Joyce's Chamber Music (London: Elkin Mathews, 1907) inscribed "To James Semper James Joyce Zurich, 8 February 1918" for $27,500 (€28,814) some three years ago.
Mr Horowitz says: "I would say that the prices probably have doubled since that. The market for Joyce at the moment is probably slightly artificially high, which is not to say that the prices will not continue to grow. There is a perception on the part of the trade in the United States and Europe that there is a paucity, incontrovertible paucity, of prime material."
However, another first edition of Chamber Music sold for the more modest $2,000, indicating the premium paid for signed works. A second and final 1918 Elkin Mathews edition of Chamber Music sold for about $500.
However, an unopened first edition 1922 Ulysses (Paris: Shakespeare and Company), copy three of 100 numbered and signed copies, sold for $150,000. It achieved that price because it survived in original condition and was one of the first 100 on handmade paper.
Further, it was the copy that Joyce presented, with an inscription, to one of the key figures in the publication of the novel. "And it is only one of two copies of the first 100 with a Joyce inscription that is not owned by a research library," Mr Horowitz says.
Another first edition Ulysses, this copy unnumbered, inscribed "To Henry Kaeser James Joyce Dijon 12 October 1922" sold for $135,000.
Meanwhile, a Finnegans Wake typescript, "Riverrun" section (Paris, December 16, 1926) signed by Joyce in 28 leaves with numerous autograph emendations by Joyce in ink and pencil sold for $185,000.
He also sold a single leaf Ulysses prospectus (Paris: Shakespeare and Company, 1921) for $2,000 in recent years.
Mr Horowitz believes it's unlikely that material of great rarity is waiting to be discovered, especially in Ireland. Joyce "exited Ireland early" and, while people "in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s might have collected Joyce material when the prices were radically less expensive, it's highly unlikely that people, I think, will stumble blindly into precious Joyce material. That just isn't likely.
"Interestingly, there's probably less major Joyce material in Ireland than in any significant English speaking country. The Irish won't be surprised to hear that. It'll give them another chance to beat themselves."
jmarms@irish-times.ie
