Ralph Steadman (1936-), illustrator; Dahl, Roald
The Mildenhall Treasure
Estimate: £300 - £500
Auction: 18 June 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
London: Jonathan Cape, 1999. First Steadman edition, first impression, 4to, original boards, dust jacket, inscribed ‘To Ian, love Ralph Steadman, Nov. 99’ and with a full-page original illustration by Ralph Steadman in red ink and black ballpoint pen to the half-title, apparently depicting the recipient Ian Craig, art director for the publication of the book, riding a tractor in the character of protagonist Gordon Butcher. Together with 2 postcards and 2 bookmarks, all with autograph messages from Steadman to Craig, and a pen-and-ink sketch captioned ‘The enigmatic Jamie Throstle - an endangered species’ apparently also by Steadman, laid in; and a copy of Ralph Steadman's little.com (London: Andersen Press, 2000), inscribed by Steadman in red and black ink on the half-title
Provenance
Estate of the late Ian Craig.
Footnote
Ian Craig (1944-2023) was art director at Jonathan Cape from 1973 until 1989, when he moved to HarperCollins, but continued to work for Cape on Ralph Steadman's books at Steadman's personal request.