Jack London "Call of the Wild" Book & Letter, 1903
Appraised Value:
$6,000 - $8,500
IMAGE: 1 of 3
Appraisal Video: (2:48)
Appraisal Transcript:
GUEST: I got them from my mom, and she got them from some relative a long time ago. They're pretty important to me because this is a first-edition Jack London "Call of the Wild." And the letter inside it is to a fellow author, O'Hara, who Jack London was inviting to stay at his house in Sonoma County and also go to the Bohemian Grove as his guest. And I've been to the Bohemian Grove many times, so I totally related to the letter and to Jack London's place in California and the whole thing.
APPRAISER: Well, O'Hara is John Myers O'Hara. And John Myers O'Hara has a publication that was published by the Mosher Press in Maine. And he translated the poems of Sappho. And London talks about seeing him there and allowing him to work at the ranch undisturbed and in quiet. But he then goes on to mention "Call of the Wild," his greatest book, and "White Fang," his second greatest book.
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: And here you are with the first edition of "Call of the Wild" with its familiar... doggy title page.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: And 1903. It doesn't have the dust jacket, which would make it more valuable, but it's a nice copy. A little spine wear. But back to the letter. He also mentions George Sterling. And George Sterling was a big correspondent of Jack London. This particular letter-- three pages, autographed by Jack London-- is in very, very good condition. It's completely familiar with this penciled hand. And I think it's really an exceptional letter. And I would value it for purposes of auction sale at about $5,000 to $7,000.
GUEST: Wow.
APPRAISER: And the book at $1,000 to $1,500.
GUEST: Huh. Uh-huh.
APPRAISER: Finally, I'll just show you that due to this, these two little pencil annotations here, I do not believe that the letter relates specifically to this copy of the book.
GUEST: Oh, I never even saw those.
APPRAISER: I think that the original copy of the book he refers to of Call of the Wild was lost somewhere.
GUEST: Oh.
APPRAISER: And this is a very nice replacement first edition.
GUEST: Oh. Huh. Great.
APPRAISER: If the dust jacket was on it, I'd put $10,000 on the book.
