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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Importance Of Being Earnest Dedicated By Wilde To His Friend And Lover Robbie Ross

This Friday, 20 April 2012 Sotheby’s will offer A First Edition Japanese Vellum copy of Oscar Wilde’s greatest work, The Importance of Being Earnest A Trivial Comedy for Serious People in the sale of The Library of Jaques Levy. Mr. Levy acquired the piece in 1946 and it has remained in his collection since. The book carries an estimate of $80/120,000. This copy of The Importance Of Being Earnest was given to Robert Ross, a profoundly important figure in Wilde’s personal and professional life first as a lover, then as a close friend, ardent supporter and finally literary executor. On the half-title page the author dedicated this copy to his companion: “To the Mirror of Perfect Friendship: Robbie: whose name I have written on the portal of this little play. Oscar. Feb '99".



Wilde and Ross, a Canadian from a wealthy family, met in Oxford in 1886, they soon developed a close bond with Ross moving into Wilde’s Tite Street home the following year. Both men later acknowledged that their first gay sexual experience was with each other. While Wilde and Ross were not lovers for long, they formed a lasting and intense friendship that saw the Canadian act as an emotional and financial bulwark throughout Wilde’s life.



http://www.sothebys.com/en.html

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