Object of desire & De Veres’ valuations

Gulliver’s Travels sold out within two weeks of its publication in 1726. Since then, it has never been out of print, is the most widely read work of 18th century literature, and has been adapted countless times for film, television and even opera. At the time of its writing, author Jonathan Swift was Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, so he took the precaution of publishing it anonymously, calling it Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four Parts by Lemuel Gulliver. Two earlier titles also published anonymously in 1704, A Tale of a Tub and The Battle of the Books, had been hugely popular – with everyone but the Church of England authorities who were outraged by Swift’s views on religion. A first edition of Gulliver’s Travels will be sold at Bonham’s London sale of Fantasy World Literature, March 1, estimate £20,000 – £30,000; bonhams.com.