Cormac McCarthy’s typewriter for sale
Cormac McCarthy looks like a typewriter sort of author – I just can’t see him updating his Twitter account from his iPhone some how. His old manual typewriter, a much-used Olivetti that he bought in a Tennesssee pawnshop around 1963, is up for auction on Friday. This antique is definitely a piece of literary history as McCarthy has written all his books on it. The author has probably spent more time with this typewriter than he has with this wives (he’s been married three times.)
Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack coming from his study day after day for year after year.
Christie’s estimates that it will sell for “between $15,000 and $20,000.” I don’t think it will go for that.
Categories: author, books, writing
What’s your professional blogger’s opinion of what this typewrite will sell for, what’s your basis?? Just curious…
by thomas on Dec 1, 2009 at 9:16 am
AbeBooks sold George Bernard Shaw’s typewriter for $8,167 and GBS had signed it. McCarthy, great though he is, has some way to go to match Shaw’s standing in literary history.
by Richard Davies on Dec 1, 2009 at 9:30 am
I (obviously) had no idea about the GBS typer!! Was that an auction, or did someone undervalue their goods? Either way, thanks for the info!
by thomas on Dec 1, 2009 at 9:48 am
All prices on AbeBooks are fixed. Sellers can update their listings and raise or lower prices as they see fit. There definitely seems to be a market for typewriters used by famous authors – I don’t think it will be the same for old PCs.
by Richard Davies on Dec 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm