Three works presented to his assistant and literary executor.

Presentation copies from the philosopher Karl Popper to Melitta Mew, his longtime personal assistant, and the executor of his estate following his death. Mew (1929-2018) was Popper's assistant since 1982. "In addition to secretarial work, this also meant translation work, the organization of everyday life for the recently widowed philosopher as well as accompanying him on trips all over the world to lectures, congresses and awards. Karl Popper had become a member of the Mew family" (obituary, Universität Klagenfurt website, accessible online, translated). Mew is recorded, following Popper's wife's death in 1985, as "managing every aspect of his life" (Haim Hacohen, p. 548). She became his estate administrator after his death in 1994, and took an active part in preserving his legacy, bequeathing most of his library, manuscripts, and correspondence to the Universität Klagenfurt. Comprising: i) BRONTË, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London and Glasgow: Collins, 1967. Inscribed by Popper on the front free endpaper "A terrible story of a terrorized child. Obviously, the story is true. The rest is fiction. I give you this book with fear and trembling. I hesitate to write 'For Melitta'. Karl". ii) LAGERLÖF, Selma. Christuslegenden. Leipzig: Hesse & Beder, n.d. Inscribed by Popper on the front free endpaper "For Melitta: Christmas 1993, from Karl". Popper was an admirer of Lagerlöf. He described her The Wonderful Adventures of Nils as his favourite book as a child, and noted that he read the book around one a year throughout his life. iii) HOMER. The Iliad. Guild, 1988. Inscribed by Popper on the half-title "Fur Melitta von Karl, 25-6-88" Provenance: Mew's books, along with other material relating to Popper, were consigned to Sotheby's in December 2020. Also included with the books, from the same sale, is a ring-bound blank music book with music transcriptions in Popper's hand, several photo copies of other of his music transcriptions, and 71 modern copies of photographs of Popper at various stages of his life, from the same source. Malachi Haim Hacohen, Karl Popper - The Formative Years, 2002. 3 vols, octavo, original faux full or quarter leather, spines lettered in gilt. Very light rubbing at extremities. Very good.…