Hocken outbid for Baxter poem

A private collector outbid the Hocken Library for an unpublished James K. Baxter poem.

Dunbar Sloane Wellington head of rare books Anthony Gallagher, of Wellington, said the poem sold for $3600 to a private collector.

Mr Gallagher said the successful bidder was a man but he did not know where he lived.

The Hocken Library at the University of Otago was the under bidder and made a final bid of $3500, he said.

A third bidder made an absentee bid of about $2000.

Mr Gallagher said he was ''absolutely delighted'' with the sale price, because Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington and the Hocken Library in Dunedin had estimated the poem to be worth between $1500 and $3000.

''We were thrilled to get $600 above the top estimate and the owner was delighted too.''

Hocken Library archives curator Anna Blackman said she was ''disappointed'' the library was outbid at the auction, held last Wednesday, but the auction price was more than she believed the poem to be worth.

The poem was a two-page typed letter to Denis Glover and was signed by Baxter.

 

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