The "Collection d'un amateur: Poésie du XIXe siècle" sold on December 8, 2023 by PIASA and Jean-Baptiste de Proyart achieved a record total of 2,100,000 euros (incl. fees). Among many major pieces, Arthur Rimbaud's autograph manuscript of his famous poem "L'Éternité" achieved the remarkable price of 702,000 euros (including fees). In the words of auction expert Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, "this is a world record for any piece of literature, for a poem of just one page. In the international rare book market, French poetry is the most expensive poetry in the world".
TOTAL SALE PRICE: € 2,100,000
Lot 138 - Arthur Rimbaud, L'Éternité [Autograph manuscript], May 1872
€702,000
Lot 16 - Charles Baudelaire, Fantômes parisiens. - Seven old men]. [Autograph manuscript], [spring 1859]
€214,604
Lot 164 - Paul Verlaine, Poèmes saturniens Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, 1866
€201,506
Lot 141 - Arthur Rimbaud, Autograph letter signed to his sister Marseille, 1891
€179,400
Lot 15 - Charles Beaudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal Paris, Poulet-Malassis et de Broise, 1857
€83,202
Lot 140 - Arthur Rimbaud, Autograph letter signed to his mother Harar, 1891
€78,000
Lot 139 - Arthur Rimbaud, Autograph letter signed to his mother Aden, January 15, 1883
€59,800
Lot 142 - Arthur Rimbaud, Les Illuminations Paris, La Vogue, 1886
€52,001
Lot 17 - Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal Paris, Poulet-Malassis et de Broise, July 9, 1861
€42,901
Lot 143 - Arthur Rimbaud, Reliquaire Paris, Léon Genonceaux, 1891
€39,001
( all results are inclusive of costs )
