All ten lots of books supposedly signed/inscribed/lepidopterized by Nabokov sold at auction last night, April 26, at New England Book Auctions for a total take of $6815 (before the 15% buyer’s premium). For the last few days I have been posting evidence and deductions questioning the legitimacy of the inscriptions.

The fact that the books sold for significantly less than would be expected if they had had strong provenances behind them shows that others also doubted their authenticity.

The results (before the 15% buyer’s premium):

• Lot 115, Bend Sinister, inscribed, $700.
• Lot 116, Details of a Sunset, lepidopterized, $700.
• Lot 117, Glory, lepidopterized, $650.
• Lot 118, Invitation to a Beheading, lepidopterized, $1500.
• Lot 119, King, Queen, Knave, inscribed, $225.
• Lot 120, King, Queen, Knave, signed, $190.
• Lot 121, King, Queen, Knave, lepidopterized, $750.
• Lot 122, Pnin, inscribed, $350.
• Lot 123, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, inscribed, $450.
• Lot 124, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, inscribed, $1300.

I’ll be keeping an eye on the market as dealers and others begin to offer these books presumably as legitimate.