Spraying five times the high estimate, the contract of French publishing of the Capital , a major work of Karl Marx, has been awarded 121.600€, Tuesday night in Paris, announced the auction house Ader Nordmann.

an Estimated 25,000 euros, this original document of the first French edition of the founding text of communism, stipulated between the undersigned, Karl Marx, and the editor Maurice Lachâtre that “the edition is specifically in a form and at a price that put the book on the reach of the smallest purses”. According to the expert of the sale Thierry Bodin, the editor has proposed a print on two columns, to reduce the manufacturing cost.

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“These historical documents were known by some specialists, but they had never been distributed”

Thierry Bodin, expert manuscripts of Karl Marx

At the same sale, 23 hand-written letters from Karl Marx addressed to his French publisher have also been dispersed. Two of them have been awarded for 160.000 euros, more than four times the estimate. Dating back essentially to the year 1872, several letters confirm that Marx has translated itself into French the first chapter of his famous essay. The thinker German, speaks French perfectly and was not satisfied with the proposed work by the translator.

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“We knew that Marx had been a part of this translation, but not that he had written so much. These historical documents were known by some specialists, but they had never been released. All, until now, was carefully preserved by a descendant of Maurice Lachâtre,” said the expert.

Friday, Sotheby’s will offer to auction in Paris of an original edition of the first French translation of the Capital , in the context of the dispersal of the library of Pierre Bergé, the business man, and a companion of the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Signed by the hand of Karl Marx the geologist with English, John Roche Dakyns, the book will be sold with a handwritten letter from the German philosopher, addressed to his French publisher. The whole is estimated to be between 40,000 and 60.http://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/encheres/2018/12/13/03016-20181213ARTFIG00008-de-montaigne-a-proust-les-chefs-d-oeuvre-de-la-bibliotheque-de-pierre-berge-mis-aux-encheres.php000 euros.

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