An autographed musical manuscript by celebrated British poet and novelist Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) is to auction this afternoon (April 10) at Bonhams London.
The rare and unusual manuscript carries a £4,000-6,000 ($6,100-9,100) estimate.
 While Hardy is far better known for his novels and poetry, he hailed from a musical family and took part in many musical performances |
Only one other manuscript version of the poem - O I Won't Lead a Homely Life - is recorded, however, it lacks the musical score that makes this artefact such a compelling find.
Hardy wrote the words to O I Won't Lead a Homely Life on white paper beneath a rousing 16-bar D major melody. The music is believed to have been informed by the tunes Hardy played on the violin while he was a member of the choir at Stinsford church near Dorchester, UK.
Dated 1922, the faded document features lyrics and a melody scrawled in pencil by the emininet author.
Original Hardy manuscripts, particularly those bearing a seldom-seen Hardy autograph, are hot property among a range of collectors. At Paul Fraser Collectibles, we too have a valuable Hardy autograph in stock.
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