Before finally achieving success in 1945 with The Pursuit of Love and then with Love in a Cold Climate, Nancy Mitford had published three novels. Two of these made record sums in a recent Stansted sale.
In the book section of a Sworders (23% buyer’s premium) auction of September 11 the copy of Wigs on the Green pictured right, a first impression of 1935 in pink textured cloth and good jacket, sold at £1700, while a copy of her second novel, Christmas Pudding of 1932, not in such good condition, made £500. Both bore the bookplate of a Cecil GW Eve, but there was no sign of Mitford’s first novel, Highland Fling of 1931.