Borges Letters: A Specialty Market

Beyond signed books, Borges’s handwritten letters and inscribed presentation copies constitute a significant specialty market. Borges maintained extensive correspondence with writers, scholars, and admirers throughout his life, and his inscriptions often display the same wit and intellectual playfulness that characterizes his published work.

Types of Borges Autograph Material

Autograph letters signed (ALS): Handwritten letters by Borges. Earlier letters are in his own hand; later letters (post-blindness) were typically dictated and signed. Pre-blindness ALS: $1,000–$5,000+.

Typed letters signed (TLS): Dictated and typed, with Borges’s signature. $500–$2,000.

Inscribed books: Books with personal inscriptions to named recipients. Premium varies by the specificity and literary quality of the inscription. $300–$3,000+ above the signed book value.

Market Dynamics

The Borges manuscript market intersects with three collector bases: Latin American literary collectors, autograph collectors, and Borges scholars. Major auction houses (Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Swann, Bonhams) handle significant Borges material. Argentine auction houses and antiquarian dealers are important secondary sources.