signed-firsts
The House of the Spirits Signed First Edition Reference
La casa de los espíritus (Plaza & Janés, Barcelona, 1982; English: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985, translated by Magda Bogin) is Allende’s debut novel — a multi-generational family saga set in an unnamed South American country (clearly Chile) that traces the Trueba family from the early twentieth century through the 1973 military coup. The novel draws openly on the magical realist tradition established by García Márquez.
Signed Copy Market Values
- Signed English first (Knopf): $50–$125
- Signed Spanish first: $75–$175
- Unsigned English first: $10–$20
The Allende trophy — her debut and most critically acclaimed novel. The 1993 film adaptation (starring Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep) extended the book’s commercial reach.