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Monday, October 11, 2004

SUMMARY: A collection of 104 manuscripts, letters and other items owned by witty playwright Oscar Wilde will auctioned later this month in London. For those who know the importance of being wealthy, an auction of manuscripts, letters and other items owned by playwright Oscar Wilde will be held later this month. The collection of 104 items went on exhibit Thursday at Sotheby's in New York. The auction will take place in London on Oct. 29, with proceeds expected to exceed $1 million, the Associated Press (AP) reported. A photograph of Wilde inscribed by his friend Robert Ross and a first edition of his play "A Woman of No Importance" signed to his mother are among the items to be auctioned. A hand-written manuscript chapter 16 of his novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is also in the collection, and officials estimate it will be sold for $145,000. "There is a huge market for Oscar Wilde in New York City, from private clients to public institutions," Sotheby's books and manuscripts expert Philip Errington told the AP. This month is the 150th anniversary of the Irish writer's birth. Wilde, who once said, "One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art," became famous for his wit and his flamboyant personal style. He was prosecuted and jailed for homosexuality -- or "the love that dare not speak its name," as he said during his trial -- and has since become a gay icon. Wilde's acclaimed plays include "The Importance of Being Earnest," "An Ideal Husband" and "Lady Windermere's Fan." He died in exile in Paris in 1900.

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