Looking back in August 2020, Waters playfully reflects upon exactly what makes her characters ‘tick’, and why her protagonist ‘needs a good kick up the arse.’Ĭlick here to view Tipping the Velvet as a lot in the auction Nan’s relationship to the city echoes Waters’ own ‘happy, romantic years’ living in London in the 1990s. Combining wry humour with a researcher’s meticulous attention to detail, Waters refers extensively to the history of lesbian relationships in nineteenth-century England as well as works by queer authors who inspired her work. In this captivating first edition, annotated by Sarah Waters in black ink, the author provides unique insights into everything from Victorian colloquialisms to her writing process to reveal precisely what makes Tipping the Velvet her ‘happiest writing experience’ to date. Included is a first edition of Sarah Waters’ debut novel Tipping the Velvet published in 1995, annotated by hand with close to 1000 words. Named one of the best books of the year by the New York Times in 1998 and subsequently adapted for the screen and stage, Tipping the Velvet charts the coming-of-age of Nan King, a working class oyster girl turned music-hall performer and ‘cross-dressed Piccadilly prostitute’.

Christie’s and English PEN are launching First Editions, Second Thoughts: An Auction to Benefit English PEN, a landmark literary auction taking place online from 28 June – 12 July comprising First Edition books and works of art from contemporary artists and authors, each of which has been uniquely annotated, illustrated or added to by their creator.

Tipping the velvet by sarah waters