Ex Libris: Samantha Eggar
“Ex libris” is a Latin term that translates to “from the library of.” It refers to the practice of adorning one’s books with a symbol of personal connection or belonging. Samantha Eggar did just that with many of her possessions, a few of which I’ll share here.
Samantha Eggar, an English actress who made a huge impact on the movie and TV world, sadly passed away last October. She was known for her versatile roles and charmed audiences in the 1960s and 70s. Her Oscar-nominated role in The Collector (1965) and her international stardom in Doctor Dolittle (1967) are probably her most famous movies, though she’ll also be remembered for her starring role in David Cronenberg’s full-on horror spectacle, The Brood (1979).
This past weekend, an estate sale was held at Eggar’s home in Sherman Oaks, and it was nice to be able to find some of her treasured possessions to keep and preserve. Above: A bookplate from one of her many books.
Skipping breakfast on Saturday morning, Sasha and I took a short Uber ride and on arrival took a ticket from a rather heavily armed security guy with wraparound shades, and joined the line outside the house. Why a security guy would need a bulletproof vest and sidearm to police a few house visitors was pretty bewildering, but he made a good job of not letting us take up the entire sidewalk (pavement!).
Our tickets were #28 and #29, but the place didn’t really fill up until we were leaving, which meant we managed to find some really nice books and other items, including this framed British magazine cover (above) from 1963, which I now have hanging on the wall of my studio.
There were a few framed magazine covers over the fireplace, one of which was this Redbook cover from August 1965, but I found the complete magazine instead, which had this little excerpt highlighted inside.
I chose the framed April 1963 Scene cover because I just love the design and photograph. I thought it was a bold move to split the masthead with a photo the way they did, and I’m awaiting the delivery of that very issue from London so I can discover who the designer and photographer were… these are the things that I must know!
This Jean Cocteau book had the Ex Libris: Samantha Eggar bookplate inside, and is illustrated with many photos to accompany the screenplays, including photographs of the enigmatic Lee Miller.
Sasha found this Kandinsky book, which also included a bookplate.
She also found this Love’s Picture Book. There were hundreds of books, probably more than a thousand, but we already have far too many ourselves, so we just picked a few favourites. Samantha Eggar’s library was eclectic and included many books on the arts, erotica, and mysticism. I was surprised to find a copy of The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist’s Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombies, and Magic, by Wade Davis, but as I’d already read it, I decided to leave it on the shelf.
Sasha also picked out Samantha’s I Ching card set, and I found this classic Aldous Huxley book.
On opening the first page, there was this message…
…which had me speculating as to who could possibly have written that. The book was published in 1963, and according to the web, Albert Finney was described as her “first great romance”, and they’d had a significant romantic relationship in the early 1960s. I guess I’ll never know, but it’s a colourful inscription nonetheless.
I also selected this book about the artist Allen Jones from 1979, and last of all, my most significant find, a set of three contact sheets that I estimate to be from the early 60s, possibly before or around the time of William Wyler’s The Collector.
As this was the second day of the sale, I couldn’t believe that no one else had chosen these, especially as they were at the very front of the photo box.
I tried searching online for an image match to see if I could find the photographer responsible, but nothing came to light, which in a way is a good thing because they may well be rare, but I’d love to know who took them. My search continues.
I like to think that through these chosen objects and the many books I foraged, I gained a little insight into the person who was Samantha Eggar, someone who was deeply interesting.
Here’s the trailer for The Collector, from the book of the same name by John Fowles, starring Samantha Eggar and Terence Stamp.
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
―Marcus Tullius Cicero
Amazing stuff! I bet I would have staggered out with a big haul of books. It looks like she had great taste. There's nothing like a person's bookshelves to tell you what kind of person they are. And P.S. I envy you these estate sales on your doorstep.
Great article! I've always had a soft spot for the quieter actresses who didn't get to be idolised as movie queens yet still had all the love and respect from the audience they deserved so seeing this insight into her private life was truly fascinating and brought home to me what an interesting person she was to know as well as appreciate on screen. The Collector has always been one of my favourite films too, both for the story and the fact she was in it. I also think that intriguing book signing you shared is by two people as the Y especially in 'you' is much softer below than the top usage.