Only handwritten draft of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel The Sign of Four is set to fetch up to £1million at auction as experts hail 'exceptionally rare piece of history'

The only handwritten draft of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel is set to fetch nearly £1million at auction.

The 'exceptionally rare' 1889 manuscript of The Sign of Four is estimated to sell for up to $1.2 million (£949,000) as part of an auction held in New York by Sotheby's during their book week in June.

The British author signed the item twice and it also contains edits to 'Americanise' the text prior to publication in the US.

It will be offered alongside a collection of letters between Sir Arthur and JM Stoddart -the editor of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in which The Sign Of Four first appeared.

The letters chronicle the book's progression, including details of deliberations over the title and the author's happiness with the printing and illustrations.

The only handwritten draft of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel is set to fetch nearly £1million at auction. The 'exceptionally rare' 1889 manuscript of The Sign of Four is estimated to sell for up to $1.2 million (£949,000) as part of an auction held in New York by Sotheby's during their book week in June

The British author signed the item twice and it also contains edits to 'Americanise' the text prior to publication in the US

Richard Austin, Sotheby's global head of books and manuscripts, said the item is an important historical treasure.    

He said: 'The autograph manuscript of Conan Doyle's iconic work, "The Sign of Four," is an exceptionally rare piece of literary history, offering a unique glimpse into Doyle's writing process. 

'Complemented by a collection of intimate letters exchanged between Doyle and his publisher, J. M. Stoddart, the ensemble provides a rich tapestry of insight into the preparation of Holmes for an American audience, cementing his legacy in the pantheon of literature's great characters.' 

The Sign of Four sees Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr Watson go on a hunt for hidden treasure.

They receive a request for help from Miss Mary Morstan, who wants them to track down her missing father and trace the source of her anonymous gift of pearls.

By the end of the novel, Mary and Dr Watson are engaged to be married. 

The character of Sherlock first appeared in Holmes's 1887 novel A Study in Scarlet. Above: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The manuscript was signed twice by Conan Doyle. Above: The final page with the author's signature

The first page of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel, The Sign of Four

The novel has been adapted for both TV and film on several occasions, most recently in the BBC adaptation 'Sherlock - The Sign of Three', which starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

The character of Sherlock first appeared in Holmes's 1887 novel A Study in Scarlet.

Overall, he featured in four novels and 56 short stories and is now widely regarded as the world's most famous fictional detective.  

Sotheby's is selling the manuscript and letters as part of a larger auction of a collection of literary works from the library of Dr Rodney Swantko.

Swantko, who died in September 2022, was known in literary circles for his extensive collection of over 40 rare books and manuscripts from the past two centuries.

This included works by Charles Dickens, F Scott Fitzgerald, and Edgar Allan Poe.

Also included in the auction is Sidney Paget's original drawing for the illustration The Death Of Sherlock Holmes for the short story The Final Problem.

Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. The star portrayed the detective between 1939 and 1946 in 14 films

Paget's version of the detective is the basis of his image in the media today.

Another valuable item set to go under the hammer is a copy of Allan Poe's Tamerlane And Other Poems from 1827.

It is considered one of the rarest first editions of American literature as only 12 copies are known to exist, only two of which remain in private hands.

It is estimated to sell for between 400,000 to 600,000 dollars (£317,000 to £475,000).

Also on offer is Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, L Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz and Dickens' A Christmas Carol, all first edition presentation copies complete with inscriptions.

The auction will happen in New York from June 11 to 26.