A rare first-edition copy of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is set to be auctioned in London on June 30, marking its first sale in over a century. The volume, still in its original publisher’s cloth binding, is one of only about 250 copies printed when the novel was first released in 1847. It has been preserved in a private collection since shortly after publication.

Christie’s auction house, which announced the sale on Monday, highlighted the scarcity of first editions retaining their original bindings. Specialist Mark Wiltshire noted that most surviving copies have been rebound over the years, either by collectors or institutions, making this example especially rare.

The auction will also feature Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey, published under her male pen name Acton Bell, alongside Wuthering Heights, which was originally credited to Ellis Bell—Emily Brontë’s pseudonym. Both novels reflect the sisters’ adoption of male aliases to navigate the publishing challenges of their era.

Wuthering Heights was brought to market swiftly following the success of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, leading to a first edition known for its noticeable typographical errors, including frequent misspellings of the novel’s title. Wiltshire pointed out these imperfections as characteristic of the rushed publishing process.

Interest in Wuthering Heights has been renewed in recent months through a new film adaptation directed by Emerald Fennell, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Cathy and Heathcliff. This latest interpretation has drawn from, and diverged at times, from Brontë’s original Gothic narrative.

Upon its initial release, the novel faced harsh criticism for its intense and often unsettling themes, with an 1848 review condemning its "vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors." Over time, however, Wuthering Heights has evolved beyond its literary origins to become a prominent cultural symbol. Wiltshire remarked on its enduring influence, which extends into art, music—including Kate Bush’s 1978 hit inspired by the novel—and numerous film versions.

He underscored the novel’s ongoing appeal as "a work that artists return to again and again because of its emotional force, its atmosphere, and its psychological intensity," securing its place not only in literary history but within the broader cultural imagination. The auction’s estimated value for the pair of first editions ranges between $540,000 and $800,000.