Some of the most prized possessions of the legendary physicist Stephen Hawking went up for auction at Christie’s online sale, alongside items belonging to other esteemed scientists such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. Among all items on offer, Hawking’s PhD thesis, motorised wheelchair, and medals and awards sold for a combined total of nearly £1.2m, which accounted for two-third of the sale total.
Hawking's motorised wheelchair covered in red and maroon leather
The motorised wheelchair was used by Hawking from the end of the 1980s until the early years of the 1990s
Stephen Hawking was often seen with his wheelchair throughout his 55-year battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The earliest surviving example of a wheelchair used by the Stephen Hawking – from the end of the 1980s until the early years of the 1990s before he became unable to use his hands to drive a wheelchair – was sold for £296,750, almost 30 times its estimate of £10,000-15,000.
A collection of seven Hawking’s medals and awards
The sale also offered a collection of seven Hawking’s medal and award, including a bronze medal of the Albert Einstein Society, a gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society and The Eddington Medal. Estimated at £10,000-15,000, they were also sold for £296,750.
This is one of the only five known copies of Hawking's PhD thesis
It is signed by Hawking and inscribed 'This dissertation is my original work'
The photostatic copy typescript of Hawking’s PhD thesis offered at the sale is one of the only five known copies of Hawking's PhD thesis ‘Properties of expanding universes’. It was sold for £584,750.
In 2017, Cambridge University made the thesis publicly available to download on its website, it was viewed more than 60,000 times in the first 24 hours. The demand was so great that it crashed the website. The present copy is one of five thought to exist.
A bomber jacket from the CuriosityStream documentary Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places
The Documentary Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places
A Brief History of Time. From the Big Bang to Black Holes. Signed with a thumbprint
Other highlights include a bomber jacket that Hawking wore from the CuriosityStream documentary Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places. It was sold for £40,000 against its estimate of £100-150. Hawking’s copy of A Brief History of Time, signed with thumbprint, fetched £68,750 while the original production script for Stephen Hawking’s final appearance on The Simpsons was sold for £6,250.
Highlights from Stephen Hawking Collection (sorted by price realised)
Photostatic copy typescript of his PhD thesis, 'Properties of expanding universes'
15 October 1965. Corrected, signed (S.W. Hawking)
Lot no.: 31
117 pages, 25.4 x 20cm
Estimate: £100,000-150,000
Price realised: £584,750
A motorised wheelchair used by Stephen Hawking from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s
Lot no.: 52
Size: 127 x 58 x 72cm
Estimate: £10,000-15,000
Price realised: £296,750
Hawking's medals and awards
Lot no.: 50
Estimate: £10,000-15,000
Price realised: £296,750
A Brief History of Time. From the Big Bang to Black Holes. Signed with a thumbprint
Lot no.: 45
Estimate: £2,000-3,000
Price realised: £68,750
A bomber jacket from the CuriosityStream documentary Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places, 2016.
Lot no.: 51
Size: medium
Estimate: £100-150
Price realised: £40,000
Stephen Hawking’s Time Travellers Invitation. October 2013
Lot no.: 48
Size: 50.8 x 40.6 cm
Estimate: £100-150
Price realised: £11,250
The original production script for Stephen Hawking’s final appearance on The Simpsons.
Lot no.:49
48 pages, 28 x 21.5 cm
Estimate: £2,000-3,000
Price realised: £6,250
Auction summary
Auction house: Christie’s (online sale)
Sale: On the Shoulders of Giants: Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Hawking
Sale date: 31 October – 8 November 2018
Lots offered: 52
Sold: 51
Sold by lot: 98%
Sale total: £1,824,375