A PREVIOUSLY unseen manuscript poem by Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll is one of the tempting highlights for literature lovers at the Oxford Book Fair.

The annual fair was launched in the Randolph Hotel in 1975 but switched to Oxford Brookes University five years ago, and the two-day event now attracts more than 1,000 visitors.

This year’s fair takes place in the main hall at Oxford Brookes’ Gypsy Lane campus from noon-6pm on Saturday, April 20, and 10am-4pm Sunday, April 21.

Organiser Peter Hill said some of the collectables for sale should guarantee a good turn-out. The highlight for book lovers from Oxford is likely to be the Lewis Carroll collection brought by Kent-based book dealer Michael Kemp.

Lewis Carroll otherwise known as Christ Church maths don Charles Dodgson, became famous after writing the children’s classic Alice in Wonderland, published in 1865.

Mr Hill said: “Mr Kemp is bringing a collection of Lewis Carroll letters, presentation copies and an autographed manuscript poem which has never been seen before.

“This important collection of material, from one of Dodgson’s childhood friends, contains previously unrecorded presentation copies, letters and an amusing unpublished manuscript poem.

“It is unusual for a collection of this quality to come on the market and it is being sold for £19,995.”

The collection of Carroll memorabilia once belonged to Elizabeth Hussey, who died in 1919. She was the daughter of Oxford University history professor Robert Hussey.

Another highlight for visitors from Oxford will be a rare original British Railways poster showing Oxford High Street, which is being sold by Sanders of Oxford from High Street for £2,500.

And the Headington bookshop Temple Rare Books will be bringing a small collection of signed letters by Narnia author CS Lewis, who lived at The Kilns in Risinghurst until his death in 1963.

The letters were written to one of the author’s ex-pupils, the cricket writer Gerald Brodribb, and are priced at £7,500.

Mr Hill, 55, is no stranger to Oxford High Street himself after living in the city for 20 years before moving to Chichester in Sussex. Together with Marcus Niner, they ran the Niner and Hill bookshop in High Street, opposite the examination schools building, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“I’ve been a book dealer ever since I left Worcester College, where I studied modern languages including French,” said Mr Hill.

“French literature is something I like to specialise in.

“The Oxford Book Fair now has a very good following after switching to Oxford Brookes five years ago and we expect well over 1,000 people to turn out.

“Last year a rare first edition of Ian Fleming’s James Bond debut Casino Royale was sold for about £25,000 after it was featured at the fair.

“Another highlight this year will be a manuscript signals book used at the Battle of Trafalgar.”

Brighton-based dealer Colin Page could make £25,000 with the sale of J Malton’s A Picturesque and Descriptive View of the City of Dublin, dated 1791, one of the earliest books to feature coloured aquatints.