Signed book: George’s Secret Key to the Universe. First edition, first printing. London: Doubleday, 2007. Hardcover with dust jacket, 6.5 x 8.75, 295 pages. Signed on the half-title page by Stephen Hawking using his thumbprint, and signed and inscribed in black felt tip by his daughter and co-author, “To dear George, Enjoy the cosmic adventure with love, Lucy Hawking.” Hawking’s nurse added certification surrounding the thumbprint, verifying it as “the right hand thumb print of Prof. Stephen Hawking,” adding the date of December 24, 2007. The aunt of the recipient, another one of Hawking’s caretakers, added an inscription on his behalf, “To George, Have a lovely 1st Christmas, 2007. Love, Stephen.” She also added her own gift inscription on the reverse of the half-title page, “To George, Have a lot of special years! Enjoy your 1st Christmas, Lots of love, Auntie Niki.” In fine condition, with show-through from the gift inscription. Accompanied by a photograph of Hawking holding the baby George in December 2007, as well as a letter of provenance from George’s father, in part: “We know Stephen as my wife’s sister Niki has been one of his carers for 9 years now. In that time my wife has become his hairdresser. Stephen even came to our wedding in August 2008 and a sight I will never forget is seeing Stephen being cared to by one of his carers on a bouncy castle we had provided for the children there, quite a surreal moment seeing a modern day mastermind on a kid’s bouncy castle.” An exceedingly rare piece with superior provenance—the first Hawking we have ever offered!
