H.P. Kraus Reference Library<br>At Auction This Month
- by Michael Stillman
Item 983, the Library of Richard Heber. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Lot 983 covers a much earlier auction. It’s the Catalogue of the Library of the late Richard Heber, Esq. Heber was one of the major collectors of the early 19th century and it was an enormous auction, also conducted by Sotheby’s, that dispersed the collection in 1834. $1,000-$1,500.
There are many more Sotheby’s catalogues that were in Kraus’ library. Lots 1047-1066 all cover various Sotheby book auctions. Lots 1082 and 1083, on the other hand, offer numerous catalogues of American booksellers rather than auctions. Lot 1082 contains 175 catalogues from 9 dealers such as Dawson, Eberstadt, and more recently, Reese. $600-$800. Lot 1083 includes another 525 catalogues from 84 dealers. $2,000-$3,000.
And, of course, this auction would not be complete without lots 997 and 998. These are collections of catalogues and other material from H.P. Kraus himself. Each is estimated at $1,000-$1,500.
A complete listing of the H.P. Kraus auction is available online at Sotheby’s website, www.sothebys.com. To find it, click on the “auction calendar” or “view full auction calendar” on the left side of their home page. Then scan forward to the date of November 18th. From this listing, you can browse their catalogue online, or order a printed copy. You may also call Sotheby’s at 212-606-7350 to order a printed copy. We highly recommend the 444-page printed version as it is easier to keep track of the large number of complex lots this way. The price is $35. Subscribers to the Americana Exchange Database will also find access to the listings shortly on the members’ site and will be able to use keyword searches on their MatchMaker software to locate books within their topics of interest at this and other auctions.
While the November reference auction will be the largest of the H.P. Kraus auctions, two more sessions are planned. On December 4 and 5 in New York, the inventory of the store will be auctioned. Material for the second auction will be exhibited at Sotheby’s on November 28. At some as yet unscheduled date, a third auction is planned in Europe for the inventory of Kraus’ European associate. The three auctions are expected to bring winning bids of $9-$12 million.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
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Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 17: Francesco Colonna. Hypnerotomachie, Paris, 1546, Parisian calf by Wotton Binder C for Marcus Fugger. €200,000 to €300,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 17: Nausea. De principiis dialectices Gorgias, and other works, Venice, 1523, morocco gilt for Cardinal Campeggio. €3,000 to €4,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 17: Billon. Le fort inexpugnable de l'honneur, Paris, 1555, Parisian calf gilt for Peter Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld. €120,000 to €180,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 16: Salinger, J.D. The Graham Family archive, including autographed letters, an inscribed Catcher, a rare studio photograph of the author, and more. $120,000 to $180,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 16: [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition of Sense and Sensibility, the author's first novel. $60,000 to $80,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 16: Massachusetts General Court. A powerful precursor to the Declaration of Independence: "every Act of Government … without the Consent of the People, is … Tyranny." $40,000 to $60,000.
![<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 16:</b> [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition of <i>Sense and Sensibility,</i> the author's first novel. $60,000 to $80,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/9a74d9ff-42dd-46a1-8bb2-b636c4cec796.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 16:</b> [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition of <i>Sense and Sensibility,</i> the author's first novel. $60,000 to $80,000.")
