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.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
