By Michael Stillman

The second part of the H.P. Kraus auction at Sothebys, New York, will take place on December 4 and 5, 2003. The Kraus auction is one of the major book auctions of the past several decades, with a third session in Europe yet to come. The first session took place over four days in November.

H.P. Kraus was one of the most important booksellers of the second half of the twentieth century. Hans Kraus operated a store in New York from the early 1940s until his death in 1988. His wife continued the business into the new century, but the family decided to close the doors and sell its collections and inventory to Sothebys after her death early this year.

The November auction consisted of the firm’s reference library, which in sheer numbers was the largest part of the collection. This month’s auction is of the firm’s inventory, and some of the items are truly spectacular. Kraus specialized in very early material and in the best of condition. This auction not only includes incunabula, but some pre-printing handwritten manuscripts as well. Not surprisingly, most is of European origin, as would be expected of material so early.

A very early sample is lot 57, a manuscript of works by Bede, believed to have been written in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Martin at Tourney. It was listed in their library from the 12th through the 19th centuries. The works themselves were originally written early in the 8th century. Several scribes took part in the creation of this manuscript sometime around 1125. Estimated price is $100,000-$150,000.

Another early, though not quite as early, manuscript is of St. Augustine’s works on the monastic life. Dated 1464, it came from the monastery of the Windesheim Congregation, followers of the Devotio Moderna spiritual movement. It is one of only five known manuscripts of this provenance. Lot 42. Estimated $22,000-$28,000.

An example of early printing is Johannes Balbus’ Catholicon. Lot 44 is a third edition, printed no later than 1475. This book is a study of Latin, and is noted as being the first printing of secular learning. Balbus was a Dominican who wrote the text two centuries earlier, long before printing was available. $80,000-$120,000.

One of the first realities people who possess old books are forced to face is that old Bibles aren’t worth much money. Here is an exception. Lot 75 is a 1561 printing of Luther’s German translation of the Bible by the printer who had worked with Luther prior to his death in 1545. This rare copy is described as being in “pristine” condition, with an estimated price of $350,000-$450,000.