Rare Book Monthly

Articles - August - 2011 Issue

A Whale of a Sale

- by Bruce E. McKinney

Whaling

Whaling Journal [lower right] sold in 40 seconds

The C. H. Booth Library Fair has done it again.  A great spirit, plenty of volunteers, an energetic audience and voila you have a success.  The mystery is in the elbow grease and good thinking.

In the run-up to the fair the promotional committee put out the word that a great book would be available for a great price to the first person coming through the door who called out “I’ll take it.”  So how long did it take to sell this book?  Forty seconds or thereabouts.

The Book?  A whaling journal – dating to 1833-1836 kept by Second Mate William E. Percival offered for $3,500.

To be first in you had to be first in line.  To be first in line you needed to line up the night before.  Congratulations to the buyer and congratulations to the C. H. Booth Library Fair Committee.

The future of books is debated but so long as imagination is employed they who love books will materialize, even at 1:00 am to be first in line to buy books and manuscripts.  For millions of people books are magic.

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Posted On: 2011-08-01 00:00
User Name: scientiabk

If you want to read more about this Library fair and the purchase of the whaling log, check out Greg Gibson's Bookman's Log (entry for July 17,

Rare Book Monthly

  • 2fec54fc-4b2a-49da-8f6d-54e6832e5608 36b0cbd4-cc42-4647-be0c-ed275272ef40 6372d8fb-6804-4e31-aa08-902fa0fc799a 11116091-7052-4071-9aff-622b2e41a944 35c0b3b4-de5b-4592-abda-fe1fae5d0dc6 F3fe785a-a4a0-47d3-9a07-6591d97b5f58 8ddbb1fd-4403-4065-94f1-baa4e87a572f D9fae4d4-fe88-424e-b577-6a9f4ae5cf5d F9aa4b6b-b5bf-4146-b5f8-dc89ef471f2a E5457137-4c76-41e9-8351-b9025082d0d5 5eb0c0f3-c5e5-4a03-9cda-6c8be2fb3b84 8d08bf38-3be6-4cfd-9e9d-a429119bf1ef Ae1df155-d6e4-48a8-9928-6579c6d27845 30e04bc6-3499-4437-9edf-77684effcf65 95d032f2-165a-4a14-9916-7d100836716d 0e4b945d-ec83-47ae-8007-3763cb6612f4
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Emil Cardinaux, <i>Winter in der Schweiz,</i> 1921. $12,000 to $18,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Evelyn Rumsey Carey, <i>Pan American Exposition / Niagara / Buffalo,</i> 1901. $7,000 to $10,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Arnost Hofbauer, <i>Topicuv Salon,</i> 1898. $5,000 to $7,500.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Alphonse Mucha, <i>Job,</i> 1896. $12,000 to $18,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Georges de Feure, <i>Le Journal des Ventes,</i> 1898. $4,000 to $6,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Alphonse Mucha, <i>Cycles Perfecta,</i> 1897. $15,000 to $20,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Edward Penfield, <i>Orient Cycles / Lead the Leaders,</i> circa 1895. $8,000 to $12,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Adrien Barrère, <i>L’Ideal du Touriste,</i> 1903. $3,000 to $4,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Willem Frederick Ten Broek, <i>New York / Wereldtentoonselling / Holland – Amerika Lijn,</i> 1938. $6,000 to $9,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Dwight Clark Shepler, <i>Sun Valley / Union Pacific.</i> $8,000 to $12,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Sascha Maurer, <i>Flexible Flyer Splitkein / Smuggler’s Notch,</i> circa 1935. $2,000 to $3,000.
    <b>Swann Auction Galleries Feb 13:</b> Louis Bonhajo, <i>Vote / League of Women Voters,</i> 1920. $2,000 to $3,000.
  • 006bd64d-2b7e-4600-b490-478e57716798 A64a74d5-5fd5-4c6b-96ac-128305cd5edf Cc49a093-8fa3-4282-91fb-57804149f8f9 82954627-cd3c-4a0d-ae82-b932e7983614 2990ead2-c663-40f4-9965-0dd9b6e5c1ae
  • Fb2c0ee1-5d41-41c0-9b19-5938425e3e4d 24c91a68-7769-4018-abe9-fb8dd786d599 2c65c0bd-f74c-438a-8aed-62b198b4baed 6384b65d-68d8-4d95-8e3e-601bd36dbbae E2a86092-a98d-4661-af79-baca90aa901c E21f8a2c-a653-4811-b4f8-54f2541031fc B38f8e04-6499-4fcd-85b1-3ebae24fb4f5 2b678f06-8ac2-484a-9df2-4ae22b1bc2a6 7b617e83-bd4c-4657-a3fc-6e2bd270ed6b 1b547dfe-d0d6-43ce-a8f0-c89117f8ec26 A5ae7878-5571-4636-a484-5234cb5f8b22 A06622a5-91ba-4118-b580-014a26551e87 06578597-471c-4a71-93e7-07ea2eda4e7e 21b331d3-7b8b-4ba1-a677-01cf3c6f8599
    <b>Bonhams:</b> SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. <i>Measure for Measure</i> (extracted from the First Folio). London, 1623. Sold for $52,575.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL. <i>Fanshawe, A Tale.</i> Boston, 1828. FIRST EDITION OF AUTHOR'S FIRST BOOK. Sold for $47,575.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> THOREAU, HENRY DAVID. <i>Walden; Or, Life in the Woods.</i> Boston, 1854. FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. Sold for $12,575.
    <b>Bonhams: </b> SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. <i>Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies.</i> London, 1685. THE FOURTH FOLIO, Brewster/Bentley issue. Sold for $43,825.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> STEIG, WILLIAM. Original maquette and 58 finished drawings for <i>The Agony in the Kindergarten,</i> one of Steig's most important books. Sold for $12,575.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> KING, STEPHEN. <i>Carrie.</i> New York, 1974. INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION, OF AUTHOR'S FIRST BOOK. Sold for $1,912.50.
    <b><center>Bonhams<br>Consignments invited (2020)</b>
    <b>Bonhams:</b> APPLE MACINTOSH PROTOTYPE. 1983. The earliest known Macintosh with "Twiggy" drive, one of only two known working machines. Sold for $150,075.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> LOVELACE, AUGUSTA ADA. Sketch of the Analytical Engine Invented by Charles Babbage Esq. London, 1843. FIRST EDITION, JOURNAL ISSUE, MOST IMPORTANT PAPER IN EARLY DIGITAL COMPUTING. Sold for $15,075.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> APPLE-1 COMPUTER. Signed by Steve Wozniak, used in development of Apple II. Sold for $175,075.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> DARWIN, CHARLES. 1809-1882. <i>On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection.</i> London, 1859. FIRST EDITION. Sold for $131,325.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> BOOLE, GEORGE. <i>An Investigation of the Laws of Thought.</i> London, 1854. Sold for $12,575.
    <b>Bonhams:</b> SHANNON, CLAUDE and WARREN WEAVER. <i>The Mathematical Theory of Communication.</i> Urbana, 1949. Sold for $27,575.
  • 70b45e5c-59d2-4e1e-9f43-80fc4246796e 831f2cbc-7d56-43a0-9685-da2a1e4d568e 02a14a1f-81dc-4cbb-b4b6-2ceb37041cb1 C844b4f8-712d-44f6-8ae5-afd53d77d83e 4a268d0b-7f24-4976-8f8c-deea691d294f 83c6839f-3c7f-457e-b959-aa833fdb857a 8ef06754-1d47-4194-adae-2d0a12a78546 2f8e639a-53e4-4c52-a087-2ab590e2d320 3f038805-11de-4682-ac06-35c81eff10b5 37e65e07-b7fc-49b6-8bf9-6c416f4a169f Bc9121bb-3278-4ebe-bf22-4f2219460dc1 52cbaa4a-9bca-4c35-bc26-ef4658c4cff9 B825d282-0a2d-4230-95cd-71b4f88be1ee 3b67932c-937b-4097-b7ac-23d4f62e3651 Db7928c7-cc23-4e04-b32c-46f0a2fb22ca
    <b>Morton Subastas: Auction of Books by Explorers and Travelers, Maps, Landscapes, Science, and Religion<br>Tuesday, January 28th, 2020<br>5:00 p.m. (CST)</b>
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Darwin, Charles. <i>On the Origin of Species.</i> London, 1859. First Edition. Letter Addressed to Dr. Ogle and Envelope Signed by Charles Darwin. $278,000 to $333,000.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Ortelij, Abrahami. <i>Epitome Theatri Orbis Terrarum.</i> Antuerpiae: Exstat in Officina Plantinian, 1612. Rare Edition. $5,560 to $6,670.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> González de Mendoza, Juan. <i>Histoire du Grand Royaume de la Chine, Situé Aux Indes Orientales.</i> [Genève]: 1606. $1,670 to $2,230.
    <b>Morton Subastas: Auction of Books by Explorers and Travelers, Maps, Landscapes, Science, and Religion<br>Tuesday, January 28th, 2020<br>5:00 p.m. (CST)</b>
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Chapman, Conrad Wise. <i>Landscape of the Valley of Mexico.</i> Oil on wood. Signed and dated. $26,120 to $30,560.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> <i>Thesaurus Exorcismorum...</i> Coloniae, 1608. Collection of Six Works of the Most Important Franciscan Exorcists of the 16th Century. $1,670 to $2,230.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> <i>Saggio delle Transazioni Filosofiche della Società Regia.</i> Napoli, 1729-1734. With a Map of California by Eusebio Kino. $1,120 to $1,440.
    <b>Morton Subastas: Auction of Books by Explorers and Travelers, Maps, Landscapes, Science, and Religion<br>Tuesday, January 28th, 2020<br>5:00 p.m. (CST)</b>
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Scherer, Heinrich. <i>Delineatio Nova et Vera Partis Australis Novi Mexici, cum Australi Parte Insulae Californiae...</i> Münich, ca. 1700. $850 to $1,120.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Santacilia, Jorge Juan-Ulloa, Antonio de. <i>A Voyage to South America. Describing at Large, the Spanish Cities...</i> London, 1760. $890 to $1,120.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Limborch, Philippi. <i>Historia Inquisitionis Cui Subjungitur Liber Sententiarum Inquisitionis Tholosanae...</i> Amsterdam, 1692. $1,340 to $1,670.
    <b>Morton Subastas: Auction of Books by Explorers and Travelers, Maps, Landscapes, Science, and Religion<br>Tuesday, January 28th, 2020<br>5:00 p.m. (CST)</b>
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> Castro, C. - Campillo, J. - Cumplido, I. - Lauda, L. - Rodríguez G. <i>Mexico and Its Surroundings.</i> Méx, 1855-56. $5,000 to $5,560.
    <b>Morton Subastas, Jan. 28:</b> <i>Medical Gazette. Periodical of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico...</i> México, 1864 - 1943. Pieces: 169. $1,340 to $1,560.

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