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Articles - December - 2011 Issue

Auctions - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, ...

- by Bruce E. McKinney

Cowans: American History, including the Civil War

Cowans: American History, including the Civil War

With the shortening days of December in the northern hemisphere come the busiest days of the year for auctions.  Most sales are scheduled by the 15th.  Fifty-three events this year, some of them multi-day affairs, fill the auction calendar to overflowing.  What is frenetic in the first half then quickly subsides into a second half of celebration and relief.  In a world of deceptively quiet periods punctuated by moments of pure anxiety December is the time both sets of feelings are at their most extreme.

For buyers the pace is exhilarating and the choices often exceptional.  In a few weeks we’ll know the outcomes.  For all those who love the auctions, the chase and the adventure, this is your moment.

The December Schedule

December 1st        Antiquarian Auctions.co.za.  Books (15)

                                    Bubb Kuyper.  Books, Manuscripts and Graphic Arts (55c)

                                   Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers.  Books Day 1 (947)

                                   Map World.  Cape Town (3)

                                  Oger et Camper.  Autographs, Stamps, Photographs and Books (17930)

                                   PBA Galleries.  Fine Literature – Fine Books in all Fields (468)

                                    Swann Galleries.  Printed & Manuscript Americana / Ocean Liner Memorabilia (2263)

December 2nd        Antiquarian Auctions.co.za.  Books (15)

                                    Bubb Kuyper.  Books, Manuscripts and Graphic Arts (55d)

                                    Cowan’s Auctions, Inc.  American History (281)

                                    Ferraton.  Books, Manuscript, Autographs (2322)

                                    Key’s Fine Arts Auctioneers.  Books Day 2 (948)

December 3rd      Antiquarian Auctions.co.za.  Books (15)

                                    Ferraton.  Books, Manuscript, Autographs (2322)

Rare Book Monthly

  • Heritage, May 13: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. The dedication copy, inscribed to John W. Campbell, Jr.
    Heritage, May 13: Aldous Huxley. Brave New World. A fine copy, in a brilliant dust jacket.
    Heritage, May 13: Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author.
    Heritage, May 13: Robert A. Heinlein. Stranger in a Strange Land. A fine copy, signed by the author.
    Heritage, May 13: Jules Verne. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. Exceedingly rare true first American edition, first issue.
  • Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1481 ❧ THE FIRST VIEW OF VENICE. ROLEWINCK, WERNER. 1425-1502. $8,000 - $12,000.
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1496 ❧ GREEK INCUNABLE. MANUTIUS, ALDUS. 1449-1515. $15,000 - $25,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1544 ❧ THE SQUARING OF THE CIRCLE. FINÉ, ORONCE. 1494-1555. $4,000 - $6,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1544 ❧ ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SCIENTIFIC BOOKS OF THE RENAISSANCE. $12,000 - $18,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1544 ❧ RENAISSANCE CYPHERS AND REBUSES. PALATINO, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. 1515-1575. $3,000 - $5,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1588 ❧ "ONE OF THE MOST ELEGANTLY PRODUCED OF ALL TECHNOLOGICAL TREATISES." $15,000 - $25,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1618 ❧ THREE DUTCH EMBLEM BOOKS BY DANIEL HEINSIUS BOUND IN ONE. $5,000 - $8,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1710 ❧ A BEAUTIFULLY COLORED "PRINT BIBLE". BASNAGE, JAKOB. 1653-1723. $12,000 - $18,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1818 ❧ EARLY COLOR LITHOGRAPHY. BARTH, JOHANN AUGUST. 1765-1818. $8,000 - $12,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1896 ❧ KELMSCOTT CHAUCER: THE FINEST BOOK SINCE THE GUTENBERG BIBLE. $60,000 - $90,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1903 ❧ DOVES PRESS MAGNUM OPUS: THE DOVES BIBLE. $10,000 - $15,000
    Bonhams, May 5 and Apr. 27 – May 6: 1680 ❧ FREIBERG FÊTE BOOKS FROM THE GOURARY COLLECTION. $1,000 - $1,500
  • Gros & Delettrez, May 5: APRÈS de MANNEVILLETTE, Jean-Baptiste d’- Le Neptune Oriental.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: DELISLE, Guillaume – Atlas françois,1725.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: HONTER. SOPHOCLE - Recueil composite réunissant deux ouvrages.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: PHÉROTÉE DE LA CROIX, A. - Algemeene weereld-beschryving.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: LA PÉROUSE, Jean-François de Galaup de - Voyage autour du monde.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: BLAEU, Guillaume & Jean -Septième volume de la Géographie Blaviane.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: TATIKIAN, Boğos - Figures et costumes du Levant.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: GIRAULT DE PRANGEY, Joseph-Philibert -Monument arabes et moresques de Cordoue, Séville et Grenade.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: CHAMPOLLION le jeune. Monuments de l’Egypte et de la Nubie.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: CASSAS, Louis-François. - Voyage pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phénicie, de la Palestine et de la Basse Egypte.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: SONNERAT, Pierre. Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: GARNIER, Francis. Voyage d'exploration en Indo-Chine.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: SUBERBIE, Alix (E. SMITH). Dessins et aquarelles de Madagascar.
    Gros & Delettrez, May 5: BYRON -Viage del comandante Byron.

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