A Collection for the Ages<br>From The 19th Century Shop
- by Michael Stillman
Mark Twain on the cover of 19th Century’s “List 96.”
By Michael Stillman
The 19th Century Shop has issued its “Occasional List 96” of rare books and manuscripts. Don’t be fooled by their name. Some of their offerings are newer, and some are older, than that century. There are even a few relatively recent (second half of the 20th century) items that are already very collectible.
But, we’ll start with the 19th century, and one of the darker days of American history. It’s an original printing of the dreadful Dred Scott Decision in 1857. This was the U.S. Supreme Court ruling which placed property rights over human rights in the case of slaves. It was one of the final straws that led Americans to the one time in their history they chose to resolve their differences through war rather than legal processes. $3,800.
A more positive Supreme Court collectible is a photograph of the court from the 1940s, signed by all nine of its members. Among those autographs are those of Felix Frankfurter, Hugo Black, William O. Douglas, and Robert Jackson. $3,500. Oddly, a similar signed Supreme Court photo from the Earl Warren era is also available at this time. See the article on Catherine Barnes elsewhere in this month’s AE Monthly.
The lyrics to Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner first appeared in Analectic Magazine in 1814. Back then it was known as the Defence of Fort M’Henry. $7,500.
Theodore Roosevelt retold his story of the Spanish American War in 1899, a year before elected vice-president, in The Rough Riders. This is a first edition and is signed boldly by T.R. himself. $7,500.
Mark Twain was perennially displeased with the lack of sufficient copyright protection for his works. Evidently, once the copyrights expired, the publisher would continue to reap the rewards of exclusive rights, as by “custom,” no other publisher would reprint those works. However, the author would no longer receive royalties. This letter to the Speaker of the House commends Congress for 1909 legislation providing for renewal of copyrights. “In the end,” Twain dryly notes, “the author will be lifted to the rank of the publisher & the shoemaker; he will be the actual owner of his property…” Signed “S.L. Clemens.” $15,000.
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.")
