University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 308 - Bob Dylan Handwritten & Signed Lyrics to "Just Like a Woman" With Jeff Rosen & JSA Authentication
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 455 - Isaac Newton Admiration For Judaism & Moral Continuity With Christianity! 350+ Words in his Hand - Extraordinary Content!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 219 - 371g Moon Meteorite, Incredible Find - Laâyoune 002
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 448 - Scarce Einstein AM on Unified Field Theory, 180+ Words & 11 Equations in His Hand! From His Published Article, "A Generalization of the Relativistic Theory of Gravitation"
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 159 - Woodrow Wilson Baseball Signed for WWI Red Cross Fundraiser, Ex. Forbes & PSA Authentic - Finest Known!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 84 - Lee Harvey Oswald ALS to Brother, Trying Desperately to Get out of Russia! Highly Important
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 152 - George Washington Signed Discharge for MA Soldier Whose Regiment Was at Bunker Hill!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 88 - Abraham Lincoln Fully Signed Military Appointment for Mexican War Vet & Respected Cavalryman
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 188 - Apollo XI Astronauts & Their Wives Signed Photo, Plus Crew Signed Cover, From Apollo XI Presidential Goodwill Tour Era, Pre-Cert Zarelli
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 265 - Martin Luther King, Jr. TLS Re: "Stride Toward Freedom" Film Rights To Literary Agent Marie Rodell
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 324 - John Lennon Signed Apple Records Check, PSA GEM MT 10! Possibly Finest Known
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 79 - John & Jacqueline Kennedy Signed WH 1963 Christmas Gift Inscribed to Close Friend Joan Braden, PSA Authentic
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Ketterer Rare Books Auction November 24th
Ketterer, Nov. 24: M. Waldseemüller, Ptolemaeus auctus restitutus, 1520. Est: € 250,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: I. Newton, Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica, 1687. Est: € 100,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: L. Feininger, Collection of 33 comic strips, 1906-1907. Est: € 8,000
Ketterer Rare Books Auction November 24th
Ketterer, Nov. 24:H. Schedel, Liber chronicarum, 1493. Est: € 30,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: K. Bodmer, Personal Sketchbook with ca. 80 pencil drawings. Est: € 25,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: Collection of 18 postcards “Bauhaus-Ausstellung Weimar 1923.“ Est: € 40,000
Ketterer Rare Books Auction November 24th
Ketterer, Nov. 24: Latin Book of hours on vellum, 1505. Est: € 12,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: G. Shaw & F. P. Nodder, Vivarium naturae, 1789-1813. Est: € 10,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943. First American edition. Est: € 6,000
Ketterer Rare Books Auction November 24th
Ketterer, Nov. 24: Ibn Butlan, Tacuini sanitatis, 1531. Est: € 8,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: Hermann Hesse, Casa Camuzzi in Montagnola, 1927. Est: € 12,000
Ketterer, Nov. 24: Pop Art portfolio Reality & Paradoxes, 1973. Est: € 12,000
Two thousand and eleven was an interesting rather than good year in the books, maps, manuscripts and ephemera field. Median lot value made a three-year bottom in April, at $345 and has since steadily improved. This December the median result approached $380, still well down from the March 2008 high of $486 but now well off the low. This suggests a mild recovery.
These numbers are encouraging but only part of the story. Lot volume is also up suggesting an increasing role for auctions in clearing unsold material from individuals, dealers and institutions. The number of documented lots posted in 2011 was 244,840 of which 166,822 sold, both numbers new records. In 2010 218,017 lots were offered and 149,075 sold. Total turnover was $381 million, up from $336 million in 2010. A detailed analysis of auction results for 2011 will be published in the February issue of AE Monthly.
In the mean time we have updated the charts in the auction section of AE under the quick links. The first chart, “Trends in Book Auction Prices,” the twelve month moving average of Median Auction Prices confirms a continuing mild recovery. The second chart, Year to Year Change in 12 Month Moving Average expressed as change in the median selling price, by month, over the past 5 years, shows steady improvement over the past year. The “12 Month Moving Average of Sell Through Rate” suggests that, while volume and median price have fluctuated, the sell-through rate has remained steady at around 70%.
Given the magnitude of decline in GDP and rise in unemployment in America coupled with recession in Europe and national refinancing issues the trends look quite positive.
People in the embrace of old and rare books are not fair weather sailors. They buy in thick and thin.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 9 George Catlin. O-Kee-Pa: A Religious Ceremony; and other Customs of the Mandans. London, 1867.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 17 Benjamin Beal, Unpublished diary of a lieutenant serving in the Invasion of Quebec, 1776.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 23 George Washington, Autograph Letter Signed anticipating the coming British campaign against Philadelphia, 1777.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 35 Matthias C. Sprengel, Allgemeines historisches Taschenbuch, the first published appearance of the American flag, [1784].
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 120 Portfolio of lithograph Civil War portraits by Ehrgott, Forbriger & Co. and others. Cincinnati, OH, circa 1863.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 130 Eleazar Huntington, engraver. Early broadside engraving of the Declaration of Independence, circa 1820-24.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 175 Jeremiah B. Taylor, Letterbook of a frontier Baptist missionary in Kansas with tales of friendly Indians and unfriendly Confederate raiders, 1839-1887.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 188 Jonas Rishel, The Indian Physician, Containing a New System of Practice, Founded on Medical Plants, 1828.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 201 Brigham Young and the First Presidency of the LDS, Commission issued to two Church representatives, 1849.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 293 Kuonraden's Vart (Kuonrad's Travels), an illustrated western travel memoir set to verse, circa 1914.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 311 Hermann Stieffel, Early watercolor view of the ruins of a Spanish mission in the Manzano Grant. Manzano, NM, circa 1860-67.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 343 Vida de San Felipe de Jesus, protomartir del Japon, y patron de su patria Mexico.
Pandolfini Casa d’Aste Books, Manuscripts, Autographs and Prints 18 November 2025
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Dante. De la volgare eloquenzia. Vicenza, Janiculo, 1529. € 1.500 / 2.000
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: San Tommaso d’Aquino. Scriptum secundum luculentissimum angelico. Legato con Problemata. Lione, Jacques Myt e Francesco Giunta, 1520. € 2.500 / €3.500
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Palladio, Andrea. I quattro libri dell'architettura. Venezia, de' Franceschi, 1570. € 13.000 / 15.000
Pandolfini Casa d’Aste Books, Manuscripts, Autographs and Prints 18 November 2025
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: De Saint Amant, Pierre Charles. Voyages en Californie et dans l'Orégon. Parigi, Maison, 1854. € 400 / 500
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Description de l’Égypte, ou Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’armée française. Parigi, 1820-1829. € 35.000 / 40.000
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Interesting autograph from Proust to his dear little Daudet. € 3.000 / 4.000
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Beautiful and rare poetic manuscript, first draft, of an airy lightness by De Saint-Exupéry. € 4.000 / 5.000
Sotheby’s Book Week November & December
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Audebert, Jean-Baptiste — Louis-Pierre Vieillot. Oiseaux dorés ou à reflets métalliques, Paris, 1801-1802. €40,000 to €60,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: [Hugo, Victor] — Charles Hugo, François-Victor Hugo ou Auguste Vacquerie. Portrait de Victor Hugo. Daguerréotype réalisé à Jersey vers 1852-1853. €20,000 to €30,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Orbigny, Alcide d'. Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale... Paris, Pitois-Levrault et Cie et Strasbourg, Levrault, 1834-1847. €10,000 to €15,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Chelidonius, Benedictus. Passio Jesu Chriti. [1526?]. Maroquin bleu de Niédrée. 37 bois inspirés par Dürer. €3,000 to €5,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Cassini de Thury, César-François. Carte générale de la France faite en 1744. Paris, 1756-1788. 178 cartes entoilées, réunies dans 28 emboîtages. €15,000 to €20,000.
![<b>Swann, Nov. 20:</b> Lot 35<br>Matthias C. Sprengel, Allgemeines historisches Taschenbuch, the first published appearance of the American flag, [1784].](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/f0781015-5eab-4da4-863c-33412e7d42b5.jpg "<b>Swann, Nov. 20:</b> Lot 35<br>Matthias C. Sprengel, Allgemeines historisches Taschenbuch, the first published appearance of the American flag, [1784].")
![<b>Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20:</b> [Hugo, Victor] — Charles Hugo, François-Victor Hugo ou Auguste Vacquerie. Portrait de Victor Hugo. Daguerréotype réalisé à Jersey vers 1852-1853. €20,000 to €30,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/2eb975fd-c434-48f2-b4fa-0c65aa245d45.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20:</b> [Hugo, Victor] — Charles Hugo, François-Victor Hugo ou Auguste Vacquerie. Portrait de Victor Hugo. Daguerréotype réalisé à Jersey vers 1852-1853. €20,000 to €30,000.")
![<b>Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20:</b> Chelidonius, Benedictus. <i>Passio Jesu Chriti.</i> [1526?]. Maroquin bleu de Niédrée. 37 bois inspirés par Dürer. €3,000 to €5,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/2fc30244-16a0-4e6b-bc4d-7fcc2cd48e0e.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20:</b> Chelidonius, Benedictus. <i>Passio Jesu Chriti.</i> [1526?]. Maroquin bleu de Niédrée. 37 bois inspirés par Dürer. €3,000 to €5,000.")
