• CHRISTIE’S
    Valuable Books and Manuscripts
    London auction
    13 December
    Find out more
    Christie’s, Explore now
    TREW, Christoph Jacob (1695–1769). Plantae Selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortus curiosorum. [Nuremberg: 1750–1773]. £30,000–40,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    VERBIEST, Ferdinand (1623–88). Liber Organicus Astronomiae Europaeae apud Sinas restituate. [Beijing: Board of Astronomy, 1674]. £250,000–350,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALICE & NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT. Master of Jean Rolin (active 1445–65). Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French, [Paris, c.1450–1460]. £120,000–180,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    A SILVER MICROSCOPE. Probably by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), c.1700. £150,000–250,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    AN ENGLISH HORARY QUADRANT
    C.1311. £100,000–150,000
  • Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: Samuel Augustus Mitchell, A New Map of Texas, Oregon and California with the Regions Adjoining, Philadelphia, 1846. $3,500 to $5,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: 17th–19th-century case maps of various locations. $1,500 to $2,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Andreas Cellarius, Haemisphaerium Stellatum Boreale Cum Subiecto Haemisphaerio Terrestri, celestial chart, Amsterdam, 1708. $2,500 to $3,500.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: Vincenzo Coronelli, Set of engraved gores for Coronelli’s monumental 42-inch terrestrial globe, Venice, circa 1688–97. $18,000 to $22,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer, group of four navigational charts, Antwerp, 1580s. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Thomas Bros, Block Book of Berkeley, Oakland, 1920s. $800 to $1,200.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Nieuhoff & John Ogilby, An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, map of China, plan of Canton, London, 1673. $1,200 to $1,800.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Frederick Sander, Reichenbachia, St. Albans, 1888-1894. $5,000 to $7,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Two early illustrated works on horsemanship and breeding, Nuremberg, early 18th century. $700 to $800.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Gould, A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans. Supplement to the First Edition, London, 1834; 1855. $40,000 to $60,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, London, 1808–14. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Oakley Hoopes Bailey, Hackensack, New Jersey, Boston, 1896. $800 to $1,200.
  • Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Roberts (David) & Croly (George). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumae, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia. Lond. 1842 - 1843 [-49]. First Edn. €10,000 to €15,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Incunabula: O'Fihily (Maurice). Duns Scotus Joannes: O'Fihely, Maurice Abp… Venice, 20th November 1497. €8,000 to €12,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: An important file of documents with provenance to G.A. Newsom, manager of the Jacob’s Factory in Dublin, occupied by insurgents during Easter Week 1916. €6,000 to €9,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: WILDE (Oscar), 1854-1900, playwright, aesthete and wit. A lock of Wilde’s Hair, presented by his son to the distinguished Irish actor Mícheál MacLiammóir. €6,000 to €8,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Heaney (Seamus). Bog Poems, London, 1975. Special Limited Edition, No. 33 of 150 Copies, Signed by Author. Illus. by Barrie Cooke. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Binding: Burke, Thomas O.P. (de Burgo). Hibernia Dominicana, Sive Historia Provinciae Hiberniae Ordinis Praedicatorum, ... 1762. First Edition. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: COLLINS, Michael. An important TL, 29 July 1922, addressed to GOVERNMENT on ‘suggested Proclamation warning all concerned that troops have orders to shoot prisoners found sniping, ambushing etc.’. €3,000 to €4,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Scott Fitzgerald (F.) The Great Gatsby, New York (Charles Scribner's Sons) 1925, First Edn. €2,000 to €3,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Yeats (W.B.) The Poems of W.B. Yeats, 2 vols. Lond. (MacMillan & Co.) 1949. Limited Edition, No. 46 of 375 Copies Only, Signed by W.B. Yeats. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of the Russian Empire, Description in English and French, Lg. folio London (S. Gosnell) 1803. First Edn. €1,000 to €1,500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of Turkey, Illustrated by a Series of Engravings. Lg. folio Lond.(T. Bensley) 1802. First Edn. €800 to €1,200.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Mason (Geo. Henry). The Costume of China, Illustrated with Sixty Engravings. Lg. folio London (for W. Miller) 1800. First Edn. €1,400 to €1,800
  • ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
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    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
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    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
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    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
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    ABAA VBF: Holiday Edition
    November 30-December 2
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Rare Book Monthly

Articles - April - 2012 Issue

Travel Books Auction at Drouot, Paris

Pierre Berge's auction at Drouot.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A HAMMER

China stands amongst the most fashionable destinations in travel books nowadays and the 16 engravings representing the conquests of the Emperor of China (1 in-folio album and 24 plates printed in Paris in 1788, and bound in modern half-morocco) went for 14,000 euros. “This was a good surprise, said Mr. Forgeot. I think it never made such a price before.” On the contrary, other books about China made reasonable prices such as Ceva’s Réflexions sur les affaires présentes de la Chine (1 vol., old morocco, circa 1709 – 800 euros), or Le Comte’s Nouveaux Mémoires sur l’état présent de la Chine (3 vol. in contemporary morocco, Paris 1697-98 – 7,800 euros). Du Halde’s Description géographique, historique, chronologique, politique, et physique de l’empire de la Chine et de la Tartarie chinoise (4 volumes in-folio, Paris 1735) did not meet the reserve price and was retrieved at 18,000 euros.

The West Indies remain a sure value as two bidders fought hard for a very fine copy of Du Tertre’s Histoire Générale des Antilles habitées par les François (3 vol. in-4°, full contemporary calf, Paris 1667-71 – 11,500 euros) while the classic work of Labat, Nouveau Voyage aux isles de l’Amérique (6 vol. in-12°, full contemporary calf and the coat of arms of La Rochefoucauld on each board, a very fine copy) went for 11,800 euros. “This price is fully justified, Mr. Forgeot said. It is a very valuable book and it is very rare to find it with armories.” Charlevoix’s Histoire de l’isle espagnole ou de S. Domingue (2 volumes in-4°, full contemporary calf, a very fine copy – 4,500 euros) went beyond the appraisal of Mr. Forgeot while Bossu’s Nouveaux voyages aux Indes occidentales (1 vol. in full contemporary calf) never reached the appraisal of 4,000 euros, culminating at 3,800 euros. In fact, it was not “adjugé”. “This is incredible,” Mr Forgeot. underlined. “This is an exceptional book. Bossu’s Voyages is not that rare, but it is a very interesting read to start with. Plus, our copy is stamped with Mme Du Deffand’s golden cats on the back!” This “dame” (1697-1780) is very famous as an “esprit des Lumières”. D’Alembert, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Fontenelle, Marivaux or Horace Walpole were amongst her acquaintances and would attend her “salon” in Paris. In 1767, she went blind and asked her niece, Julie de Lespinasse, to live with her and to read her some books. “She certainly read this copy to her aunt”, stated the expert in the catalogue. “Books with this golden cat stamp are so few,” Mr. Forgeot continued. “Mostly a travel book of this quality.” Another deception came with Andrade’s Lettere annue del Tibet... (Rome, 1628) which did not meet the reserve at 2,800 euros.

The last part of the auction focused on some beautiful travel books from the early 19th century such as Milbert’s Itinéraire pittoresque du fleuve Hudson... (2 vol. in-4° and a in-folio Atlas, Paris 1828-29 – 7,800 euros), Rugendas’ classic work on Brazil, Voyage pittoresque dans le Brésil (in-folio, Paris 1835 – 19,500 euros) or Dupaix’ wonderful Antiquités méxicaines (1 vol. for the text, 1 vol. in-folio for the atlas, Paris 1844 – 22,500 euros). One of the most anticipated lots was Castelnau’s Expédition dans les parties centrales de l’Amérique... (13 vo. in-8°, in-4° and in-folio, in contemporary half binding – Paris 1861). Castelnau’s travel in South America is a testimony of an “expanding world” as Mr. Forgeot would say. The explorer went from Quito to La Paz and sailed the Amazon River. When he came back, four years later, he was very sick and almost blind. The 493 plates are said to be extraordinary and 272 of those illustrating this copy were contemporary hand coloured. “This monumental work is today still of great scientific value...” says Borba de Moraes (1), quoted in the catalogue. This unique set went for 44,000 euros, the highest bid of the auction.

ENGLISH WRITTEN BOOKS

There were a few books written in English that might be of interest to our readers, including the relation of Mendez Pinto, a Portuguese traveller who went to remote countries such as Ethiopia, China or Japan during the first half of the 17th century. Though said to be partially fictional, his relation, originally published in Portugal, was quickly translated into English, and printed in London in 1653. Our copy had been rebacked, had worn corners and some foxing. It still went for 3,000 euros.

The original English edition of Krascheninnikof’s The History of Kamtschatka... (Glocester, 1764) is the very first scientific account of Kamtschatka and it went for 2,300 euros. One of the most attractive lots of the sale was the diary of Admiral Lord Collingwood, written while commanding the British fleet in the Mediterranean. This unique historical piece, written from Collingwood’s own hand between Decembre 1807 and January 1810, came from the private library of the American banker André de Coppet, and was nicely bound in a contemporary vellum. The 26 leaves ended up on a detailed account of the Roses Battle off Costa Brava, that saw the French triumphing – a lovely memory, I must say. Collingwood died shortly after, in 1810, on board of the Ville de Paris, a magnificent French vessel captured by the English in the West Indies at the end of 18th century – an unhappy memory, I must confess. This valuable document did not meet the reserve price neither, to the despair of Mr. Forgeot: “this is such a valuable document! I was expecting much more than 8,000 euros for a hero of Trafalgar.” This item, who knows, might be relisted in the next part of this interesting auction sale – we’ll find out and let you know.

CONCLUSION

Books are like people, you can not explain why you suddenly fall in love with one of them. I had no special interest in the first lot of this auction until I held it in my hands. Historiale Description de l’Afrique by Léon l’Africain (Anvers, 1556), first published in 1550, is a wonderful book, the perfect hyphen between travel and knowledge. This gorgeous copy, bound in old vellum, had an incredible smell and was fitting the palm of my hand like a miracle. I was fascinated by the lettres printed on the paper, by the magnificent woodcuts in the text – some desert warriors, an intriguing camel... These drawings, still uncertain and yet at the forefront of their time, tell us so much about our human brothers who before us lived. They are like the echoes of a remote world, so familiar and yet so elusive. Unfortunately, a most fortunate book lover took this one home. Behind the velvet curtains of Drouot, more than anywhere else, miracles have a price – and this particular one was worth 3,900 euros before the commission, if the reserve was ever met!

(1)   Bora de Moraes (Rubens). Bibliographia Brasiliana. 2e édition. Rio de Janeiro, 1983. 2 volumes.

 Useful links :

- Pierre Bergé & Associés : www.pba-auctions.com

- Librairie Benoît Forgeot : www.forgeot.com  

Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby’s
    Important Modern Literature from the Library of an American Filmmaker
    8 December 2023
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Kerouac, Jack. Typescript scroll of The Dharma Bums. Typed by Kerouac in Orlando, Florida, 1957, published by Viking in 1958. 300,000 - 500,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. The autograph manuscript of "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." [Key West, finished April 1936]. 300,000 - 500,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Miller, Henry. Typescript of The Last Book, a working title for Tropic of Cancer, written circa 1931–1932. 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Ruscha, Ed. Twentysix Gasoline Stations, with a lengthy inscription to Joe Goode. 40,000 - 60,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. in our time, first edition of Hemingway’s second book. 30,000 - 50,000 USD
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    30th November, 2023
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Saint Jerome penitent, woodcut with contemporary hand-colouring and letterpress text beneath, [Augsburg], [Johann Froschauer], [c.1498]. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Elimithar (Elluchasem) "Ibn Butlan". Tacuini sanitatis, first edition, Strasbourg, Johann Schott, 1531. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: [Missale Romanum], Latin, Incipit ordo missalis secundum consuetudinem Curiae Romani, manuscript in Latin, on vellum, 234ff. [c. 1400]. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    30th November, 2023
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Foyle copy.- [Shakespeare (William)]. Macbeth. A Tragedy: With all the Alterations, Amendments, Additions, and New Songs. As it is now Acted at the Theatre Royal, for Hen. Herringman, 1687. £5,000 to £7,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Dickens (Charles). A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, first edition, first impression, first issue, Chapman & Hall, 1843. £12,000 to £18,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Lawrence (T.E.) Revolt in the Desert, working draft typescript, 1927. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    30th November, 2023
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Hampstead Bindery.- Phillips (Stephen). Marpessa, exquisitely bound by The Hampstead Bindery, almost certainly P.A. Savoldelli, 1900. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Matisse (Henri).- Joyce (James). Ulysses, one of 1500 copies, this one of 250 signed by the author and artist, New York, The Limited Editions Club, 1935. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Burroughs (Edgar Rice). Tarzan at the Earth's Core, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to his son, New York, 1930. £5,000 to £7,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    30th November, 2023
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Fitzgerald (F. Scott). Tender is the Night, first edition, first printing, signed by the author, New York, 1934. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: Fleming (Ian).- Hooks (Mitchell) and David Chasman. Dr. No, British film poster, Stafford & Co Ltd, [1962]. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum Auctions, Nov. 30: America.- California.- Palou (Francisco). Relacion Historica de la Vida Y Apostolicas Tareas delVenerable Padre Fray Junipero Serra..., first edition, second issue, 1787. £6,000 to £8,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Fine Books and Manuscripts
    8 December 2023
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane] — Isaac D'Israeli. Jane Austen's copy of Curiosities of Literature. 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition in boards of the author's debut novel. 70,000 - 100,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Brontë, Charlotte. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me..." 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Eliot, George. The author's magnum opus. 25,000 - 35,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Whitman, Walt. Manuscript written upon the Death of Lincoln, 1865. 60,000 - 80,000 USD

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