Rare Book Monthly

Articles - April - 2012 Issue

At Christie's:  The Nebenzahl Collection - Remnants of a Golden Age

Wit.  Composite Atlas [n.d. but circa 1704].  A superb copy

Wit. Composite Atlas [n.d. but circa 1704]. A superb copy

By next spring the third and final segment of material, the general stock of his shop, will have been sold or consigned, the curtain come down, the bookkeeping of an exceptional career balanced and his ledgers found to contain a deep surplus of good will.

In the mean time it falls to Christie’s and Ken’s brethren in the trade to bring his career back to public view for an encore, the evening sale on the 10th the logical catalyst.  For both the serious and novice collector it is an important opportunity to observe how far intelligence, skill and integrity can take you, in this case all the way from Chicago, over and back to Europe many times and finally, after sixty years, to New York for a fabled evening sale.  In observing this a few acquirers, well on their way to building major collections, will gauge their progress and use the sale to add to their collections while others, new to the game, may find inspiration to try the same climb.  In this Mr. Nebenzahl, game codger that he is, has instructed Christies to set the estimates and reserves low.  “I have always enjoyed a good sale and I intend to provide one.”

To provide opportunities for collectors of every stripe and budget to buy the sale is salted with items estimated $1,000 to $3,000, they set among some of the giants of book collecting that will run into the six and seven figures.

It turns out Mr. Nebenzahl departs as he arrived, with an undimmed appreciation and enthusiasm for great maps and books.

His catalogue:


Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby’s
    10 September 2024
    The Shem Tov Bible
  • ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
    ABAA
    75th Anniversary Virtual Book Fair
    September 25-27
    abaa.org/vbf
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    26th September 2024
    Forum, 26 Sep: Bible, Arabic & Latin. Biblia Sacra Arabica, 3 vol., Rome, Tipografia della Congregazione di Propaganda Fide, 1671. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: Shepard (Ernest). "Wind in the Willows" Toad Escapes from Prison, original pencil drawing with watercolour, 1931. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: Economics.- Smith (Adam). An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, 2 vol., second edition, Printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1778. £12,000 to £18,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    26th September 2024
    Forum, 26 Sep: Burma.- Burmese School (1870s). Folding manuscript, or parabaik, of festivities and processions, probably from the Court Workshop at the Royal Court at Manadaly, Burma, [c. 1870]. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: More (Sir Thomas). La Description de l'Isle d'Utopie ou est comprins le Miroer des republiques du monde, first French edition, Paris, Charles l'Angelier, 1550. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: Botany.- Dioscorides (Pedanius). De medicinali materia libri sex, hand-coloured throughout, Frankfurt-am-Main, Chr. Egenolff, 1543. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    26th September 2024
    Forum, 26 Sep: World.- Blaeu (Johannes). Nova et Accuratissima Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula Auctore Joanne Blaeu, engraved map, [c.1662]. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: Shelley (Mary). Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus, 2 vol., [second edition], Printed for G. and W.B. Whittaker, 1823. £7,000 to £10,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: [Evans (Marian)] 'George Eliot'. A complete set of first editions of her works, uniformly bound in red morocco, 1858-1885 (30). £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    26th September 2024
    Forum, 26 Sep: Lewis (C.S.) [The Chronicles of Narnia], 7 vol., first editions, 1950-56. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: Albertolli (Ferdinando). Porte di Città e Fortezze...di Michele Sammicheli, Milan, 1815. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, 26 Sep: Gregynog Press.- Euripides. The Plays, one of 25 specially-bound copies, this by George Fisher at the Gregynog Bindery, 1931. £4,000 to £6,000.
  • Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HAMILTON, Sir William - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: 1779. € 50,000 - 80,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KIRCHER, Athanasius - Turris Babel. Amsterdam: 1679. € 3,000 - 5,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: EDWARDS, George.London - Gleanings of Natural History. Londra: 1758-1764. € 7,000 - 10,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HEVELIUS, Johannes - Cometographia. Danzica: 1668. € 20,000 - 30,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KUPKA, Frantisek - Quatre histoires de blanc et noir. Parigi: 1926. € 10,000 - 15,000

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