Leslie Hindman Auctions: With an Eye for Collectability August 8th
- by Bruce E. McKinney
Snapshots of collectibility
On August 8th in Chicago Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is offering a primer on collecting – a broad and, by American standards, large sale of material chosen to appeal to collectors. The sale is Fine Books and Manuscripts. It succeeds admirably and is well worth the time pursuing the online catalogue linked at the end of this brief description. There are days when the differences between eBay and traditional auctions seem to narrow and then there are presentations and selections like this to reaffirm the importance of the auction house vetting large quantities of material and selecting appealing, well estimated items.
This is a specialist sale but not in its widely understood sense. It is not about a single subject but rather about collectability as a standard and succeeds in holding the attention of the reader all the way through to the end. To this it can be added, the material, with some exceptions, is not expensive.
Here are the categories of material offered, most brief with from 1 to 15 lots:
Illuminated manuscripts and heraldry 1-21
Bibles 22-43
Literature 44-47
European and engravings 47a-80
Anatomy and sciences 85-100
Audubon 101-114
Ornithology 115-134
Mammals 135-139
Mollusks, fish and reptiles 141-144
Insects 145-150
Botany 151-177
Atlases 178-181
Photography – Alaska 182
Asia and the world 183-189
Geography, maps and images 190-208
India and the Middle East 209-217
South America 218
Angling and sports 219-227
General Americana 228-289
Lincoln and the Civil War lots 249-255
George Custer lot 265
Buffalo Bill 266-268
Chicago lots 269-278
Elvis lot 289
George Washington 280
Fiction 290-346
Alice’s Adventures 297
Rockwell Kent lots 322-326a
Printing equipment 347-348
Book arts 349-352
Pop-up books 353-355
Art and cartoon illustration 356-
Art books 375 – 397
Photography 398-404
Architecture 405-408
Decorative arts 409-416
Fore edge Painting 417-420
Collected works, fine bindings and sets 422-448
As the list of lot categories suggests this is a taster menu, the opportunity to find something of interest. For collectors it’s also the opportunity to learn. Bookshops may be closing but if your mind is open there’s something to be learned here.
With this brief story flickering images are introducing some of the lots. To see more click here to be transported to Leslie Hindman Auctions. The sale is on the 8th.
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.")
