This is a photo of a West Shore Railroad Ferry dating from the late 1920s. It turned out to be a velox copy. $21.39
Once I identify an item as “of interest” I’ll check both ABE and the ÆD (Americana Exchange Database) to see what I can find out. It occasionally happens that books on ABE for $50 sell on eBay for $150. I don’t want to be the winning bidder on such items and I’ve already had some close calls. You do have to look. In the ÆD, I want to see if the item is there. If it isn’t it is either rare or hasn’t been considered important enough to catalogue. And of course if dealers and auction houses have handled it I want to see when they had it, how it was described and priced. With just a few clicks I’m the world’s leading expert on a piece of obscuranta that I may be interested in or discard. It takes only a few seconds. So much will depend on the price. It’s really quite easy. I set up the keywords, the keywords look for matches, I review the matches against both internet listings and our 600,000+ record database. And then I bid if the item is in good condition and the opening bid is reasonable. At the same time I set a limit on what I'll pay based on what I know about the item or what similar items are worth.
This morning there is a copy of the Rural Repository published in Hudson in 1845. It’s a single issue and I think this magazine usually comes in bound editions of perhaps a full year. The asking opening bid is $9.95 and the listed shipping and handling is $2.25. I think I’ll pass but I’ll monitor it until the auction closes. If someone buys it I want to see who it is (not the person but their online handle). Over time you’ll get to know the style and personality of almost every buyer to the point where you’ll know their bidding limit and their bidding pattern. To see this, click on bids and then bidders listed on any item at auction on eBay. (Microsoft users can then right click their mouse and select BACK to see the next item purchased by the buyer whose record you're looking at. As far as I know it isn't as easy with a MAC.) You do see some interesting “handles” on eBay and someday there may be cemetery marker or two that say something like:
Alvin. C. L. Cobb
December 15th 1946----
CaptainKid8965 on eBay
Bought an original Columbus Letter in 2001 for $15
Pray for me and I will do your bidding
It will be something right out of the Spoon River Anthology. Knowing who you are up against can be important.
I’ve been buying almanacs and there are always some for sale. The next lot is an 1837 Philadelphia imprint in only fair condition and now I see it’s missing the back page. No thanks.
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.")
