It pays to check. This item sold for $98 on eBay and was $22.00 on ABE.
By Bruce McKinney
March has proven to be an interesting month for me on eBay. I’ve been buying one or two items a week while bidding, with varying degrees of gusto, on several others. I haven’t found a truly exceptional item yet but I am finding a steady flow of interesting, inexpensive material.
Early in the month I was watching Mohonk Addresses by Dr. Everett Hale. It’s a New Paltz, New York item and the bidding was at around $8.00. It was only a fair copy and finally sold for $13.05. The shipping was going to be $5.00 and there were quite a few copies on ABE. I decided to pass. I didn’t previously know about this book. It turns out to be common.
The next item was REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER ON THE NARRAGANSETT TRIBE OF INDIANS, MADE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AT ITS JANUARY SESSION, 1858. This sounded interesting. The copy on eBay sold for $98 plus shipping. I found an equal, possibly better copy, for $22.00 on ABE. You have to look. Thank you eBay. Thank you ABE.
Then there was a Poughkeepsie, New York sampler. Here is how it was described:
“Gorgeous and rare MOURNING family Memorial sampler from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. All done in very finely worked stitches all in black. Nice winding border, with fabulous fence, weeping willows and American house. The needlework on the bottom is superbly worked. Made by Mary Ann Watrous, aged 8, 1828. It has slight damage that is magnified because it is backed on a stark white background and there is also sun glare in the [attached] photo. The white shown at the bottom of the house is the doorway and done in white. This wonderful, memorial would improve 100% if backed on a linen background and the tiny wear spots would fade into the backboard. Black stitching is intact and only wear is in ecru linen. Measures sight of 11 ¼” by 16”.
I have in the past bought a few death-related 19th century Hudson Valley items. Death was a significant aspect of life then and I suppose for people like myself, past the 50 year mark, a significant aspect now. I waited until almost the end of the sale to bid. With three hours to go the bidding was at $275. I put in a bid of $450 and thought I might get it. No so. It sold for $725 and was probably worth every penny. It just wasn’t worth that much to me. Congratulations to the buyer!
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.")
