Rare Book Monthly

Articles - July - 2004 Issue

Despite a Few Clouds Over Title,<br>Texas Auction a Huge Success

none

none



The highest price went for a copy of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Patterned after the United States Declaration of Independence, Sotheby’s reports that this is one of only three copies remaining in private hands. This document went for $764,000, sold to a telephone bidder who chose to remain anonymous. Runner up was a first edition of Stephen Austin’s account of the first Anglo-American settlement in Texas. This was apparently the first copy of this book to go on the market since 1898, and the bidding soared past all expectations. With an estimate of $25,000 - $35,000, the bidding did not stop until it closed at $153,000. A letter from Austin as Commander of the Texas Militia ordering his forces to take the Alamo rose even more, from an estimate of $4,000 - $6,000 to a close of $78,000, while a letter from Austin to a cousin estimated at $10,000 - $15,000 sold for $54,000. In what could certainly be described as an understatement, Ms. Gioia called this “a very successful sale.”

Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby’s
    10 September 2024
    The Shem Tov Bible
  • Koller Auctions
    Books & Autographs
    18 September 2024
    Koller, Sep. 18: Cowper, William. Anatomia corporum humanorum ab excellentissimis… Utrecht, 1750. CHF 25,000 to 40,000
    Koller, Sep. 18: Bell, Thomas. A Monograph of the Testudinata. London [1836-1842]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000.
    Koller, Sep. 18: Gould, John. A monograph of the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds [and] Supplement completed after the authors death…, London [1849-]1861 and [1880-]1887. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
    Koller Auctions
    Books & Autographs
    18 September 2024
    Koller, Sep. 18: Gould, John. The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
    Koller, Sep. 18: Levaillant, François. Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers, suivie de celle des toucans et des barbus. Paris [1801-]1806. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
    Koller, Sep. 18: Pfinzing, Melchior. Die geverlicheiten und einsteils der geschichten des loblichen streytparen…, Nürnberg, 1517. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
  • 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

Article Search

Archived Articles

Ask Questions