Rare Book Monthly

Articles - July - 2015 Issue

Forty Years Going: The Newtown Book Sale

Photo courtesy of The Newtown Bee and Peter Marshall

Photo courtesy of The Newtown Bee and Peter Marshall

  • [Paperback collectibles] as always, we will have a good collection of vintage paperback collectibles. We point out a collection of 26 volumes from the Dell Map series, all with a map of the book’s action on the rear cover. Largely mysteries, with an occasional western or adventure. Dell numbers range from 5 (George Harmon Coxe, Four Frightened Women) to 310 (Walker A Thompkins, West of Texas Law); all are in very good or better condition. Details on request.  $100.00 the collection.
  • Pitman, Charles R S. A Guide to the Snakes of Uganda. Kampala, Uganda: Uganda Society, 1938. VG.  $250.00.
  • Plath, Sylvia. Lyonnesse. L: Rainbow Pr, 1971. #383 of 400 copies, printed at the Rampant Lions Press, bound in quarter leather by Davis & Hodges. Teg, untrimmed fore and lower edge. Fine in fine slipcase. $75.00.
  • Pope, Clifford H. The Reptiles of China. NY: Museum of Natural History, 1935. Natural history of Central Asia vol X. VG. $75.00.
  • Power. John Carroll, editor. History of an Attempt to Steal the Body of Abraham Lincoln Including a History of the Lincoln Guard of Honor. Springfield, IL: Rokker, 1890. Gilt decorated covers, original ad for book tipped to ffep. Backstrip faded. $95.00.
  • Rackham, Arthur, illus. Arthur Rackham’s Book of Pictures. NY: Century, nd(1913). Introduction by Arthur Quiller-Couch. 44 tipped in illustrations, all with original guards. Early owner’s signature dated 1915. Gilt stamped cloth, very good.      $250.00.
  • _____. Fouque, de La Motte. L: Heinemann, 1909. 15 tipped in plates, all with original guards. Early owner’s bookplate. Pictorial paper covered boards. Backstrip slightly darkened, otherwise very good.  $200.00.
  •  Reed, Myrtle. (Collection). Nine Reed books, all with Margaret Armstrong covers. Old Rose and Silver has been tied with white ribbon, attaching an artificial rose and a small sterling silver salt or mustard spoon, by Roger Williams & Co, patent dated 1898. All in very good condition. A charming collection with no doubt an interesting back story.      $125.00.  
  • Rutherford, E. Radio-Activity. Cambridge: CUP, 1904. Ownership inscription of Arthur A Blanchard, longtime professor of chemistry at MIT.  Very good.    $100.00.
  • Samivel.Samovar et Baculot dans les Blaguers de Bagdad. Paris: Hartmann, nd(c1935). Slight wear at edges, very good.   $400.00.
  • Scarameli, Jose. As Cobras. Sao Paulo: Editora Piratininga, 1932. 85 pp. B&W illus. Pictorial front cover. Ownership inscription, N L Johnson U.S.S Davis. No record in Worldcat. Backstrip chipped. $35.00. 
  • Scharf, J Thomas. History of Westchester County, New York. Phila: Preston, 1888. Two volumes. Rebound. VG. $95.00.
  • [Sheridan, Philip]. Annual Report of the Adjutant general of the State of New York. Volume II. Albany: Comstock & Cassidy, printers, 1864. Inscribed by Sheridan on the flyleaf: “Compliments of Phil Sheridan in memory of our bloody fun at Bull Run.”  Front free end paper excised, spine slightly darkened.   $750.00.
  • Steineger, Leonhard. Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territory. Washington: GPO: 1907. 35 plates, 409 figures in text. Paper wraps, worn; largely unopened.  $20.00.
  • Stewart, C. Elements of the Natural History of the Animal Kingdom. Edinburgh: Bell Bradfute et al, 1817.  2nd edition, two volumes.  12 folding plates, Full calf, gilt and blind tooling, black leather spine labels. Very good. $200.00.
  • Tenngren, Gustaf, illus. D’Aulnoy’s Fairy Tales. Phila: McKay, 1923. 8 color illustrations. Pictorial cover. Slight wear, overall very good.  $45.00.
  • Thompson, Hunter S. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. NY: Random, nd(1971). Stated first edition. $5.95 price on DJ. Very good in very good jacket. $450.00.
  • Thoreau, Henry David. On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. New Haven: Sign of the Chorobates, nd (1928). Tp decoration by Rockwell Kent. 300 copies “printed in November, 1928, the type set up by Carl Purington Rollins”. “The present issue, the first separate edition to appear in America” (Bibliographical Note by Rollins). Signed on limitation page by Rollins. Backstrip lightly faded.  $35.00.
  • [Westport, CT] Penny Magazine. L: Knight, 1832-33. Filled with woodcut illustrations. With the bookseller’s ticket of J W Taylor, Westport, CT. Ownership inscription on ffep, John W Taylor, Westport. Later signature of Granville C Washington.  Marbled boards, half leather, wear to exterior.  $40.00.   
  • Wheeler, George Augustus, and Henry Warren Wheeler. History of Brunswick, Topsham and Harpswell, Maine. Boston: Mudge &  Son for the authors?, 1878. Hinges cracked, front free end paper present but separated, one gathering started.  $75.00.
  • Zoological Society of London. Proceedings for the Year 1883. London, the Society, 1883. Many color and B&W plates. Marbled boards, half leather. VG.  $125.00.

Rare Book Monthly

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  • 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.
  • SD Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions
    The Odfjell Collection
    Polar – History – Ornithology – Colour Plate Books
    Ending December 4th
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ROALD AMUNDSEN: «Sydpolen» [ The South Pole] 1912. First edition in jackets and publisher's slip case.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: AMUNDSEN & NANSEN: «Fram over Polhavet» [Farthest North] 1897. AMUNDSEN's COPY!
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ERNEST SHACKLETON [ed.]: «Aurora Australis» 1908. First edition. The NORWAY COPY.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ERNEST SHACKLETON: «The heart of the Antarctic» + SUPPLEMENT «The Antarctic Book», 1909.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: SHACKLETON, BERNACCHI, CHERRY-GARRARD [ed.]: «The South Polar Times» I-III, 1902-1911.
    SD Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions
    The Odfjell Collection
    Polar – History – Ornithology – Colour Plate Books
    Ending December 4th
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: [WILLEM BARENTSZ & HENRY HUDSON] - SAEGHMAN: «Verhael van de vier eerste schip-vaerden […]», 1663.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: TERRA NOVA EXPEDITION | LIEUTENANT HENRY ROBERTSON BOWERS: «At the South Pole.», Gelatin Silver Print. [10¾ x 15in. (27.2 x 38.1cm.) ].
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ELEAZAR ALBIN: «A natural History of Birds.» + «A Supplement», 1738-40. Wonderful coloured plates.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: PAUL GAIMARD: «Voyage de la Commision scientific du Nord, en Scandinavie, […]», c. 1842-46. ONLY HAND COLOURED COPY KNOWN WITH TWO ORIGINAL PAINTINGS BY BIARD.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: JAMES JOYCE: «Ulysses», 1922. FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL WRAPPERS.
  • 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.

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