• Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Alken (Henry). Sporting Notions, first edition, T.McLean, 1832-33. £800 to £1,200.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Bardi (Lorenzo). Nuova Raccolta delle piu interessanti Vedute della Citta di Firenze…, Florence, Lorenzo Bardi, [c.1840]. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Crawfurd (John). Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava..., first edition, 1829. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Dawe (George, engraver). The Life of a Nobleman, first edition, Geo. Henderson, [c.1825]. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: [Doyle (John)], "H.B.". Political Sketches &c., 10 vol. including The Descriptive Key to H.B., Thomas McLean, [1829-51]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Eben (Adolphus Christian Frederick, Baron von) and Nicolaus Heideloff. Modèles de l'Uniforme Militaire Adopté dans l'Armée Royale de Suède, Rudolph Ackerman, 1808. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Geissler (J.G.G.) and Friedrich Hempel. Mahlerische Darstellungen der Sitten, Gebrauche und Lustbarkeiten bey den Russischen, Tartarischen…, 4 parts in 1, Leipzig and Paris, [1804]. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Hunt (Charles). Portraits of Winning Horses...of the Derby, Oaks, & St. Leger, from the Year 1842 to 1849…, Rock Brothers & Payne, 1849. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Kunike (Adolf Friedrich). Zwey hundert und sechzig Donau-Ansichten nach dem Laufe des Donaustromes…, Vienna, Leopold Grund, 1826. £3,000 to £5,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Lasinio (Carlo). [Matrimony], Florence, 1790. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Reinhardt (Joseph). A Collection of Swiss Costumes, in Miniature, second English edition, James Goodwin, [1828]. £800 to £1,200.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Wengen (Gottfried Durst von). Die Öffentliche Maskerade Bamberg am Fastnachts-Montage 1833…, Bamberg, [1833]. £2,000 to £3,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Set of First-Edition Volumes. 6,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard. A Collection of The Pooh Books. Set of First-Editions. 18,600 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Salvador Dalí, Lewis Carroll. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Finely Bound and Signed Limited Edition. 15,000 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die. First Edition. 9,500 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter Series. Finely Bound First Printing Set of Complete Series. 5,650 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms. First Edition, First Printing. 4,200 USD
  • Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG BEADED JUDICIAL COLLAR. $80,000 - $120,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: ONLY KNOWN COPY OF THE ONLY BOOK BY THE REMARKABLE EVE ADAMS. $8,000 - $12,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A COMPLETE RUN OF VISIONAIRE MAGAZINE THROUGH 2010. $6,000 - $9,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: LAW REVIEW OFFPRINT SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY RUTH BADER GINSBURG. $3,000 - $5,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: META REBNER'S WORKING SCRIPT OF THE LOVED ONE. $1,500 - $2,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A KATHY GROVE PORTRAIT OF CYNDI LAUPER FOR THE FEBRUARY 1989 DETAILS COVER. $800 - $1,200
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A PLASTIC COAT BY MILLIE DAVID FEATURED IN SOHO NEWS STYLE SECTION, FROM THE COLLECTION OF ANNIE FLANDERS. $500 - $700
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG JEWELRY BOX. $600 - $900
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A SET OF JONI MITCHELL LYRICS FOR "IF I HAD A HEART." $2,000 - $3,000
  • 19th Century Shop
    Catalogue 198 just published
    19th Century Shop. Darwin and Wallace, first printing of the first paper on natural selection
    19th Century Shop. Shakespeare’s Poems, first collected edition
    19th Century Shop. Walt Whitman portrait inscribed with a Leaves of Grass poem
    19th Century Shop. Major Elizabeth Barrett Browning manuscript notebook
    19th Century Shop. Spock's Baby Book, original MS
    19th Century Shop. Cellarius, Harmonia Macrocosmica, the great celestial atlas

Rare Book Monthly

Articles - September - 2015 Issue

Annual Labor Day Weekend Mark Twain Library Fair in Redding Connecticut, Boxborough Paper Fair Set This Month

Mark Twain in Redding in 1909, from film by visitor and friend Thomas Edison.

A pair of well-established book and paper fairs are scheduled for this month in New England. There is no better time to get out and travel New England than late summer when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold, and the kids are safely back in school.

 

First up, in its 55th year, is the Mark Twain Library's Annual Book Fair in Redding, Connecticut. It takes place Labor Day weekend. Twain built a large house in Redding in 1908, where he died two years later. He founded the Mark Twain Library Association, which operates the fair. Twain will welcome you if you attend, in spirit if not in person.

 

The Twain Library Fair works on a sliding scale – the longer you wait, the less you pay, but naturally, some of the most desirable items will likely be gone.

 

The fair opens at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, September 4, and for the first hour, the admission price is $15. This is evidently a bargain as the library notes some book dealers start holding places in line as early as three days in advance to get first shot at the books. It remains open until 6:00 p.m. There will be a special afterschool "children's event" that afternoon from 2:30 until closing. On Saturday, hours are from 10:00 – 4:00, and both days, book prices are as marked. On Sunday, the fair is also open 10:00 – 4:00, but this is "half price day." Finally, on Monday, hours are 9:00 – 4:00 and this is "boxing day," where you can buy a whole box of books for $10. Other than the first hour on Friday, admission is free and parking is free. Along with the books, you can buy refreshments and credit cards are accepted.

 

The fair will be held at the Redding Community Center on Lonetown Road. Library Fair co-chair Ginny Beasley noted, "We are proud to say our book fair has the reputation as one of the best. People travel from Maine to Maryland to find the bargains and the rare treasures that the Mark Twain Library Book Fair always has in abundance."

 

The fair committee issued a list of notable books from their "Collector's Corner," but with almost 60,000 items being offered (all organized and categorized for convenience), there will undoubtedly be many "sleepers." Here is their list.

 

Aragon, Luis; Cantique A Elsa; Editions de la Rue Fontaine, Algeria 1942; First edition, #66/600, green paper wraps. Good condition, with some wear and stains to paper wraps not affecting text, which is in fine condition. Aragon dedicated "Hymn to Elsa" to his wife, muse and fellow member of French Resistance, Elsa Triolet. $50

 

Blackmore, R.D.; Lorna Doone; Thomas Crowell, New York, 1893; green cloth with gilt-stamped decorative cover; 2 vols bound in one, very good; including heavy original brass plate used to gold-stamp cover artwork. $200

 

Bonnant, P. A.; Les Vignettes Parlantes; Bonnard, Geneva, 1855; paper covered boards; missing title page. French text, 46 proverbs illustrated with wood engravings. $50

 

Bingham, Hiram; Inca Land, Explorations in the Highlands of Peru; Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1922; Good condition, no dust jacket, moderate wear to head and tail of spine. Inscribed by author on ffep. Popular account of Bingham's work in Peru, which brought attention to spectacular ruins of Machu Picchu. $50

 

[Bradley, W. M.], Bradley's Atlas of the World; Wm. M Bradley & Co, Philadelphia, 1889.
Elephant folio, 14" x 19", bound in brown calf with marbled endpapers. Rebacked. All 75 maps present, many double-fold measuring 19" x 26", all maps in fine condition. Some foxing to endpapers, not affecting maps. $450

 

Buckley, William F.; God and Man At Yale, The Superstitions of Academic Freedom;
Regnery, Chicago, 1952; First edition, fifth printing; very good in a good dj. $50

 

Corso, Gregory; The Happy Birthday of Death; New Directions, 1960; first printing (no subsequent printing noted on copyright page); paperback, fine. $25

 

Dumas, Alexandre; The Three Musketeers; George Routledge & Sons, London, 1894; Edition du Luxe 181/750. 2 volumes, large quarto, full leather bound, brown morocco, leather doublures and silk endpapers. Very good condition. Translated by William Robson, 250 illustrations by Maurice Leloir.$400

 

Jullien, Adolphe; Hector Berlioz, Sa Vie Et Ses Ouevres; Paris: Librairie de L'Art; 1888; folio, fine, rebound in 3/4 red morocco over marbled boards. Includes 14 original lithographs by Fantin-Latour. French text, copiously illustrated. $300

 

Gaskell, Mrs. [Elizabeth]; Cranford; MacMillan & Co. London and New York, 1892; Deluxe large paper edition, bound in full crushed green morocco with leather doublures and silk moire endpapers by French Binders of Garden City, NY. Over 100 illustrations by Hugh Thomson, all expertly hand-colored by am unknown artist, which makes this copy unique. $1000

 

Gorey, Edward:

 

[with Victoria Chess], Fletcher and Zenobia; Meredith Press, 1967, first edition. $20

["Ogdred Weary"]; The Curious Sofa; Dodd, Mead 1980 2nd edition, signed. $50

The Blue Aspic; Hawthorne, 1968 4th printing, signed. $50

The Gilded Bat; Dodd Mead, 1979, 2nd edition, signed. $50

[with Beatrice Schenk De Regniers], Red Riding Hood, Atheneum, 1972, 1st ed. no dj. $20

 

Gurney, James; Dinotopia, A Land Apart from Time; Turner Publishing, Atlanta, 1992; first edition, second printing; fine in fine dj; signed by author with sketch of dinosaur on half title page. $50

 

Hecht, Anthony and Baskin, Leonard; The Seven Deadly Sins; Gehenna Press, Northampton, 1958; First printing, copy "E", of 300. Fine, no dj as issued, half-bound green cloth over paper covered boards, with gold stamped leather spine label. Signed by both author and illustrator, with seven wood engravings by Baskin. Per Gehenna Press, this is an "extra" copy, bound matching first 100 copies of the first edition. $1000

 

Irving, Washington; Rip Van Winkle; Elbert Hubbard, Roycroft Shop, East Aurora, 1905; bound in crimson suede, very good. $40

 

James, Henry; The Letters of Henry James to Walter Berry; Black Sun Press, Editions Narcisse, Rue Cardinale, Paris, 1928; First edition, paper wraps, in expertly made half-leather clamshell case. Fine condition throughout. $350

 

Lawrence, D.H.; Lady Chatterley's Lover; PIRATED EDITION, actual publisher unknown, circa 1929. An exemplar of the most widely pirated book of all time, this copy is an elaborate forgery. Use of better quality paper makes the text block 25% thicker than the true first edition. To cap it off, the book was professionally rebound in 3/4 leather. Note: This is a FAKE. $300

 

Powys, Llewelyn; illustrated by Ward, Lynd; Now That The Gods Are Dead; Equinox, New York, 1932; limited edition 311/400 signed by author and illustrator, hand bound in blue cloth, spine darkened, otherwise very good. No dj, as published. $100

 

Prosek, James; Trout, An Illustrated History; Knopf, New York, 1998; Tenth printing. Fine in fine dustjacket. Signed by author/illustrator on title page with sketch of trout fly. $40

 

Proulx, Annie; Close Range, Wyoming Stories; Scribner, New York, 1999; First printing. Fine in fine dj. Signed by author (and illustrator, William Matthews) on title page. First appearance of Brokeback Mountain. $50

 

Rabelais, Francois; The Complete Works of Doctor Francois Rabelais. Boni & Liveright, New York, 1927; two volumes, black cloth, in slip cases, very good. $75

 

Sharon, Ariel [with Chanoff, David]; Warrior, The Autobiography of Ariel Sharon; Simon and Schuster, 1989; first edition; fine in fine dj; signed by author on title page. $300

 

Steinbeck, John; Nothing So Monstrous; Pynson Printers, New York, 1936; limited edition of 350. marbled paper covered boards, cloth spine, fine, presentation copy to Arthur Hays Sulzberger, publisher of N.Y.Times. $150

 

Thacker, John; The Art of Cookery; J. Thompson & Co.; Newcastle Upon Tyne, 1758; small octavo, 5" x 8.5" in original calf binding, rough unrestored condition, as befits a 267 year old cookbook. Missing several pages at end, including index. In clam-shell case. $250

 

Trump, Donald J. [with Schwarz, Tony]; Trump, The Art of the Deal; Random House, 1987, second printing; fine in fine dj; signed by Trump on ffep. $100

 

Walker, Alice; In Love and Trouble, Stories of Black Women; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1973; First edition "BCDE", probably 2nd printing. Near fine in very good dust jacket, Alice Walker's fourth book and first collection of short stories. $50

 

Wegman, William; ABC; Hyperion, New York, 1994; First edition, fine in fine dj, signed by author/photographer on half-title. Alphabet book featuring the Weimaraners. $30

 

Also:

 

Over 100 Heritage Press titles.

 

Large collection of vintage "Juvenile Series" books, especially Horatio Alger and baseball stories.

 

Much, much more.

 

The second event on tap this month is the annual Boxborough Paper Town – The Vintage Paper, Books & Advertising Collectibles Show. This will take place on Saturday, September 19, at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough, Massachusetts. Exhibitors from the Northeast and Canada will present a wide array of books and ephemeral items, including maps, postcards, autographs, prints, posters, advertising materials, board games, classic vinyl, and much more. The hours will be 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., with admission $7 for adults, $4 ages 12-21. Those under 12 are free with an adult. You can save $1 by printing out the coupon here. Free parking is available.

 

John Bruno, star of the PBS television series Market Warriors, and other appraisers will be available from 12:00 – 2:00 to provide appraisals at $5 per item.

 

What sort of material can you expect to find? Here is a partial list of specialties featured by the exhibitors: Advertising Covers, African American, Americana, Architecture, Art, Art Deco, Auctions, Autographs, Aviation, Baseball, Books, Bibles, Black History, Black Power, Calendars, Calling Cards, Christmas, Circus, Civil War, Cook Books, Charts, Children’s Books, Cocktails, Design, Dogs, Die Cuts, Documents, Engineering, Engraving, Ephemera, Erotica, Esoterica, Fantasy, Fashion, Fishing, Floridiana, Folklore, Folk Music, Foreign Language, Furniture, Games, Gardens & Horticulture, Graphics, Historic Documents, Horses, Hunting, Illustrated Books, Interior Design, Japan, Judaica, Letters, Logbooks, Manuscripts, Maps, Maritime, Medicine, Middle East, Military, Modernism, Music, Native American, Natural History, Nautical, Naval, New York City, New York State, New Jersey, Novelties, Olympic Games, Pacifica, Photographs, Photography, Pochoir, Polar, Pop-Ups & Moveable Books, Poetry, Postcards, Posters, Presentation Copies, Presidential Archives, Press Books, Prints, Pulitzer Prize Winners, Psychedelica, Puppetry, Puzzles, Railroad, Reference, Revolutionary War, Russia, Scholarly, Science, Science Fiction, Sports, Sporting, Technical, Theatre, Theology, Trade Cards, Trade Catalogues, Travel & Exploration, Travel Brochures, Typography, U.S. Coastal History, Vanity Fair Prints, Valentines, Voyages, Watercolors, Whaling, Wine, Yachting.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [RUTH, George Herman “Babe” (1895-1948)]. Signed photograph. Circa 1930s. 191 x 248 mm. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HARRISON, Benjamin. Document signed (“Benj Harrison”) as governor of Virginia, certifying the service of Daniel Cumbo, a Black Revolutionary soldier. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: ONE OF THE FIRST PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: FIRST PRINTING OF LINCOLN’S IMMORTAL GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HIGHLY IMPORTANT MORMON ARCHIVE. ALLEY, George. Archive of 23 Autograph Letters Signed by Mormon Convert George Alley to His Brother Joseph Alley. $10,000 to $20,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [AVIATION]. [ARMSTRONG, Neil A.] Aviation Hall of Fame Gold Medal MS64 NGC, Awarded to Neil Armstrong in 1979. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: NEWLY DISCOVERED FIRST PRINTING OF "WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE... " FROM THE ONLY NEWSPAPER ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN LINCOLN’S SECOND INAUGURAL PROCESSION. $4,000 to $8,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: THE MOST IMPORTANT GEORGE WASHINGTON DOCUMENT IN PRIVATE HANDS; GEORGE WASHINGTON’S COMMISSION AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, 1775, ONE OF ONLY TWO ORIGINALS. $150,000 to $250,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: A VERY RARE ACCOUNT OF BLACKBEARD’S DEATH AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIRATE ITEMS EXTANT. $3,000 to $5,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: EDISON, Thomas. Patent for Edison’s Improvements on the Electric-Light, No. 219,628. [Washington, D.C.: U.S. Patent Office], 16 September 1879. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [VIETNAM WAR]. The original pen used by Secretary of State William P. Rogers to sign the Vietnam Peace Agreement, Paris, 27 January 1973. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: SONS OF LIBERTY FOUNDER COLONEL BARRÉ ANNOTATED TITLE-PAGE, “WHICH OUGHT TO ROUSE UP BRITISH ATTENTION”. $4,000 to $6,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: [Langland (William)]. The vision of Pierce Plowman, nowe the seconde time imprinted..., Roberte Crowley, 1550. £8,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: [Shakespeare (William)]. [Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies], second folio edition, [by Tho.Cotes, for Robert Allot], [1632]. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Bible, Czech Biblia Bohemica, first complete Bible printed in the Czech vernacular, Prague, August 1488. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Shabthai Tzvi.- Collection of four printed and illustrated broadsides detailing the appearance, rise and fall of the false messiah, Shabthai Tzvi, Augsburg, 1666-67. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Leaf from the Beauvais Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment, [Northern France (perhaps Beauvais or Amiens)], [fourteenth century (c.1310)]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Aubrey (John). [Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme], manuscript in English, Latin and Greek, [c. 1693]. £30,000 to £50,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Poems on Various Occasions, first edition, Harriet Maltby's copy, Newark, Printed by S. & J. Ridge, 1807. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, second impression with dust-jacket, 1937 [but 1938]. £7,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Blake (William).- Thornton (Robert John). The Pastorals of Virgil, 2 vol., engraved plates by William Blake, 1821. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: America.- Mount (William J.) & Thomas Page. The English Pilot…, [bound with] The Fourth Book, describing The West Indies Navigation from Hudson's-Bay to the River Amazones, 1721. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Oldfield (Henry Ambrose), Rajman Singh Chitrakar & others. An album of 160 photographs and 13 original artworks, (1833-1919), [c. 1850s-1880s]. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Audubon (John James) [and William MacGillivray]. Ornithological Biography…, 5 vol., first edition, presentation copy inscribed by Audubon, Edinburgh, 1831-49 [i.e. 1831-39]. £10,000 to £15,000.

Article Search

Archived Articles

Ask Questions