Where It All Began - A Visit to the American Antiquarian Society
- by Michael Stillman
Vincent Golden, Curator of Newspapers and Periodicals, holds an 1860 copy of “The Cabinet Maker,” a campaign newspaper for Stephen Douglas
The Website
Not everyone will get to conduct research at Antiquarian Hall, nor even have a chance to visit. Still, a virtual tour is open to everyone, as the AAS has one of the more comprehensive websites you will find. Joanne Chaison, Research Librarian, provided us with our virtual tour. Among the many features of the website are online exhibits from the AAS collections, a survey of new acquisitions, listings of publications from the Society and of publications and films based on research at the AAS, a description of the fellowship program, and an online store. However, Ms. Chaison focuses on two main areas of the website.
The first is the online enhanced version of the Society’s guidebook, “Under Its Generous Dome.” One need only look straight up from anywhere in the reading room to understand from where the title was drawn. The “generous” comes from the Society’s openness in sharing its resources. This guide will tell you almost everything about the Society, its history, cataloging, programs, and all about its collections. It’s worth a look if you’re at all interested in seeing what an extraordinary collection of early printed Americana looks like.
The second focus of the website is its online catalog. This is a feature no book collector should miss. Those of you familiar with the Americana Exchange’s bibliographic database will particularly appreciate this feature. Rather than the search of bibliographies and various collector, dealer or auction catalogs provided by this site, the AAS provides a search into its own catalog. And, since the AAS collections include two-thirds of all pre-1821 Americana, and vast quantities of material from 1821-1876, the listings are extensive.
The online catalog is designed to be searchable in many different ways. You won’t be limited to the old author or title search of a card catalog. You can search through numerous other fields, such as names, subjects, year of publication, name of printer, and many more.
Naturally, the search will show you what’s available in the AAS library with information about their copy. However, the descriptions of the AAS’ copies can be very helpful in understanding copies in your own collection, or finding out more about titles you wish to collect. Of course, if you have printed material prior to 1877 that does not show up in the AAS catalog, you may have something interesting. If it predates 1821 and the AAS doesn’t have it, it’s probably very interesting. The Society would undoubtedly like to hear about it.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
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Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
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>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
