AbeBooks has released their list of the top 15 prices paid on the largest old and rare books selling site in the world during the first quarter of 2023. The publishing dates range from 1529-2020, with almost half coming from the second half of the twentieth century. Most are in English, with a couple in German and one in Latin. The topics are so varied that no trend can be discerned. One thing that can be seen is that these days, no one is more popular among the young than the Wonderful Wizard of … Hogwarts. Here is that list of highest prices from January-March 2023.
15. The Wormser Bibel, published in the city of Worms in 1529 by Peter Schoffer the Younger, son of Gutenberg's assistant. The first Protestant Bible in German. $10,600.
14. Artis Magnae Artilleriae by Kazimierz Sirmienowicz, published in 1650. All about artillery and fireworks. $12,000.
13. 1765 tax stamp for 12s 6d, applied by the British to tax paper goods in colonial America. This was, of course, so loathed a symbol of taxation without representation that it was one of the leading causes of the American Revolution. $12,000.
12. Whispers From Eternity by Paramahansa Yogananda, published in 1944. Yogananda introduced Indian meditation and yoga to Americans. This copy was inscribed. $12,500.
11. Smith of Wootton Major by J. R. R. Tolkien, published in 1967. A book that not unexpectedly explores fantasy. $15,000.
10. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, published in 1950. In case you were wondering where this AI stuff is taking us. $15,000.
9. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, published in 1843. This book is never out of season. $16,000.
8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick, published in 1968. Is that a serious or rhetorical question? $17,195.
7. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft, published in 1792. A book and a woman who were ahead of their time. $17,680.
6. Der Hungern Chronica (the Hungarian Chronicles) by Janos Thuroczy published in 1534. First German edition of a book first published in Latin in 1488. It describes Medieval Hungarian history. $20,580.
5. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming, published in 1953. The book that first introduced 007, James Bond, to the world. $21,870.
4. The Sistine Chapel by Vatican Museums, a three-volume, elephant folio masterpiece published in 2020. It contains a selection of the best of 270,000 photographs taken for the project. $22,000.
3. Ichthylogy of South Carolina by John Edwards Holbrook, published 1855-57. If you ever go fishing in South Carolina, this book should help you identify your catch. $26,000.
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, a paperback first edition published in 1997. One of 5,000 copies printed. Inscribed by Rowling. $26,750.
1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, a true first edition published in 1997. One of 300 copies from a print run of 500 provided to libraries. This one went to the Edinburgh library, Rowling's hometown. The library card shows it was borrowed 27 times from 1997-1999 before being withdrawn. $85,620.
Aste Bolaffi, June 17-18: Galileo Galilei. Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo tolemaico, e copernicano. Firenze, 1632
Aste Bolaffi, June 17-18: Saverio Manetti. Storia naturale degli uccelli. Firenze, 1771-76
Aste Bolaffi, June 17-18: Fortunato Depero. Depero futurista. Rovereto, 1927
Aste Bolaffi, June 17-18: Nicolas Visscher. Atlas minor sive totius orbis terrarum contracta delineat ex conatibus. Amsterdam, circa 1649-95
Aste Bolaffi, June 17-18: Andreas Vesalius. Anatomia. Addita nunc. Antiquorum Anatome. Venezia, 1604
Aste Bolaffi, June 17-18: Tristan Tzara and Salvador Dalì. Grains et Issues. Parigi, 1935
June 25, 2026
Doyle, June 25: Houdini's biography, boldly signed. $3,000 to $5,000.
Doyle, June 25: A volume from Abraham Lincoln's library, signed just before heading to Washington for his inauguration. $20,000 to $30,000.
Doyle, June 25: A very early Confederate recruiting manual belonging to the chief commissary in Lee's Army. $600 to $800.
Doyle, June 25: Rare hand-colored lithographs of the life of Napoleon. $20,000 to $30,000.
Doyle, June 25: The "Holster Atlas" of the American Revolution. $5,000 to $8,000.
Doyle, June 25: Jewish ceremonies in fine hand-colored engravings. $7,000 to $10,000.
Doyle, June 25: A very rare work on Turkish military costume. $1,000 to $1,500.
June 25, 2026
Doyle, June 25: The most important illustrated work on the Mexican-American War. $10,000 to $15,000.
Doyle, June 25: The finest illustrated book on Afghanistan. $10,000 to $15,000.
Doyle, June 25: Henry Justice Ford St. George rescues the Princess from the horrible Dragon. $2,000 to $3,000.
Doyle, June 25: A rare work of Prussian Army uniforms under Frederick William II, with exquisite hand-colored engravings. $800 to $1,200.
Doyle, June 25: Lenny Bruce typed letter signed to a Village bohemian during his obscenity trials, with a manuscript note and drawing. $300 to $500.
Doyle, June 25: Schiff's scarce Shanghai Sketchbook. $300 to $500.
Doyle, June 25: The first accurate published representation of the American flag. $2,000 to $4,000.
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 123. Celebrate 250 Years of Independence with Original Stars and Stripes (1790) Est. $1,400 - $1,700
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 20. Keulen's Spectacular Chart of the World Featuring California as an Island (1728) Est. $12,000 - $15,000
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 42. Schedel's Ancient World Map with Fantastic Humanoid Creatures (1493) Est. $14,000 - $17,000
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 591. Matching Set of 3 Stunning Globe Gores of Eastern Asia from Coronelli's 3.5 Foot Globe (1688) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 9. Speed's Popular World Map with Allegorical Representations of the Elements (1651) Est. $14,000 - $17,000
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 168. First Separate Map of Kansas & Nebraska Territories (1854) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 43. Only Macrobius Map with Britain Attached to Europe (1515) Est. $800 - $950
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 250. Rare Map of Boston and One of the Earliest Maps of the Revolutionary War (1775) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 79. Schenk's Uncommon Map Featuring Two Figurative Title Cartouches (1696) Est. $1,200 - $1,500
Old World Auctions (June 17): Lot 681. Hand-Colored Image of the Annunciation to the Shepherds (1502) Est. $800 - $950
Sotheby's Book Week 2 June - 9 July
Sotheby’s, June 25: Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations, on its 250th anniversary. $180,000 to $250,000.
Sotheby’s, June 17: Fontana, Lucio. Concetto Spaziale. 1967. Leporello en papier doré. Bel exemplaire signé. €4,000 to $€,000.
Sotheby’s, June 25: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”. $150,000 to $200,000.
Sotheby’s, June 25: Washington, George (as First President). Washington decries “an ostentatious imitation, or mimickry of Royalty” in his Presidency. $250,000 to $500,000.
Sotheby’s, June 17: Lope de Vega. Rare manuscrit autographe signé de la préface dédicatoire de "El Cardenal de Belen" (le cardinal de Bethléem), pièce composée en 1610. €40,000 to €60,000.
