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CHRISTIE’S
Valuable Books and Manuscripts
London auction
13 December
Find out moreChristie’s, Explore now
TREW, Christoph Jacob (1695–1769). Plantae Selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortus curiosorum. [Nuremberg: 1750–1773]. £30,000–40,000Christie’s, Explore now
VERBIEST, Ferdinand (1623–88). Liber Organicus Astronomiae Europaeae apud Sinas restituate. [Beijing: Board of Astronomy, 1674]. £250,000–350,000Christie’s, Explore now
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALICE & NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT. Master of Jean Rolin (active 1445–65). Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French, [Paris, c.1450–1460]. £120,000–180,000Christie’s, Explore now
A SILVER MICROSCOPE. Probably by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), c.1700. £150,000–250,000Christie’s, Explore now
AN ENGLISH HORARY QUADRANT
C.1311. £100,000–150,000 -
Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Roberts (David) & Croly (George). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumae, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia. Lond. 1842 - 1843 [-49]. First Edn. €10,000 to €15,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Incunabula: O'Fihily (Maurice). Duns Scotus Joannes: O'Fihely, Maurice Abp… Venice, 20th November 1497. €8,000 to €12,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: An important file of documents with provenance to G.A. Newsom, manager of the Jacob’s Factory in Dublin, occupied by insurgents during Easter Week 1916. €6,000 to €9,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: WILDE (Oscar), 1854-1900, playwright, aesthete and wit. A lock of Wilde’s Hair, presented by his son to the distinguished Irish actor Mícheál MacLiammóir. €6,000 to €8,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Heaney (Seamus). Bog Poems, London, 1975. Special Limited Edition, No. 33 of 150 Copies, Signed by Author. Illus. by Barrie Cooke. €4,000 to €6,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Binding: Burke, Thomas O.P. (de Burgo). Hibernia Dominicana, Sive Historia Provinciae Hiberniae Ordinis Praedicatorum, ... 1762. First Edition. €4,000 to €6,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: COLLINS, Michael. An important TL, 29 July 1922, addressed to GOVERNMENT on ‘suggested Proclamation warning all concerned that troops have orders to shoot prisoners found sniping, ambushing etc.’. €3,000 to €4,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Scott Fitzgerald (F.) The Great Gatsby, New York (Charles Scribner's Sons) 1925, First Edn. €2,000 to €3,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Yeats (W.B.) The Poems of W.B. Yeats, 2 vols. Lond. (MacMillan & Co.) 1949. Limited Edition, No. 46 of 375 Copies Only, Signed by W.B. Yeats. €1,500 to €2,000.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of the Russian Empire, Description in English and French, Lg. folio London (S. Gosnell) 1803. First Edn. €1,000 to €1,500.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of Turkey, Illustrated by a Series of Engravings. Lg. folio Lond.(T. Bensley) 1802. First Edn. €800 to €1,200.Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Mason (Geo. Henry). The Costume of China, Illustrated with Sixty Engravings. Lg. folio London (for W. Miller) 1800. First Edn. €1,400 to €1,800
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ABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
abaa.org/vbfABAA VBF: Holiday EditionNovember 30-December 2
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Sotheby’s
Fine Books from a Distinguished Private Library
28 November 2023Sotheby’s, Nov. 28: Captain Thomas Brown | Illustrations of the American ornithology. £80000-120000Sotheby’s, Nov. 28: William Hamilton | Campi phlegraei. £40000-60000Sotheby’s, Nov. 28: Nicola Zabaglia and Domenico Fontana | Castelli, e ponti con alcune ingegnose pratiche. £6000-8000Sotheby’s, Nov. 28: Bible, German | Nuremberg: Koberger, 1483. £40000-60000Sotheby’s, Nov. 28: Bible, English | King James version. £8000-12000
Rare Book Monthly
Articles - February - 2006 Issue
Swann Americana Sale February 2nd
By Bruce McKinney
On February 2nd Swann Galleries conducts what is essentially a semi-annual auction of Americana. As was the case last year, the material is an interesting assortment of obscurity, rarity and condition that requires the auction bidder to read carefully. There are 310 lots. Only 73 of them have estimates that reach four figures. Sixty-six others have high estimates of $250 or less and Swann advertises their auctions on eBay where realizations of more than $250 are uncommon but where many of the new generation of collectors are learning to collect. This sale is of course much more than entry level lots. As the following 10 lots illustrate there is a complex assortment for almost every category of printed material for the Americana collector. These sales typically achieve a 90% sell through, a sure indication that estimates are set toward the low side.
Lot 8 is William Bartram's Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. This is the first English edition [1792] and not generally the edition collectors covet. However, this copy is in boards and that makes this copy unusual and attractive.
In the AED there are 25 records. They suggest the book has been widely reported and collected for more than a hundred years. This copy, uncut and in original boards is estimated $3,000 to $4,000 and seems interesting.
AE Footnote 1
Lot 11 is a 1782 Aitken Bible, an important book for collectors of American bibles. It is the first printing of this book in English in America. It lacks the title page, a very significant defect. There are other condition issues as well which require careful evaluation. The market for this book has been strong. In the AED there are seven records. They suggest a higher valuation but this copy lacks the title page and will be anathema to some collectors and dealers. Nevertheless it's interesting. It is estimated $8,000 to $12,000.
AE Footnote 2
Lot 28 is interesting. It's a color lithographed poster of Palo Alto and the Leland Stanford Junior University. It was issued by N. C. Carnell & Co. in 1888. On the East Coast 1888 passes for new while in California it is old. This lithographed poster, with 7 insets including views of the Quadrangle and maps is approximately 42x28 inches. It looks to be very collectible, a view that Swann shares as they have given it the entire back page of the catalogue, a meaningful endorsement. It is estimated $3,000 to $4,000.