AbeBooks Most Expensive Books Sold in July-September 2023
- by Michael Stillman
North American Review collection (Between the Covers photo via AbeBooks).
AbeBooks has announced their latest list of the top prices paid for books sold on the top old and used books website in the world. This one covers the third quarter, July-September, of 2023. It is a list of the 13 highest prices, a lucky number, at least for the booksellers who sold these items. As always, there is a wide variety of material that reaches the heights, the one thing in common being the willingness of the buyers to spend what it takes to fill their collections. Here are those 13 most expensive items.
13. Cosmographey: das ist, Beschreibung Aller Länder... by Sebastian Münster, published in 1598. This Munster was not from the family more associated with Halloween, but a 16th century monk and professor, and in particular, cartographer and cosmographer. This book is a description of the world as known in the 16th century, with 1,200 woodcuts to illustrate it. Sold by Antiquariat Daniel Schramm. $13,200.
12. The Works of Henry James: The Novels and Tales, 24 volumes, by, of course, Henry James, published 1907-1909. A thorough collection of the works of the prolific novelist, playwright, etc., though not quite complete as he lived until 1916. Sold by Raptis Rare Books. $14,000.
10. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, first British trade edition, published in 1932. The dystopian novel projects a future state created by humans too smart for their own good. Sold by Burnside Rare Books. $15,000.
10. The North American Review and Miscellaneous Journal, 237 volumes. A nearly complete run of the great literary magazine published from 1815-1940. Many of the great writers and political figures of its time found their way into its pages. Sold by Between the Covers Rare Books. $15,000 (or just $63.30 an issue).
8. 12-Page Hand-written Letter and Other Documents by John Steinbeck. Writes Steinbeck, “A writer is essentially a very talkative person who has not the power of speech. And so he takes out his impulses with a pencil. The only social advantage he has over other bores lies in the fact that no one has to read him, no one that is except his agent. Relatives can avoid it, friends do.” Sold by CWO Books. $16,000.
8. Dark Passage by David Goodis, published in 1946. Inscribed by the author to Jerry Wald, who produced the film version starring Bogart and Bacall. Sold by Captain Ahab's Rare Books. $16,000.
7. The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade by Herman Melville, first English edition, published in 1857. Not his most famous or best-selling book, it is less common than that other book. Sold by Clarel Rare Books. $17,500.
6. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, first British edition, published in 1949. This one fits well on a list with Brave New World, another dystopian novel about our frightening future. Sold by Idler Fine Books. $17,550.
5. Letters Suppressed in the English Edition of "De Profundis" by Oscar Wilde, published in 1905. Letters from prison by Oscar Wilde to lover Lord Alfred Douglas were published posthumously by his literary executor, Robert Ross, who left some out. This is a proof copy of the rare first printing in English of these missing letters. Sold by Maggs Bros. Ltd. $19,000.
4. An Early Vellum Manuscript Leaf From A Carolingian Homiliary. Described as “outstanding example of the highly legible Caroline minuscule that dominated Europe in the ninth century.” Sold by Phillip J. Pirages Rare Books. $20,800.
3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, with a handwritten letter by the author, published in 1932. Second appearance on the list of this book, its value greatly enhanced by the letter. Sold by Quintessential Rare Books. $25,000.
2. The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot, published in 1922. A first U. S. edition of one of the most influential works of 20th century poetry. Sold by Quintessential Rare Books. $35,000.
1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, published in 1891. Wilde's second appearance on the list, this is a copy of the large paper “edition de luxe,” copy 115 of 250 signed by Wilde. Maybe it's best just not to have your portrait painted. Sold by Shapero Rare Books. $46,875.
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
Bonhams, June 14-23: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presentation Gold Pocket Watch. Estimate: $20,000 - 30,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: Presentation Copy of the First Issue of the Lincoln Douglas Debates Signed by Abraham Lincoln in Pencil to a Sangamon County Illinois Republican. Estimate: $150,000 - 250,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: A Senate Resolution Signed in the Tense Days After the Union's Humiliating Defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run. Estimate: $80,000 - $120,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: Seven Passages to a Flight, an Artists Book with a Story Quilt by Faith Ringgold, the Publisher's Own Copy. Estimate: $80,000 - 120,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: A New Charter for Virginia, A Response to the First Armed Rebellion in the American Colonies. Estimate: $15,000 - 25,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: Earliest obtainable printing of the Bill of Rights. Estimate: $8,000 - 12,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: Edward Curtis Orotone. Estimate: $7,000 - 9,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: Owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: A Butter or Dessert Plate from FDR's State Dinner Service. Estimate: $3,000 - 5,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: An Early Large-Format Plan of the City of Washington. Estimate: $1,500 - 2,500
Bonhams, June 14-23: Containing the First Map to Name the Hudson River. Estimate: $20,000 - 30,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: America's First Major Novelist, a Complete Chapter in Autograph Manuscript by James Fenimore Cooper. Estimate: $15,000 - 20,000
Bonhams, June 14-23: The Only Full-Length Book by Jefferson, with the Justly Famous Map. Estimate: $12,000 - 18,000
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.
