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Articles - May - 2006 Issue

Interesting Auction Coming UP

- by Bruce E. McKinney

Look for serious book auctions this year.

Look for serious book auctions this year.


By Bruce McKinney

Part I of the Rare and Historic Book Collection of the Springfield Museums of Springfield, Massachusetts is up for auction on May 27th at Knotty Pine Auction Service in New Hampshire. Much of the material is marked ex-lib and condition is for many lots an issue. Nevertheless there are unusual rarities that warrant consideration. This is the first of a series of sales to disperse substantial holdings.

The material was acquired in the 19th century and was for many years part of museum resources. They are being sold to raise funds for future museum projects and Knotty Pine Auction Service of West Swanzey, New Hampshire is handling the sales.

Because of the complex, sophisticated and in many cases rare nature of the material full electronic catalogues are being prepared. The first sale, containing 310 lots, has been documented and researched by Kathleen Pew who has worked on this project for several months.

Among the interesting items are --

[000026] Braund, J.. Illustrations of Furniture, Candelabra, Musical Instruments From the Great Exhibitions of London & Paris with Examples of Similar Articles From Royal Palaces and Noble Mansions. London: J. Braund, 1858. First Edition. Elephant Folio - over 15" - 23" tall. Ex-Library. Very Good condition. 1p. l., 3, 1 subscribers (Prince Albert listed first), 48 engraved plates. Bound in 3/4 buckram and marbled paper, leather paste-on spine label with gilt. Covers show edge wear. BINDING AND HINGES TIGHT. EST: $1600.00 - $2,000.00

[000044] Garnier, Edouard [with historical Introduction by]. The Soft Porcelain of Sevres - 10 Parts in 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1891. Elephant Folio - over 15" - 23" tall. Ex-Library. Very Good condition. LIMITED TO 283 EDITIONS, this being #21. 32pp text, 50 chromolithographic plates enhanced with gold, & captioned tissue guards. Plus 250 water-colour subjects after the originals. Ten parts in one, unbound in cloth portfolio with ties. EST: $2500.00 - $3,000.00

[000056] Bull-Us, Hector [pseudonym for Paulding, James Kirke]. The Diverting History of John Bull and Brother Jonathan. New York: Inskeep & Bradford, 1812. First Edition. 24mo - over 5" - 5 3/4" tall. Ex-Library. Good condition. 135pp bound in 3/4 leather and marbled paper. Cover show wear, front cover detached, light foxing. SCARCE. EST: $400.00 - $600.00

Rare Book Monthly

  • ALDE, Apr. 8: GUEVARA (ANTONIO DE). Histoire de Marc-Aurèle, Empereur Romain, vray miroir et horloge des Princes. Paris, Pierre et Galliot du Pré, frères, 1565. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: HEURES DE LA VIERGE. Horæ in laudem beatissimæ virginis Mariæ ad usum Romanum. Paris, Charles L'Angelier, 1556. €4,000 to €5,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: MONTAIGNE (MICHEL DE). Les Essais. Édition nouvelle, trouvée après le deceds de l'autheur… Paris, Abel L'Angelier, 1595. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [ROJAS (FERNANDO DE)]. Celestina, tragicomedia di Calisto et Melibea, tradotta de lingua castigliana in italiano idioma… Venise, 1531. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CAMÕES (LUÍS DE). Os Lusiadas. Lisbonne, Pedro Crasbeeck, 1613. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Bruxelles, Roger Velpius & Huberto Antonio, 1611. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: LA FONTAINE (JEAN DE). Fables choisies, mises en vers. Paris, Denys Thierry et Claude Barbin, 1678-1694. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Madrid, Joaquin Ibarra, 1780. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: DIDEROT (DENIS) ET JEAN LE ROND D'ALEMBERT. Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. Paris, 1751-1765. €15,000 to €20,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. LAMARTINE (Alphonse de). Les Laboureurs. Poème tiré de Jocelyn… Lyon, J. A. Henry, 1883. €8,000 to €10,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. Livre de prières tissé d'après les enluminures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVIe siècle. Lyon, [A. Roux], 1886. €5,000 to €6,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts & Objects from Three Important Collections
    Open for Bidding 2-17 April
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: [Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun]. Le Roman de la Rose, [Geneva or Lyons, c.1481], first printed edition of the most important medieval French vernacular poem. £200,000 to £300,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Castiglione. Il libro del cortegiano. [Venice], April 1528, first edition, in a magnificent binding by Jean Picard for Jean Grolier. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Jacobus de Cessolis. Schachzabelbuch, Strasbourg, 1483, von der Lasa copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: World Championship, 1972. A collection of 84 press photographs of the famed match between Spassky and Fischer. £2,000 to £3,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Ben Franklin. Autograph letter signed, to Lord Shelburne, British Prime Minister, during peace negotiations, November 1782. £15,000 to £20,000.

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