Doyle’s upcoming auction of collectible paper in many forms on December 6th is fun and easy to parse. There are 305 lots that can be searched by term or category. It’s effect is to personalize the sale to become precisely what you are looking for.
Here are some examples. When you run the term framed against the full text, you immediately have 67 lots. You prefer books?: 90, manuscripts 39, ephemera 2, broadside 0, maps 41 and signed 83. There may be some stout hearted folks who consider everything. But in the real world, Doyle’s tools [in conjunction with their cataloguing], for those who are often busy, can plunge into their 12/6 sale in a matter of seconds. Given Rare Book Hub’s huge number of almost daily auctions, Doyle’s tools, make their sales very inviting.
As to what’s on offer, generally the estimates are modest, causing you to pause over the images, prompting you to consider what you didn’t expect.
Altogether, this reminds us that catalogue presentation at auction can make a significant difference. Cumbersome cataloguing reduces readership. Great software and skillful description convert into more bids.
As to some specifics about material on offer, I’m choosing by price. Here two two lots, the most valuable based on their estimates.
No. 532. A remarkable Harry Truman archive featuring an inscribed beam from the White House, inscribed photographs, and letters. An archive of letters, inscribed photographs, and an inscribed White House beam from Harry Truman, with a few from Bess & Margaret Truman, to James Van Sant (1931-2023), son of Truman's close friend and confidant from Missouri, the CEO of General Steel Industries of St. Louis, Thomas Van Sant (1892-1957). Estimated $8,000 - $12,000. If you win this one, you’ll have something to brag about.
Lot. 738.An extensive archive of unpublished drafts of fantasy stories by Raymond Chandler. It you want a lot that you can parse and discuss, this is one of them.
Here it is: A group of drafts of stories written by Raymond Chandler as early as 1921 and six lists of titles linking these stories into a collection. Together nearly 800 typed pages, many with manuscript annotations, additions, and titles.
Estimated $60,000 to $80,000
If this is in your field, consider it.
As to the other 300+ lots, most of the material is well described with estimated $1,000+.
