Rare Book Monthly

Articles - January - 2025 Issue

Introducing Categories: Maps, our first!

From the beginning of the printed word, records about them have been kept. Their form soon coalesced into a common understanding that title, author, date and place published identifies most printings.  Since then, not much has changed, until now.

 

Until now, search logic was used to penetrate catalogues and databases with three or more of these:

 

 

 

            By author name

            By title

            By subject

            And by date

 

And these identifiers still work fine. However, we’re in the earliest moments when collectible paper will dominate the field.  Searching by title and author will sometimes work but often won’t.  To resolve this issue we’re adding a category search that is based on terms that have been consistently employed to identify specific categories, within the 34,875 auctions our data relies on.

 

Our first is MAPS.  Within Transactions+ we are currently providing 14,598,183 records, which include 1.257 million records that provide a detailed auction history for and about maps that occurred over the past 175 years.

 

For the maps collector, this slice of our database costs $250 a year.

 

While we focus on the past, we are also looking at the unfolding present.  To do this we’re linking the Maps category with a MatchMaker style service that will identify all upcoming lots that meet our category criteria. When lots meet our database criteria, we’ll post a hot link for paid services members.

 

To find Categories, it’s now a link on the toolbar.  You’ll find Maps now and soon after a lengthening list of categories, with their related upcoming lots. 

 

Welcome to the new world.

 

If you interested in maps but not ready to subscribe, you can simply sign up as a FREE Maps member.  We’ll provide a free 14 day look-see. Please provide your information via this Google form.

 

For Paid Services members, simply log in now or whenever you wish, then click on Categories on our Main Toolbar.

 

If not a member and want to try a Look-See, fill in the attached email. Mention your preferred start date.

 

Our Best

 

Rare Book Hub

Rare Book Monthly

  • Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 702. Munster's Largest 16th Century Edition, with Over 220 Woodcut Maps (1598) Est. $18,000 - $20,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 101. Rare Jo Mora "Carte" Showing a NYC-to-Seattle Route through Panama Canal (1933) Est. $900 - $1,100
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 65. The Waldseemuller/Fries "Admiral's Map" (1541) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 46. Contains all 30 Plates from Atlas Coelestis in Full Original Color (1742) Est. $16,000 - $18,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 129. The First Map to Name New Scotland and Cape Cod (1625) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 663. The First Printed Map Devoted to the Pacific in Full Contemporary Color (1589) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 629. De Jode's Rare Map of Eastern Asia (1593) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 171. De Bry's Influential Map of Colonial North America (1591) Est. $11,000 - $13,000
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 691. Superb Hand-Colored Image of the Holy Trinity (1502) Est. $800 - $950
    Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
    Lot 606. Important, Early Atlas of Japan with 75 Woodcut Maps in Printed Color (1837) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
  • Koller, Sep. 16: FRANZÖSISCHE REVOLUTION - ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE - Extrait des Procès-Verbaux de L'Assemblée Nationale, Des 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 Août & premier Octobre 1789.
    Koller, Sep. 16: MOURADJA D'OHSSON, IGNACE. Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman, divisé en deux parties dont l'une comprend la Législation Mahométane, l'autre l'histoire de l'Empire Othoman [... ]
    Koller, Sep. 16: BOTANIK - Blackwell, Elisabeth. A curious herbal, containig five hundred cuts, of the most useful plants, which are now used in the practice of physick.
    Koller, Sep. 16: SCHEUCHZER, JOHANN JAKOB. Physica Sacra. Iconibus Aeneis illustrata procurante & sumtus suppeditante.
    Koller, Sep. 16: HAIMONSKINDER – Eyn schön lustig Geschicht, wie Keyser Carle der groß, vier gebrüder, Hertzog Aymont von Dordons Süne [...]
    Koller, Sep. 16: KRÄUTERBÜCHER - HORTUS SANITATIS - [H]ortus Sanitatis. De herbis et plantis. De animalibus et reptilibus. De avibus et volatilibus. De piscibus et natalibus…
    Koller, Sep. 16: GAUGUIN, PAUL, MALER (1848-1903). Eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift und Couvert. An den Künstler und Freund Daniel de Monfreid in Paris.
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark, 1746 [bound with] A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster, [c.1755]. £30,000 - £50,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Gafurius (Franchinus). De Harmonia Musicorum Instrumentorum Opus, first edition, Milan, Gotarto da Ponte, 1518. £20,000 - £30,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, first impression, 1937. £10,000 - £15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: Stackelberg (Otto Magnus v). Costumes et Usages des Peuples de la Grece Moderne, first edition, Rome, 1825. £15,000 - £20,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Piranesi (Giovanni Battista). Le Antichita Romane, 4 vol., Rome, Bouchard and Gravier, 1756. £10,000 - £15,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Henry VIII's Primer.- Church of England.- The Primer, set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie…,, first edition, by Richard Grafton printer to the Princes grace, 1545; bound with 2 others, similar. £10,000 - £15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: Darwin (Charles). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, fifth edition, ink inscription in the author's hand laid down to half-title, 1869. £6,000 - £8,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Siebold (P.F. von) J.G. Zuccarini and F.A.W. Miquel. Flora Japonica, 2 vol., first edition, Leiden, for the author, 1835-70. £6,000 - £8,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Illuminated manuscript facsimile.- Constitution Of India (The), Dehra Dun, Survey of India Offices, [c. 1950]. £3,500 - £5,000
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    24th September 2026
    Forum, Sep. 24: Mao Tse-tung. Quotations of Chairman Mao, prototype edition, Shenyang, compiled and printed by the Political Department, Air Force Division of Shenyang Military Region, 1963. £3,000 - £4,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Richardson (John). Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, 4 vol., first edition, Norwich, Josiah Fletcher, 1829-37. £4,000 - £6,000
    Forum, Sep. 24: Mite (The), the printer/publisher's own copy with the original type and printing blocks for all three of its editions (1891, 1893 & 1896), Grimsby, Ernest A. Robinson, 1891. £3,000 - £4,000.
  • Leland Little, September 11: Kenneth Claiborne Royall (1894-1971), Large Archive with Letters from Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
    Leland Little, September 11: Harry S. Truman, Scarce Autograph Letter Signed as 33rd U.S. President.
    Leland Little, September 11: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) (1835-1910), Autograph Quotation Signed.
    Leland Little, September 11: The History of North America, the Extremely Scarce Deluxe "Edition of the Presidents."
    Leland Little, September 11: Scarce First Edition of Krafft's The American Distiller.
    Leland Little, September 11: Inscribed First Edition of James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room.
    Leland Little, September 11: A Signed Limited Edition of Love in the Time of Cholera.
    Leland Little, September 11: The Extremely Scarce Limited and Extra-Illustrated Edition of The Works of Charles Dickens.
    Leland Little, September 11: A Beautifully Bound Limited Edition of Émile Zola's The Rougon-Macquart.
    Leland Little, September 11: The Elaborately Bound and Extremely Scarce The Shakespeare Gallery.
    Leland Little, September 11: Hunting, Hawking, Shooting, A Signed Limited Edition Four Volume Set.
    Leland Little, September 11: Signed Limited Edition of Salmon-Salmon with a Chapter on Iceland.
  • Sotheby’s
    Original Film Posters
    10 September 2026
    Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: The Invisible Man (1933). Extremely Rare US Leader Press One Sheet. £20,000 to £26,000.
    Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: You Only Live Twice (1967). Italian Advance Quattro Fogli. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: A Dog's Life (1918). Extremely Rare US One Sheet. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: La Belle et la Bête/Beauty and the Beast (1946). French Style A Grande. £12,000 to £18,000.
    Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). US Lenticular Prototype One Sheet. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Théâtre d’Ombres (1897). Exceptionally Rare French Poster. £8,000 to £12,000.

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