For Printed Materials: The Probability of Appearance
- by Bruce E. McKinney
Munsell's first book
The aggregate print runs of these 64 items total 78,270 and average 1,223. The question next is how many of these specific items and how many copies of each are found in libraries, the assumed safest and most logical place for such material to be found. To find out I searched for each in the OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center database of books et al held by about 40,000 participating libraries. For 34 of the 64 items I find at least one example in the OCLC. For the other 30 no examples are identified. For the 34 with at least one copy a total of 324 copies are found. Therefore, for about half [47%] of Munsell's early production, there are no examples in the OCLC and for the other half an average of nine. For 14 of these items 10 or more copies are found representing 255 of the 324 examples identified in the OCLC. For the other 20 items there are only 69 copies. There is the distinct impression of feast and famine.
Munsell Material: 1834-40. An Analysis by Presence and
Absence of Copies in the OCLC
Publications & Copies
Present
Absent
Total *
OCLC Copies
400 or less Copies
6
16
22 / 4,445
11
401 to 1000
17
13
30 / 22,375
190
1,001 to 4,000
9
0
9 / 19,450
74
4000+
2
1
3 / 32,000
49
* Number of Munsell print jobs and total copies printed
The size of the print run and the number of pages provide some clues about survival rates. For the 64 items in Munselliana with specified print runs the total of all copies printed is 78,270 and the 34 items for which at least one example is present 53,585 or 68.5% of the total. Thirty items representing 31.5% that were printed in an aggregate quantity of 24,685 are not found in the OCLC. It's apparent some items survive in disproportionate numbers and others perish disproportionately. For the items that are found in the OCLC their holdings comprise 6/10ths of 1% of the original print runs and the average print run is 1,576. For the 30 items for which no examples are located in the OCLC the average print run is smaller: 823 but this doesn't explain why some items are held by many libraries and other items have not a single copy. Not surprisingly the number of copies printed is a complicated variable involving judgments, preferences and luck or lack of it.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
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Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
