Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 75. The Second Printed Map of the North American Continent - Full Contemporary Color (1593) Est. $35,000 - $40,000
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 37. Schedel's Ancient World Map with Fantastic Humanoid Creatures (1493) Est. $16,000 - $18,000
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 104. Important Revolutionary War Plan of Battle of Quebec in Contemporary Color (1776) Est. $4,000 - $4,750
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 43. Mercator's Map of the North Pole - the First Printed Map Devoted to the Arctic (1606) Est. $2,750 - $3,500
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 237. Rare and Striking Bird's-Eye View of Lawrence, Kansas (1880) Est. $2,000 - $2,500
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 10. Rare Map from Atlas Maior with Representations of the Seasons in Contemporary Color (1662) Est. $14,000 - $17,000
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 374. Bunting's Map of Europe Depicted as the Queen of the World (1589) Est. $2,000 - $2,400
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 590. Willem Blaeu's Magnificent Carte-a-Figures Map of Asia (1634) Est. $2,750 - $3,500
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 647. The Earliest and Most Decorative Map of the East Coast of Africa (1596) Est. $3,000 - $3,750
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 710. Ruscelli's Complete, Third Edition Atlas with 65 Maps (1574) Est. $9,500 - $11,000
Old World Auctions (Nov 12): Lot 696. Superb Hand-Colored Image of the Adoration of the Shepherds (1502) Est. $800 - $950
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 308 - Bob Dylan Handwritten & Signed Lyrics to "Just Like a Woman" With Jeff Rosen & JSA Authentication
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 455 - Isaac Newton Admiration For Judaism & Moral Continuity With Christianity! 350+ Words in his Hand - Extraordinary Content!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 219 - 371g Moon Meteorite, Incredible Find - Laâyoune 002
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 448 - Scarce Einstein AM on Unified Field Theory, 180+ Words & 11 Equations in His Hand! From His Published Article, "A Generalization of the Relativistic Theory of Gravitation"
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 159 - Woodrow Wilson Baseball Signed for WWI Red Cross Fundraiser, Ex. Forbes & PSA Authentic - Finest Known!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 84 - Lee Harvey Oswald ALS to Brother, Trying Desperately to Get out of Russia! Highly Important
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 152 - George Washington Signed Discharge for MA Soldier Whose Regiment Was at Bunker Hill!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 88 - Abraham Lincoln Fully Signed Military Appointment for Mexican War Vet & Respected Cavalryman
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 188 - Apollo XI Astronauts & Their Wives Signed Photo, Plus Crew Signed Cover, From Apollo XI Presidential Goodwill Tour Era, Pre-Cert Zarelli
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 265 - Martin Luther King, Jr. TLS Re: "Stride Toward Freedom" Film Rights To Literary Agent Marie Rodell
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 324 - John Lennon Signed Apple Records Check, PSA GEM MT 10! Possibly Finest Known
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 79 - John & Jacqueline Kennedy Signed WH 1963 Christmas Gift Inscribed to Close Friend Joan Braden, PSA Authentic
New Certification Assures Your Book Was Written by a Human
- by Michael Stillman
The Books By People seal.
Books have never had a rating system like movies, but a new certification process has recently been developed to combat an issue Shakespeare never faced. Actually, no publisher or author has been questioned on this until very recently. However, it is now enough of an issue that a new certification process has been developed to reassure readers their books were actually written by people. The certifier is a recently formed organization called "Books By People."
This may sound crazy, but what Books By People certifies is that books were written by people. The concern is not the infinite monkey theorem - that monkeys given an infinite amount of time can write the works of Shakespeare by randomly tapping on the keys. The culprit here is a creation of technology - AI. Artificial Intelligence is replacing human creativity in so much of what you read on the internet, even though you may not know it. It is writing books too, or giving the "author" a major hand, with ten additional fingers to pound on his or her imaginary typewriter. Pity those authors from five years ago who had to write their books by themselves.
Books By People describes the issue succinctly, "AI is flooding the literary world with imitations of human storytelling, challenging the publishing world to respond. Without safeguards, authentic human work will inevitably struggle to maintain the visibility and credibility it deserves." They even have a name for human created literature, "organic literature." No artificial ingredients, pumped out by a machine. This is real literature, created the old-fashion way, by a human being. Books By People defines organic literature as "books conceived and written by humans, where structure, voice and character development originate from the author. If there is AI use involved, it is for spelling or formatting, not for generating or rewriting meaningful content." Their mission, they explain, is "to uphold a trusted and recognisable ‘Organic Literature’ market by supporting publishers and authors who champion human writing, and by making that commitment clear and valuable to readers."
Books By People will review a publisher's editorial practices, check some samples of their titles, and if all is in order, issue certification that their books were actually written by people.
Bonhams, Nov. 3-13: Inscribed by Martin Luther King Jr. King, Martin Luther, Jr. $3,000-$5,000
Sotheby’s Book Week November & December
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Tory, Geoffroy. L'Art et science de la vraye proportion des Lettres. Paris 1549. Seconde édition. In-8. Reliure de P.L. Martin. €7,000 to €9,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Gauguin, Paul. Lettre autographe signée à son ami Émile Bernard. [Le Pouldu août 1889]. Illustrée d'un croquis original. €10,000 to €15,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: [Portulan — Joan Martines, attribué à]. Carte portulan de la côte atlantique de l'Amérique du Sud. [Messine, vers 1570-1591.] €15,000 to €20,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Zamora, Alonso de. Historia de la provincia de San Antonio del nuevo reyno de Granada... Barcelone, 1701. €10,000 to €15,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: [Chastenet de Puységur, Antoine]. Détail sur la navigation aux côtes de Saint-Domingue... Paris, 1787. €5,000 to €7,000.
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: HEMINGWAY, Ernest. Three Stories and Ten Poems. First edition, inscribed to his cousin, Ruth White Lowry. $60,000-80,000
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: CURTIS, Edward S. The North American Indian... Portfolio and two text volumes. $20,000-30,000
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: A Superb Illuminated Manuscript of Tennyson’s Le Morte d'Arthur, ca. 1910, by Alberto Sangorksi and in an exceptional Riviere binding. $40,000-50,000
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: A Remarkable Epistle from Robert Burns to Frances Dunlop, containing all lines of the first version of "Written in Friars Carse Hermitage" and 12 lines of the first version of "First Epistle to Robert Graham Esq." $20,000-30,000
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: FAULKNER, William. Go Down, Moses. First edition, limited issue, one of 100 copies signed by Faulkner. $10,000-15,000
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. Of Human Bondage. First English edition, presentation copy, inscribed by Maugham, in the rare suppressed dust-jacket. $40,000-50,000
Freeman’s, Nov. 13: An Excessively Rare First Issue and Previously Unrecorded Copy of Shakespeare’s Third Folio. $40,000-60,000