Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 25: Lot 526 William Shakespeare. Hamlet. Cranach Press, 1928.
Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 25: Lot 1022. Eugen Johann Christoph Esper. Butterflies Leipzig, 1829-1839.
Doyle Rare Books, Autographs & Maps April 16, 2026
Doyle, Apr. 16: Twelve miscellaneous volumes on Italian history and literature. $100 to $200.
Doyle, Apr. 16: A fine collection of Company school paintings of Mughal monuments. $4,000 to $6,000.
Doyle, Apr. 16: A Book of Hours of Rouen with eight miniatures. $30,000 to $45,000.
Doyle, Apr. 16: Einstein discusses General Relativity and the Unified Field Theory. $20,000 to $30,000.
Doyle, Apr. 16: An extraordinary letter from Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale. $12,000 to $18,000.
Doyle, Apr. 16: Extraordinary color plates of the geology of St. Helena. $800 to $1,200.
Doyle, Apr. 16: The deluxe issue of Rorer's Mimpish Squinnies. $800 to $1,200.
Swann Fine Books Featuring Focus on Women April 23, 2026
Swann, Apr. 23: Thomas Heywood. An Apology for Actors. London: Printed by Nicholas Okes, 1612. $3,000 to $5,000.
Swann, Apr. 23: Illuminated Islamic Devotional Manuscript. 19th century. Approx. 90 leaves with gilt-decorated title and 2 full page miniatures of Mecca and Medina. $800 to $1,200.
Swann, Apr. 23: Antiphonal in Latin. Manuscript on Parchment. Cologne, early 16th century. $7,000 to $9,000.
Swann Fine Books Featuring Focus on Women April 23, 2026
Swann, Apr. 23: Mohammed ibn Jafir Albategnius. De Scientia Stellarum Liber. Bologna: Victor Benati, 1645. $8,000 to $12,000.
Swann, Apr. 23: Frank Herbert. Dune. Fine First Edition. Philadelphia: Chilton Books, 1965. $5,000 to $7,000.
Swann, Apr. 23: William Shakespeare. Five Plays from the Second Folio. London: Thomas Cotes for Robert Allot, 1632. $6,000 to $8,000.
Swann Fine Books Featuring Focus on Women April 23, 2026
Swann, Apr. 23: John Steinbeck. Of Mice and Men. New York: Covici-Friede, 1937. First edition, first issue. $800 to $1,200.
Swann, Apr. 23: Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities. With an A.L.S. London: Chapman and Hall, 1859. First edition, first issue. $1,200 to $1,800.
Swann, Apr. 23: Ursula K. LeGuin. The Left Hand of Darkness. Inscribed First Edition. New York: Walker and Company, 1969. $800 to $1,200.
Swann Fine Books Featuring Focus on Women April 23, 2026
Swann, Apr. 23: L. Frank Baum & Ruth Plumly Thompson. Five First Canadian editions including Ozma of Oz; The Emerald City of Oz; Glinda of Oz; [and others]. $1,000 to $1,500.
Swann, Apr. 23: Corita Kent. Different Drummer. 1967. Color screenprint; signed "Corita" in pencil on the lower edge. $1,000 to $1,500.
Swann, Apr. 23: Bible in English. Tyndale-Taverner Translation. The Bugge Bible. The Holye Bible. London: Imprinted by John Daye and Willyam Seres, 1549. $1,500 to $2,000.
ESA-46 is Reported to have drawn enthusiastic crowds
The American Society of Ephemera’s annual event, known as ESA-46, wrapped up on the March 22nd and is reported to have drawn an enthusiastic crowd to Greenwich, Connecticut to talk about, hear about, sell or buy this niche category of collectible paper. The fair had about 60 exhibiting dealers. Many will be exhibiting in New York at the end of April in the ABAA or neighboring fairs.
This year’s theme, America’s 250 Years: Ephemera Shapes America, was well suited for a history-oriented audience.
Here’s a list of Notable and Reported Sales & Items.
Civil War Valentines: These were a major highlight of the fair. Rare "pop-up" and hand-painted examples from the 1860s reportedly moved quickly, with some reaching the mid-to-high hundreds ($500–$800+).
Black Liberation Posters:Mare Booksellers offered a rare Support Black Liberation, Free Assata Shakur poster. Institutional collectors (libraries and museums) are often the buyers for these types of high-impact social history archives.
The Shell Oil "Peepshow": A 1928 seven-panel promotional item by Barnett Freedman. These are highly sought after by design collectors and usually command $1,000 to $2,500 depending on condition.
Vernacular Photography & Archives: Small archives of personal letters and photos, such as a 1970s drag performer’s archive, were popular. Prices for these types of "unique story" items generally ranged from $300 to $1,500.
Entry-Level Treasures: Dealers reported strong "volume" sales of items priced between $10 and $50, such as vintage trade cards, 19th-century banknotes, and real-photo postcards.
The Ephemera Society of America encourages and needs fresh membership. When you contact them, think of them as the future of the past.
This is where you can find membership details, the Ephemera Journal, and recaps of the recent Ephemera 46 conference in Greenwich. If you join quickly you can get a discount on tickets for the NYIABF that opens on April 30th.
Heritage, May 13: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. The dedication copy, inscribed to John W. Campbell, Jr.
Heritage, May 13: Aldous Huxley. Brave New World. A fine copy, in a brilliant dust jacket.
Heritage, May 13: Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author.
Heritage, May 13: Robert A. Heinlein. Stranger in a Strange Land. A fine copy, signed by the author.
Heritage, May 13: Jules Verne. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. Exceedingly rare true first American edition, first issue.
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.
S&D Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions Rare Maps, Prints & Art 1478-1882 April 16, 2026
SD Auctions, Apr. 16: Ptolemy. North Africa from Ulm edition. Unique copy. 1482-86.
SD Auctions, Apr. 16: Blaeu. Masterpiece world map. c.1659.
