Handwritten letter from Catherine of Aragon, first of Henry VIII's six wives. Courtesy of Sotheby's.
For something a bit more modern, there were handwritten lyrics for Maxwell's Silver Hammer by Paul McCartney. Item 102. $192,000. However, Igor Stravinsky did even better than Sir Paul with an autographed working manuscript for The Nightingale. Item 13. $694,784.
While many great figures made multiple appearances in the Top 500, this must be called the year of William Blake. The controversial auction of his drawings for the 1808 edition of The Grave as single items, rather than as a collection, has been called a travesty and worse, but it did result in a commanding performance in the Top 500. Eleven Blake drawings made the list, all within the top 51. Despite this, many experts thought the Blake prices were disappointing.
Before getting to the Top 10, we have to mention one more runner-up. It is a personal manuscript by author Pierre Louys, illustrated with photographs, detailing the women with which he slept between the ages of 18 and 22. There were 29 photographs in all. #212. $115,870. Now for the Top 10.
10. One of the many Blakes, this one the design for the title page of The Grave. $744,000.
9. A Mercator atlas published in 1595, once owned by a 16th century Venetian ambassador to Paris. $777,216.
8. Another Blake illustration, The Grave Personified. $912,000.
7. We climb over the $1 million mark with yet another Blake, The Reunion of the Body and Soul. This body and soul cost an arm and a leg. $1,024,000.
6. An autographed manuscript copy of Ireland's National Anthem, A Soldier's Song, by Peadar O'Cearnaigh. $1,124,587.
5. Forty leaves of a Parisian illuminated manuscript on vellum from 1425-1435 of the Hours of the Cross. $1,168,768.
4. The fourth and final Top 10 appearance for Blake, Death of the Strong Wicked Man. $1,584,000.
3. A lengthy illuminated manuscript "Book of Friendship" from 1596-1633 created by Philipp Hainhofer, an influential cloth merchant from Augsburg who recorded signatures from various princes he met as he traveled on commercial and diplomatic missions throughout Europe. $2,368,000.
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.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
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.
![<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.")
