Favourite Rare Book Store honors went to one of the oldest and most established booksellers on earth – Maggs Bros. There are certainly many others worthy of this honor too, but who can argue with Maggs? Commenting on the selection, Ed Maggs said, "We're delighted with the news. I know we can be thought to present a somewhat intimidating facade to the world, but once you get through the door we try hard to be friendly and helpful." From the other side of the Atlantic, runners up included the late Heritage Book Shop and Manhattan Rare Books, while English sellers Sam Fogg, Old Cinema Bookshop, Shapero Rare Books, and Brighton Books drew many votes. The award for favourite dealer went to Peter Harrington, while runners up included the 19th Century Shop, Bernard Shapero, Maggs, William Reese, Broadhurst, Rick Gekoski, Nigel Williams, the Map House, Paul Foster, E M Lawson, and all the way from Australia, Hordern House.
Auction House of the Year
The winner here is Sotheby's London, and this probably reflects a British bias, since runners up included Sotheby's Paris and Sotheby's New York. Add to the runners up Christie's New York and South Kensington, Bonham's London and Oxford, Bloomsbury London, Swann's (New York), PBA Galleries (San Francisco), John Nicholson and Dominic Winter. "This means a lot to the Book Department at Sotheby's," Stephen Roe, of Sotheby's is quoted as saying. "We have a great team and they all deserve it."
Best Catalogues of the Year
This was the final category, and the award went to another venerable old bookseller, Bernard Quaritch. There were lots of runners up here - Marlborough, Shapero, Maggs, Peter Harrington, Nigel Williams, Howes, Ken Spelman, Hordern House and William Reese. Also, there was a special mention for the humor of Between The Covers and Lame Ducks. It should be noted that votes may have been motivated by different factors, either quality of the presentation or quality of the works offered.
The Rare Book Review itself is an esteemed institution, having been founded in 1974 as the Antiquarian Book Monthly Review. You may visit their website, and sign up for a subscription if you like, at www.rarebookreview.com.
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.")
