Rare Book Monthly

Articles - October - 2008 Issue

Odd Bidding on eBay

- by Bruce E. McKinney

And now for a few final notes.

Running a book up by bidding throughout the life of an eBay auction is not a good strategy for a buyer although placing a strategic first bid, if you are concerned the item may be removed, if no other bids are made, makes very good sense. But you need to remember to look on other sites to see if there are copies available. Don't bid more on eBay than you can buy the item for elsewhere. Finally, don't get carried away by the appearance of fierce public bidding. It could be too good to be true.

All this said, eBay is an exceptional marketplace where great items and sometimes bargains are offered and snatched up. But beguiling tales are also told, the midway lights are always on, barkers and touts shout and whistle for your attention. So keep your hand on your wallet and your wits about you.

Rare Book Monthly

Christie’s, Nov 3 : REGAMEY, Felix (1844-1906). Unique drawing showing Verlaine and Rimbaud in London, September 1872. €70,000 to 100,000

Christie’s, Nov 3 : LABORDE, Alexandre de (1773-1842). Voyage pittoresque et historique de l’Espagne. Paris : 1806-1820. €20,000 to 30,000

Christie’s, Nov 3 : BOCCACE, Jean (1313-1375). Il Decamerone… Venise : Gabriele Giolito di Ferrari, 1542. € 12,000 to 15,000

Christie’s, Nov 3 : LAMBERT, Yvon (1936). Full collection of writings from Une rêverie émanée de mes loisirs. Paris : 1992 - 2018. €50,000 to 70,000

Christie’s, Nov 3 : JOUVE, Paul (1878-1973) -- KIPLING, Rudyard (1865-1936). La Chasse de Kaa. Paris : Javal & Bourdeaux, 1930. €2,000 to 3,000
Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Book of Hours with Illuminated Miniatures, France, mid-15th century. $15,000 to $25,000.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Conradus de Alemania [Halberstadt the Elder], Concordantiae Bibliorum, Strassburg, 1474. $20,000 to $30,000.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Christopher Marlowe, The Jew of Malta, London, 1633. Earliest extant edition of this antiauthoritarian Elizabethan play. $40,000 to $60,000.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Sir Isaac Newton, The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, first edition in English, 2 volumes, London, 1729. $20,000 to $30,000.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: John Rae, Narrative of an Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic Sea in 1846 and 1847, first edition, London, 1850. $3,000 to $4,000.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Philip Pittman, The Present State of the European Settlements on the Mississippi…, first edition, London, 1770. $10,000 to $12,000.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Cyanotype of an anatomy class at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1895. $300 to $400.

Swann Auction Galleries Oct 27: Equine veterinary formulary, manuscript on paper, East Earl, Pennsylvania, circa 1860. $400 to $600.
<center>Lion Heart Autographs Rare & Remarkable Autographs and Manuscripts Now until October 21, 2020

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Most Remarkable Autograph Album Ever Offered: Wilde Poem, Melville Quotes Shakespeare, 8 presidents, Mary Lincoln & 400 More. $30,000 to $35,000.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Unique Napoleon Autograph Manuscript Detailing his Military Campaign in Italy, plus Doodles. $18,000 to $20,000.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Remarkable Pasteur Manuscript on Rabies Research 8 Months before 1st Successful Human Vaccination. $12,500 to $15,000.

<center>Lion Heart Autographs Rare & Remarkable Autographs and Manuscripts Now until October 21, 2020

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Freud 1933 ALS Supporting First Lay Analyst Theodor Reik with Reik’s Handwritten Definition of Psychology. $15,000 to $16,000.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Begin & Sadat Unique Signed Photo from Camp David Summit. $2,000 to $2,500.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Rare Scriabin ALS Written the Year He Completed “The Poem of Ecstasy.” $4,000 to $5,000.

<center>Lion Heart Autographs Rare & Remarkable Autographs and Manuscripts Now until October 21, 2020

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Columbus’ Patron Pays for a Gift to a Lady in Waiting. $2,000 to $2,500.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Rare Signed Photo of Nansen, Nobel Prize Winner & Norway’s First Great Arctic Explorer. $1,000 to $1,200.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Stravinsky Pens 5 Bars from "Petrouschka.” $1,200 to $1,500.

Lion Heart Autographs Now thru Oct. 21: Zapata Letter Written 4 Days Following Collapse of Negotiations between Villa and Carranza. $2,000 to $2,200.
<center>Hindman Auctions Fine Books and Manuscripts November 12-13, 2020

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: MACHIAVELLI, Niccolò. Nicholas Machiavel's Prince. Also, The life of Castruccio Castracani of Lucca… Translated by Edward Dacres. London, 1640. $25,000 to $35,000.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: FILSON, John. The Discovery, Settlement and present State of Kentucke: and An Essay towards the Topography, and Natural History of that important Country… Wilmington, Del.: James Adams, 1784. $20,000 to $30,000.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: ELUARD, Paul. Un poeme dans chaque livre. Paris: Louis Broder, 1956. $20,000 to $30,000.

<center>Hindman Auctions Fine Books and Manuscripts November 12-13, 2020

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: LEWIS, James Otto. [Aboriginal Port Folio. Philadelphia: Published by the Author, 1835-1836]. $15,000 to $25,000.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: [ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS]. BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin. [Southern Netherlands (Ghent or Bruges), c.1460]. $8,000 to $12,000.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: MORE, Thomas, Sir. The Workes ... wrytten by him in the Englysh tongue. Edited by William Rastell. London, 1557. $8,000 to $12,000.

<center>Hindman Auctions Fine Books and Manuscripts November 12-13, 2020

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: [KELMSCOTT PRESS]. MORRIS, William. Love is Enough. Hammersmith: The Kelmscott Press, 1897. $5,000 to $6,000.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: LINCOLN, Abraham. Autograph endorsement signed as President (“A. Lincoln”), 24 February 1863. $4,000 to $6,000.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: WASHINGTON, George. Address panel with autograph free frank signed ("G:o Washington"), as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, 5 August 1777. $3,000 to $5,000.

<center>Hindman Auctions Fine Books and Manuscripts November 12-13, 2020

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: GOREY, Edward. The Beastly Baby. N.p.: The Fantod Press, 1962. $1,000 to $1,500.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: FROST, Robert. Photographic reproduction signed and inscribed ("Robert Frost”), to R.V. Thornton, 1955. $1,000 to $1,500.

Hindman Auctions, Nov. 12-13: GOREY, Edward. The Bug Book. New York: Looking Glass Library, 1959. $500 to $700.

Archived Articles

Ask Questions

Odd Bidding on eBay

Rare Book Monthly

Article Search

Archived Articles