A Fair Duet - Sacramento and Seattle Book Fairs 2009
- by Karen Wright
Rob Roulon-Miller came all the way from St. Paul.
At the end of the day, I was thoroughly sated with looking at books and suffering from a huge case of "I wants". We bid the fair adieu, picked up Sassi at doggie day care, and headed out for dinner. You all know, if you've read my articles before, that we love to talk about and eat good food! We didn't find any spectacular restaurants in Seattle, we ran out of time, though I know there are lots of them. We were only there one night, so we went to a fun bar that advertised the "Second Best Martinis in Seattle" called Tini Bigs and then walked across the street to a bistro recommended by the bartender at Tini's called The Boat House. When you first walk in there is a wonderful, large charcoal drawing of "Jeffrey", the owner's dog, so I was endeared to the place immediately. The waitress said, "Did I know you were coming?" which I think is much classier than looking down one's nose and asking if we had reservations. We said, no, and were seated at the bar for a cocktail. We decided to stay there and have dinner. They had good wine and some really nice food including some sort of gratin thing made with kale and gruyere cheese that was to die for.
The next day we were off to Vashon Island to visit friends and then down to Portland, where I learned, much to my disgruntlement, that their Friends of the Library had just had their annual big sale the day we were at the fair. Oh well! The best thing that happened, bookwise, was in Newburg, Oregon when I found a seller of Western Americana books who wanted to sell his rather incredible collection of books on the California Trail and Donner Party, two subjects that sell very well in my area. He gave me a whopping discount and I may be in debt for a while until I get the books sold! All in all, I came home with only four boxes of books, but they were all good ones. Ta, ta until next time.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
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Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
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>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
