Rare Book Monthly Articles - July - 2022 Issue

Winning when you collect

Winning when you collect

Collections, random or life-long pursuits are often given away or forgotten because there aren’t many alternatives for selling them for meaningful amounts of money.  This is easy to be misunderstand when you look on the internet.  Everything has a price and therefore there must be a buyer.  After all, you have been buying that way so there must be others equally interested.  Sometimes yes, sometimes no.    In fact, listing sites are a kind of a mirage suggesting liquidity.  Certainly sellers are willing to part with their prizes for the prices they offer but no listing sites have had the ...

Some Words of Advice on Collecting NFTs from Bill Gates

Some Words of Advice on Collecting NFTs from Bill Gates

Rare books and paper have long navigated the fine line between collectibles and investments. Usually, collectors exhibit some of each, collecting things because they like them but also hoping to co...

Required Reading:  Booked by Fate by Phillip Pirages, a Bookdealer

Required Reading: Booked by Fate by Phillip Pirages, a Bookdealer

Mr. Phillip Pirages has written a book about his on-going career as a dealer in collectible paper.    I have observed that bookdealers live two distinct lives.  Among dealers they share their exper...

“My God what have we done.” The Log Book Account of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima on Sale at Heritage Auctions

“My God what have we done.” The Log Book Account of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima on Sale at Heritage Auctions

The world changed on August 6, 1945. History can be divided into two eras, the one before August 6, and the one after. In the one after, we have all lived under the fear of instant annihilation unk...

Deshoulières 1691: a not so casual little book

Deshoulières 1691: a not so casual little book

A copy of the 1691 edition of Mme Deshoulières’ works made me realize that an old book is never as insignificant as it may seem. Especially when a crowned dolphin is swimming on its tail!     A...

Sotheby’s to Offer Precursor and Direct Influence on the Bill of Rights

Sotheby’s to Offer Precursor and Direct Influence on the Bill of Rights

New York, 30 June 2022 - To commemorate the anniversary of America’s Independence on July 4, 1776, Sotheby’s announces a copy of Virginia’s Official Ratification of the United States Constitution a...

Valuable and Important Books and Manuscripts from the Library of Edward R. Leahy coming to auction in October

Valuable and Important Books and Manuscripts from the Library of Edward R. Leahy coming to auction in October

Christie’s New York is pleased to announce the auction on 6 October of 2022 of Valuable and Important Books and Manuscripts from the Library of Edward R. Leahy. Mr Leahy’s collection comprises the ...

Macon Brothers Learns and Succeeds

Macon Brothers Learns and Succeeds

In a typical month several hundred auctions that include significant numbers of books, manuscripts, maps, and ephemera, are completed.  Auctions are an old game relying on centuries old customs as ...

Tsundoku – A New (but Old) Trend in Book Collecting

Tsundoku – A New (but Old) Trend in Book Collecting

The book world has been overcome by a condition (and a newly discovered term) known as tsundoku. The term has been around since the 19th century but has only recently come into vogue. Not surprisin...

Ephraim George Squier’s 1876 Priced Auction:  Not all auctions are equal

Ephraim George Squier’s 1876 Priced Auction: Not all auctions are equal

  When we work with older auctions at Rare Book Hub we try to understand them.  Old auctions, in any event, are useful to provide incremental data whether the sale is significant or not, but somet...

Four Big July Book Fairs in the MidWest -  St. Paul, St. Louis, Detroit & Chicago Celebrate Books

Four Big July Book Fairs in the MidWest - St. Paul, St. Louis, Detroit & Chicago Celebrate Books

 July 8-9 (Friday Saturday) Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair.  Schoenecker Arena, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.  This fair caters to both experienced and beginning collectors. It hosts...

Melbourne Rare Book Fair 2022 Returns July 7-9!

Melbourne Rare Book Fair 2022 Returns July 7-9!

After a two year break due to the pandemic and strict border closures in Australia, the Australian New Zealand Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ANZAAB) is excited to announce the return of the...

Do Books Have a Place Going Forward, Not Just Looking Back?

Do Books Have a Place Going Forward, Not Just Looking Back?

It was a minor skirmish in a far away place in the debate between physical books and electronic resources in the library. It's unlikely you heard about it or ever will again. Nonetheless, it's illu...

Fireproof copy of The Handmaid’s Tale sells at Sotheby’s for £103,000

Fireproof copy of The Handmaid’s Tale sells at Sotheby’s for £103,000

NEW YORK — Margaret Atwood years ago imagined apocalyptic disaster, Dystopian government and an author faking her own death. But until recently she spared herself the nightmare of trying to burn on...

Salem “Witch” Has Her Conviction Overturned

Salem “Witch” Has Her Conviction Overturned

It was one of the greatest, and best known miscarriages of justice in American history. Twenty supposed witches were executed in Salem, Massachusetts, after a hysteria and kangaroo court trials in ...

Six New Catalogues Reviewed This Month

Six New Catalogues Reviewed This Month

For July, we review six new booksellers catalogues. Amanda Hall Rare Books has a catalogue of works on various subjects. Voewood Rare Books also covers many subjects with rare books and manuscripts...

Rare Book Monthly

  • Forum Auctions
    Natural History: The remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk, 1899-2026
    25 March 2026
    Forum, Mar. 25: Botany.- Andrews (H.C.) Coloured Engravings of Heaths, 4 vol. in 2, first edition, [1710,--94]-1802-1809-[1830]. £10,000 - £15,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Butterflies.- Cramer (Pierre) and Caspar Stoll. De Uitlandsche Kapellen voorkomende in de drie Waereld-Deelen…,, 5 vol., Amsterdam & Utrecht, 1779-91. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Voyages.- Darwin (Charles) and others. Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle, 3 vol. in 4, including Appendix to vol.2, first edition, 1839. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Butterflies.- de Graaf (Willem Diederik Vincent). [Inlandsche Kapellen in beeld], 170 fine original watercolours, [Enkhuizen], [1800-40]. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Natural History: The remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk, 1899-2026
    25 March 2026
    Forum, Mar. 25: Birds.- Dresser (Henry Eeles). A History of the Birds of Europe, 9 vol., including supplement, first edition, by the author, 1871-96. £6,000 - £8,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Zoology.- Felines.- Elliot (Daniel Giraud). A Monograph of the Felidæ or Family of the Cats, first edition, for the Subscribers, by the Author, [1878]-1883. £25,000 - £30,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Birds.- Frisch (Johann Leonard). Vorstellung der Vögel Deutschlandes, 2 vol., first edition, Berlin, Friedr. Wilhelm Birnsteil, [1736]-1763. £40,000 - £60,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Birds.- Gould (John). The Birds of Great Britain, 5 vol., first edition, by the author, 1862-1873. £30,000 - £40,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Natural History: The remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk, 1899-2026
    25 March 2026
    Forum, Mar. 25: Pomology.- France.- Poiteau (A.) Pomologie Française. Recueil des Plus Beaux Fruits cultivés en France, 4 vol., Paris, 1846. £30,000 - £40,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Botany.- [Robin (Jean)]. Histoire des Plantes, nouvellement trouvées en l'Isle Virgine…,, 1620; with Geoffrey Linocier L'Histoire des plantes, second edition, 1619-20. £3,000 - £4,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Asia.- Japan.- Siebold (P.F. von). Nippon. Archiv zur Beschreibung von Japan, 7 parts in 6 vol., first edition, Leyden, [1832]-1852. £35,000 - £45,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Asia.- Valentijn (Francois). Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën..., 5 vol. in 8, first edition, Dordrecht [&] Amsterdam, 1724-26. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Botany.- Australia.- Redouté (P.J.).- Ventenat (Étienne Pierre). Jardin de la Malmaison, 2 vol.,, Paris, 1803-04[-05]. £30,000 - £40,000.
  • ALDE, Mar. 11: AUGUSTIN (Saint). De civitate Dei. Rome, Konrad Sweynheym et Arnold Pannartz, 1470. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [REGNART (LE LIVRE DE)]. [Le] Docteur en malice, maistre Regnard, demonstrant les ruzes et cautelles qu'il use envers les personnes… Rouen, 1550. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: TRITHÈME (JEAN). Polygraphie et universelle escriture cabalistique. Paris, [Benoît Prévost pour] Jacques Kerver, 1561. €8,000 - €10,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: CAUS (SALOMON DE). La Perspective, avec la raison des ombres et des miroirs. Londres, John Norton, 1612.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: NICERON (JEAN-FRANÇOIS). La Perspective curieuse ou magie artificielle des effets merveilleux de l'optique. Paris, Pierre Billaine, 1638. €6,000 - €8,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: VONTET (JACQUES). L’Art de trancher la viande et toute sorte de fruits… S.l.n.d. [probablement Lyon, vers 1647]. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: HUGO (VICTOR). [Paysage spectral avec une église], [vers 1837]. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [HERVEY DE SAINT-DENYS (LÉON D')]. Les Rêves et les Moyens de les diriger. Observations pratiques. Paris, Amyot, 1867. €3,000 - €4,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: GACHET (PAUL-FERDINAND). Les Chats de Gachet (Manuscrit). S.d. [avant mai 1873]. €6,000 - €8,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [REDON (ODILON)]. PICARD (EDMOND). Le Juré. Monodrame en cinq actes… Bruxelles, Mme veuve Monnom, 1887. €7,000 - €9,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (HENRI DE) ET HENRI-GABRIEL IBELS]. MONTORGUEIL (GEORGES). Le Café-concert. Paris, [1893]. €4,000 - €5,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [TERRY (EMILIO)]. Projet de fontaine. Dessin original au stylo et à l'encre noire. 1938. €2,000 - €3,000.

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