Christies: Valuable Books and Manuscripts
Auction Reports
| Auction Name | Valuable Books and Manuscripts | Total Sales (GBP) | 6,514,084.00 |
| Auction Date | December 10, 2025 - December 10, 2025 | Low Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) | 3,854,000.00 |
| Sale Number | #23880 | High Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) | 5,562,000.00 |
| Total Lots | 212 | ||
| Sold Lots | 190.0 | Low Estimate of All Lots (GBP) | 4,223,000.00 |
| % of Lots Sold | 89.62% | High Estimate of All Lots (GBP) | 6,144,000.00 |
| Unsold Lots | 22 | Total Sales as a % of High Est. | 106.02% |
Top twenty-five by sale price
| Lot Number | Author Name | Book Title | Year Published | Estimate | Actual Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 176 | HARVEY, William (1578-1657) | Exercitatio anatomica de motu cordis et sanguinis in animalibus. |
1628 | GBP 800,000.00 - 1,200,000.00 | GBP 1,016,000.00 |
| 45 | 10th-century Gospels | Gospels |
circa 900 | GBP 700,000.00 - 1,000,000.00 | GBP 889,000.00 |
| 5 | Ranulf Higden (d. 1364) | Polychronicon |
late 14th century | GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 | GBP 241,300.00 |
| 192 | Edward Jenner (1749-1823) | Series of 18 autograph letters signed ('E. Jenner' |
23 February 1803 - 25 March 1817 and nd | GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 | GBP 165,100.00 |
| 52 | Guillaume II Leroy (fl. 1493-1528) | Book of Hours |
circa 1510 | GBP 100,000.00 - 150,000.00 | GBP 139,700.00 |
| 150 | RAZI, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya (c.854-925) | Ob usum experientiamque multiplicem |
March 1544 | GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00 | GBP 139,700.00 |
| 53 | Style of the Master of Dreux Bude; Etienne Colaud | The Cromer Book of Hours |
circa 1465 and circa 1526 | GBP 100,000.00 - 150,000.00 | GBP 127,000.00 |
| 95 | GOULD, John (1804-1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909) | The Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands |
1875-1888 | GBP 70,000.00 - 100,000.00 | GBP 127,000.00 |
| 26 | Theodorus Gaza (c.1400 - c.1475) | Introduction to Grammar |
second half 15th century | GBP 7,000.00 - 10,000.00 | GBP 107,950.00 |
| 194 | PARKINSON, James (1755-1824) | An Essay on the Shaking Palsy. |
1817 | GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 | GBP 101,600.00 |
| 90 | GOULD, John (1804-1881) | The Birds of Great Britain. |
1862-1873 | GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00 | GBP 88,900.00 |
| 148 | VESALIUS, Andreas (1514-1564) | De humani corporis fabrica libri septem. |
August 1555 | GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 | GBP 82,550.00 |
| 140 | BRUNFELS, Otto (c. 1489-1534) | Herbarum vivae eiconebsic ad naturae imitationem... -- Novi Herbarii tomus II. -- Tomus herbaria III. |
1530-1532-1536 | GBP 15,000.00 - 20,000.00 | GBP 76,200.00 |
| 20 | Plato, Ps-Plato, Leonardo Bruni (1369-1444) | Epistolae |
mid-15th century | GBP 10,000.00 - 15,000.00 | GBP 69,850.00 |
| 120 | CELSUS, A. Cornelius (c.25 B.C.-c. A.D. 50) | De medicina. Edited by Bartholomaeus Fontius (1445-1513). |
1478 | GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 | GBP 63,500.00 |
| 79 | ORTELIUS, Abraham (1527-1598) | Theatro del Mondo. |
1612 | GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00 | GBP 60,960.00 |
| 80 | BLAEU, Willem (1571-1638) and Johannes BLAEU (1596-1673) | Theatrum orbis terrarum |
1635 | GBP 25,000.00 - 35,000.00 | GBP 60,960.00 |
| 152 | BOCK, Hieronymus (1489?-1554) | Kreuterbuch |
1 April 1546 | GBP 10,000.00 - 15,000.00 | GBP 60,960.00 |
| 211 | RANADIVE, D.J. (artist) -- HATCH, Lt.-Col. William Keith F.R.C.S, I.M.S. (1854-1935) | 56 large original watercolours of patients with various diseases. Mumbai |
1897-1901 | GBP 60,000.00 - 80,000.00 | GBP 60,960.00 |
| 48 | Workshop of Willem Vrelant (d.1481) | Book of Hours |
circa 1470s | GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00 | GBP 57,150.00 |
| 93 | ELLIOT, Daniel Giraud (1835-1915) | A Monograph of the Phasianidae or Family of the Pheasants. |
1870-1872 | GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 | GBP 57,150.00 |
| 15 | Anonymous Dominican author | Speculum humanae salvationis |
mid-15th century] | GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00 | GBP 50,800.00 |
| 51 | Robert Boyvin (active 1487-1536) or associate | Book of Hours |
circa 1485-90 | GBP 25,000.00 - 30,000.00 | GBP 50,800.00 |
| 66 | BOCCACCIO, Giovanni (1313-1375) | Decamerone |
1476 | GBP 30,000.00 - 40,000.00 | GBP 50,800.00 |
| 88 | AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851) | The Birds of America |
1839-1840-1844 | GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 | GBP 50,800.00 |
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 72. Edwards (George). <i>A Natural History of Uncommon Birds…</i> [and] <i>Gleanings of Natural History,</i> 7 volumes, 1st edition, 1743-64. £7,000-10,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/7f9e9df2-b83a-40aa-a1b7-a535a02705d5.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 72. Edwards (George). <i>A Natural History of Uncommon Birds…</i> [and] <i>Gleanings of Natural History,</i> 7 volumes, 1st edition, 1743-64. £7,000-10,000")
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 236. <i>A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew…,</i> By B. E. Gent., 1st edition, [1699]. £3,000-4,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/1832c377-f148-4e66-ba22-33bef01d81a7.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 236. <i>A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew…,</i> By B. E. Gent., 1st edition, [1699]. £3,000-4,000")
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 280. Elgar (Edward). <i>Concerto for Violin and Orchestra,</i> [1910], signed presentation copy. £500-800](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/df958814-0689-4876-8b73-cfe5c0c6ad24.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 280. Elgar (Edward). <i>Concerto for Violin and Orchestra,</i> [1910], signed presentation copy. £500-800")
![<b>Sotheby’s, Jan. 27:</b> [World War II]. An archive of maps and files documenting the allied campaign in Europe, from the early stages of planning for D-Day and Operation Overlord, to Germany’s surrender. $200,000 to $300,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/9d2762bc-9f26-47ef-96de-1c28070e19f6.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Jan. 27:</b> [World War II]. An archive of maps and files documenting the allied campaign in Europe, from the early stages of planning for D-Day and Operation Overlord, to Germany’s surrender. $200,000 to $300,000.")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Plato. [<i>Apanta ta tou Platonos. Omnia Platonis opera</i>], 2 parts in 2 vol., editio princeps of Plato's works in the original Greek, Venice, House of Aldus, 1513. £8,000-12,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/df7dd9ac-f0d0-4cb3-a44d-2731758530e4.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Plato. [<i>Apanta ta tou Platonos. Omnia Platonis opera</i>], 2 parts in 2 vol., editio princeps of Plato's works in the original Greek, Venice, House of Aldus, 1513. £8,000-12,000")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Book of Hours, Use of Rome, In Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [Southern Netherlands (probably Bruges), c.1460]. £6,000-8,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/c40bad29-8cb5-4347-a0fd-5361d39e84a5.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Book of Hours, Use of Rome, In Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [Southern Netherlands (probably Bruges), c.1460]. £6,000-8,000")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Powell (Anthony). [<i>A Dance to the Music of Time</i>], 12 vol., first editions, each with a signed presentation inscription from the author to Osbert Lancaster, 1951-75. £6,000-8,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/b7fdee12-4803-4d32-9330-a5729091cb92.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Powell (Anthony). [<i>A Dance to the Music of Time</i>], 12 vol., first editions, each with a signed presentation inscription from the author to Osbert Lancaster, 1951-75. £6,000-8,000")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Herschel (Sir John F. W.) Collection of 69 offprints, extracts and separate publications by Herschel, bound for his son, William James Herschel, 3 vol., [1813-50]. £15,000-20,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/a06cc0dd-7619-45e9-b155-5ad75ed7b2e5.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Herschel (Sir John F. W.) Collection of 69 offprints, extracts and separate publications by Herschel, bound for his son, William James Herschel, 3 vol., [1813-50]. £15,000-20,000")