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Bonhams: A Feast for the Eyes

Auction Reports

Auction Name A Feast for the Eyes Total Sales (GBP) 28,262.40
Auction Date October 23, 2025 - October 23, 2025 Low Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) 27,050.00
Sale Number #31469 High Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) 39,950.00
Total Lots 57
Sold Lots 53.0 Low Estimate of All Lots (GBP) 30,250.00
% of Lots Sold 92.98% High Estimate of All Lots (GBP) 45,050.00
Unsold Lots 4 Total Sales as a % of High Est. 62.74%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Lot Number Author Name Book Title Year Published Estimate Actual Price
50

The Britannian Magazine: or, A New Art of Making above Twenty Sorts of English wines, viz. of apples, pears, peaches, cherries, ...

1694 GBP 2,000.00 - 3,000.00 GBP 3,328.00
88

Manuscript receipt book containing some 400 cookery and medicinal receipts, written in several hands, many with calligraphic headings and decorations

[eighteenth century] GBP 2,000.00 - 3,000.00 GBP 3,328.00
51 M'HARRY (SAMUEL)

The Practical Distiller or an Introduction to Making Whiskey, Gin, Brandy, Spirits, &c. &c. of better quality, and in larger quantities, ...

1809 GBP 500.00 - 700.00 GBP 1,920.00
100 TAYLOR (ELIZABETH)

The Lady's, Housewife's, and Cookmaid's Assistant: or, The Art of Cookery Explained and Adapted to the Meanest Capacity

1769 GBP 1,500.00 - 2,000.00 GBP 1,664.00
1

Antony Worrall Thompson's extensive collection of menus and food-related ephemera, ranging from the mid-nineteenth century to recent times,

mid-nineteenth century to recent times, GBP 500.00 - 1,000.00 GBP 1,408.00
71 ESCOFFIER (AUGUSTE)

Les Fleurs en Cire,

1910 GBP 300.00 - 500.00 GBP 1,280.00
94 PHILLIPS (SARAH)

The Ladies Handmaid: or, a Complete System of Cookery; on the Principals of Elegance and Frugality. Wherein the useful Art of Cookery is rendered plain, easy and familiar:

1758 GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 960.00
101 THACKER (JOHN)

The Art of Cookery. Containing above Six Hundred and Fifty of the Most Approv'd Receipts...

1762 GBP 800.00 - 1,200.00 GBP 832.00
66 BOURDAIN (ANTHONY)

Kitchen Confidential. Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly,

2000 GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 704.00
78 HARRISON (SARAH)

The House-Keeper's Pocket-Book, and Compleat Family Cook: Containing above Twelve Hundred Curious and Uncommon Receipts...; Everyone their own Physician.

1755 GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 704.00
68 DAVID (ELIZABETH)

French Provincial Cooking, Michael Joseph

1960 GBP 400.00 - 600.00 GBP 614.40
15 [BROTHERTON (MARTHA)]

A New System of Vegetable Cookery with an Introduction, Recommending Abstinence from Animal Food and Intoxicating Liquors,

1821 GBP 400.00 - 600.00 GBP 614.40
93 [PEGGE (SAMUEL)]

The Forme of Cury, a Roll of Ancient English Cookery, compiled, about A. D. 1390, by the Master-Cooks of King Richard II, Presented afterwards to Queen Elizabeth, by Edward Lord Stafford,...

1780 GBP 300.00 - 500.00 GBP 588.80
67 BRIGGS (RICHARD)

The English Art of Cookery, According to the Present Practice...with Bills of Fare for Every Month of the Year

1791 GBP 500.00 - 700.00 GBP 563.20
91 MARNETTE (MONSIEUR)

The Perfect Cook, being the Most Exact Directions for the Making all Kinds of Pastes, with the Perfect Way Teaching how to Raise, Season, and Make all Sorts of Pies, Pasties, Tarts, and Florentines, &c., Part 1

1656 GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 563.20
99 SMITH (ROBERT)

Court Cookery: or, the Compleat English Cook. Containing the Choicest and Newest Receipts for Making Soops, Pottages, Fricasseys, Harshes, Farces, Ragoos, Cullises, Sauces, Forc'd-Meats and Souses; ...

1723 GBP 700.00 - 900.00 GBP 537.60
58 FRAZER (MRS.)

The Practice of Cookery, Pastry, and Confectionary; in Three Parts

1806 GBP 700.00 - 900.00 GBP 512.00
79 HAZLEMORE (MAXIMILIAN)

Domestic economy; or, a complete system of English housekeeping:

1794 GBP 500.00 - 700.00 GBP 512.00
98 SHIRLEY (JOHN)

The Accomplished Ladies Rich Closet of Rarities: or the Ingenious Gentlewoman and Servant-Maids Delightfull Companion . .

[c.1692-1695] GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 512.00
83

Indian Domestic Economy and Receipt Book; Comprising Numerous Directions for Plain Wholesome Cookery, both Oriental and English..

1860 GBP 500.00 - 700.00 GBP 460.80
8

A Treatise on the Art of Bread-Making. Wherein the Mealing Trade, Assize Laws...

1805 GBP 400.00 - 600.00 GBP 435.20
59 GLASSE (HANNAH)

The Complete Confectioner; or the Whole Art of Confectionary made Plain and Easy Shewing the Various Methods of Preserving and Candying..

1770 GBP 300.00 - 500.00 GBP 409.60
61 ACTON (ELIZA)

Modern Cookery in all its Branches, reduced to a System of Easy Practice for the Use of Private Families

1845 GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 384.00
77 HALL (T.)

The Queen's Royal Cookery: or, Expert and Ready Way for the Dressing of all Sorts of Flesh, Fowl, Fish: Either Baked, Boiled, Roasted, Stewed, Fryed, Boiled, Hashed, Frigasied, Carbonaded, Forced, Collared, Soused, Dried, &c...

[1713 or 1719] GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 384.00
90

Manuscript receipt book bearing ownership inscription "M.J. Somerville" and dated "September 1834",

[nineteenth century] GBP 600.00 - 800.00 GBP 384.00
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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.
  • SD Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions
    The Odfjell Collection
    Polar – History – Ornithology – Colour Plate Books
    Ending December 4th
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ROALD AMUNDSEN: «Sydpolen» [ The South Pole] 1912. First edition in jackets and publisher's slip case.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: AMUNDSEN & NANSEN: «Fram over Polhavet» [Farthest North] 1897. AMUNDSEN's COPY!
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ERNEST SHACKLETON [ed.]: «Aurora Australis» 1908. First edition. The NORWAY COPY.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ERNEST SHACKLETON: «The heart of the Antarctic» + SUPPLEMENT «The Antarctic Book», 1909.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: SHACKLETON, BERNACCHI, CHERRY-GARRARD [ed.]: «The South Polar Times» I-III, 1902-1911.
    SD Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions
    The Odfjell Collection
    Polar – History – Ornithology – Colour Plate Books
    Ending December 4th
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: [WILLEM BARENTSZ & HENRY HUDSON] - SAEGHMAN: «Verhael van de vier eerste schip-vaerden […]», 1663.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: TERRA NOVA EXPEDITION | LIEUTENANT HENRY ROBERTSON BOWERS: «At the South Pole.», Gelatin Silver Print. [10¾ x 15in. (27.2 x 38.1cm.) ].
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ELEAZAR ALBIN: «A natural History of Birds.» + «A Supplement», 1738-40. Wonderful coloured plates.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: PAUL GAIMARD: «Voyage de la Commision scientific du Nord, en Scandinavie, […]», c. 1842-46. ONLY HAND COLOURED COPY KNOWN WITH TWO ORIGINAL PAINTINGS BY BIARD.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: JAMES JOYCE: «Ulysses», 1922. FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL WRAPPERS.
  • Sotheby’s
    Book Week
    December 9-17, 2025
    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.