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Sotheby’s
Fine Books and Manuscripts
8 December 2023Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane] — Isaac D'Israeli. Jane Austen's copy of Curiosities of Literature. 100,000 - 150,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition in boards of the author's debut novel. 70,000 - 100,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Brontë, Charlotte. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me..." 100,000 - 150,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Eliot, George. The author's magnum opus. 25,000 - 35,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Whitman, Walt. Manuscript written upon the Death of Lincoln, 1865. 60,000 - 80,000 USD -
Sotheby’s
Important Modern Literature from the Library of an American Filmmaker
8 December 2023Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Kerouac, Jack. Typescript scroll of The Dharma Bums. Typed by Kerouac in Orlando, Florida, 1957, published by Viking in 1958. 300,000 - 500,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. The autograph manuscript of "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." [Key West, finished April 1936]. 300,000 - 500,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Miller, Henry. Typescript of The Last Book, a working title for Tropic of Cancer, written circa 1931–1932. 100,000 - 150,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Ruscha, Ed. Twentysix Gasoline Stations, with a lengthy inscription to Joe Goode. 40,000 - 60,000 USDSotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. in our time, first edition of Hemingway’s second book. 30,000 - 50,000 USD -
Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 7, 2023Swann, Dec. 7: Samuel Augustus Mitchell, A New Map of Texas, Oregon and California with the Regions Adjoining, Philadelphia, 1846. $3,500 to $5,000.Swann, Dec. 7: 17th–19th-century case maps of various locations. $1,500 to $2,000.Swann, Dec. 7: Andreas Cellarius, Haemisphaerium Stellatum Boreale Cum Subiecto Haemisphaerio Terrestri, celestial chart, Amsterdam, 1708. $2,500 to $3,500.Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 7, 2023Swann, Dec. 7: Vincenzo Coronelli, Set of engraved gores for Coronelli’s monumental 42-inch terrestrial globe, Venice, circa 1688–97. $18,000 to $22,000.Swann, Dec. 7: Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer, group of four navigational charts, Antwerp, 1580s. $2,000 to $3,000.Swann, Dec. 7: Thomas Bros, Block Book of Berkeley, Oakland, 1920s. $800 to $1,200.Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 7, 2023Swann, Dec. 7: John Nieuhoff & John Ogilby, An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, map of China, plan of Canton, London, 1673. $1,200 to $1,800.Swann, Dec. 7: Frederick Sander, Reichenbachia, St. Albans, 1888-1894. $5,000 to $7,000.Swann, Dec. 7: Two early illustrated works on horsemanship and breeding, Nuremberg, early 18th century. $700 to $800.Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 7, 2023Swann, Dec. 7: John Gould, A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans. Supplement to the First Edition, London, 1834; 1855. $40,000 to $60,000.Swann, Dec. 7: John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, London, 1808–14. $1,500 to $2,500.Swann, Dec. 7: Oakley Hoopes Bailey, Hackensack, New Jersey, Boston, 1896. $800 to $1,200. -
CHRISTIE’S
Valuable Books and Manuscripts
London auction
13 December
Find out moreChristie’s, Explore now
TREW, Christoph Jacob (1695–1769). Plantae Selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortus curiosorum. [Nuremberg: 1750–1773]. £30,000–40,000Christie’s, Explore now
VERBIEST, Ferdinand (1623–88). Liber Organicus Astronomiae Europaeae apud Sinas restituate. [Beijing: Board of Astronomy, 1674]. £250,000–350,000Christie’s, Explore now
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALICE & NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT. Master of Jean Rolin (active 1445–65). Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French, [Paris, c.1450–1460]. £120,000–180,000Christie’s, Explore now
A SILVER MICROSCOPE. Probably by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), c.1700. £150,000–250,000Christie’s, Explore now
AN ENGLISH HORARY QUADRANT
C.1311. £100,000–150,000
Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - September - 2010 Issue
More Film and Literature from James Pepper Rare Books
The latest from James Pepper Rare Books.
By Michael Stillman
James Pepper Rare Books has issued Catalogue 195. The latest in their almost monthly releases, it follows the norm, offering works related to film and theater, detective fiction and mystery, sports, and literature. These are primarily books you know, or come from the hand of personalities you know. Whether the authors made their name through writing or other endeavors, the works mostly come from people whose names achieved recognition on the world stage. Here are a few.
We can assure you everything else in this catalogue is considerably less expensive, but we will start with far and away the most pricey item you will find. If your budget permits, you may be intrigued. Item 126 is a copy of the first edition, first issue of Dracula, by Bram Stoker. Vampires are all the rage today, but this is the one that, for better or worse, started it all. This copy is inscribed by Stoker to Frank A. Munsey, a notable magazine publisher of the day. Pepper believes Stoker was likely hoping Munsey would serialize his story in one of his magazines. If so, he did not succeed. Nevertheless, Stoker did just fine with his novel. Priced at $75,000.
Item 16 is a 1925 biography of America's first celebrity athlete, the great boxer John L. Sullivan. Sullivan crossed between the bare-fist era and that of gloved boxing. He is regarded as the last bare-fisted champion, and the first with gloves, though there weren't officially recognized titles in that era. There was by the time he lost his title and suffered his first defeat, to "Gentleman Jim" Corbett in 1892. R.F. Dibble's biography of the Boston fighter is entitled John L. Sullivan. An Intimate Narrative. $45.
Next is an interesting item from the early days of the blacklisting era. It is a set of three LP records, Hollywood Fights Back, along with the pamphlet Committee For the First Amendment. The album contains the ABC Radio broadcast of the same name, recorded on October 26, 1947. Among the members of the committee were Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G. Robinson, John Huston, Katherine Hepburn, Judy Garland, Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball, Groucho Marx, Lena Horne, and Frank Sinatra. Nevertheless, the blacklisting movement grew, and spurred on by Senator Joseph McCarthy, the paranoia consumed many careers before it ran its course. This set of records belonged to Alexander Knox, a Canadian born actor who was nominated for the Oscar for best actor in 1944 for the title role in Wilson, an acclaimed but financially unsuccessful movie about the 28th president. Knox was blacklisted, but moved to England where he continued his career. Item 76. $375.
What do Batman, Dick Tracy, and Bugs Bunny have in common, other than the obvious that all are cartoon characters? The answer is that each was drawn by its artist on the sheet of paper offered as item 83. Bob Kane has drawn his creation, Batman, who rose from the comics to become a star of television and film, and a leading superhero today. Dick Tracy was drawn by his creator, Chester Gould. In his day, police detective Tracy graced the comics of countless newspapers, and was the far more familiar figure than the Caped Crusader. Time faded his popularity though Tracy can still be found in some newspapers to this day. Bugs, drawn by animator Friz Freleng, is a timeless character, popular then, popular now. $1,250.
Item 26 was a somewhat presumptuous title at the time: How to Live to Be 100 - Or More. It was written by the vaudeville, later radio, television and movie actor/comedian George Burns. It was published in 1983, when Burns was no spring chicken, but hardly 100 either. He was 87 at the time. His advice must be good as George Burns did make it to 100 and 49 days more. This copy of his book is inscribed to actress Carol Channing. $200.
James Pepper Rare Books may be reached at 805-963-1025 or pepbooks@aol.com. Their website is www.JamesPepperBooks.com.
You will find many of James Pepper's books listed in "Books For Sale" on this site. Click here.
