181 Books and a Martian from the Manhattan Rare Book Company
- by Michael Stillman
181 books and a Martian.
The latest from the Manhattan Rare Book Company comes with an odd title: One hundred eighty-one books and a portrait of a young Martian. There, they have mentioned that there are 181 books in this catalogue and you are asking about just one item, the Martian. This one is a signed lithograph of a Martian by writer/artist/film director Tim Burton, who appropriately directed Mars Attacks! and many better known films. His Martian looks more like a cross between a dragonfly and a flying ant, nothing that would make you want to visit the red planet anytime soon. The lithograph is signed by Burton (item 18, priced at $1,350). Now that this is out of the way, we can turn to some of the books found within this catalogue.
Item 7 is a first edition of the book that has been voted "the most significant English language play of the 20th century" by the British Royal National Theater. It is written in French. That absurdity fits with the play itself, En attendant Godot, which translates to Waiting for Godot. Author Samuel Beckett later translated the work he wrote in French to English. Godot's meaning remains a mystery, with various interpretations offered of the strange tale of two men waiting for Godot, who never arrives. It is symbolic of something - Beckett never revealed just what - but this lack of clarity didn't stop it from being the best English play of the 20th century (hopefully, the Royal Theater would have had enough sense not to name it the best English play of the 17th century had it been written then). Published in 1952. $3,400. Item 8 is a signed copy of the same. $22,000.
If you would just as soon wait on purchasing Godot, here is another item that's almost as strange in its own way. Item 135 is Isaac Newton's The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended, published in 1728. We think of Newton as the ultimate scientist, employer of scientific thinking, and yet this book, published the year after he died, is based more on theological assumptions than scientific method. In it, Newton uses astronomical observations to create a timeline for ancient history, including claims that Solomon was the world's first king and his temple the first temple. Those claims, unlike most of his scientific ones, have not been borne out. $3,000.
During the Second Boer War, the London Daily Mail sent a young correspondent to South Africa to report back to its readers on the action. The Boer Wars were unsuccessful attempts by descendants of the early Dutch settlers of South Africa to overthrow British colonial rule. The young man sent by the Daily Mail was Winston Churchill, and as was his way, Churchill managed to get himself in the middle of the action. He was captured by the Boers, perhaps intentionally, and then managed an escape. His adventures are all recounted in London to Ladysmith via Pretoria, published in 1900. Churchill's reports on the war gathered him a certain amount of fame back home, enabling him to be elected to Parliament that year. Churchill's successful entrance into politics would serve his country quite well four decades later in Britain's darkest hour. Item 33. $1,200.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 9 George Catlin. O-Kee-Pa: A Religious Ceremony; and other Customs of the Mandans. London, 1867.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 17 Benjamin Beal, Unpublished diary of a lieutenant serving in the Invasion of Quebec, 1776.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 23 George Washington, Autograph Letter Signed anticipating the coming British campaign against Philadelphia, 1777.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 35 Matthias C. Sprengel, Allgemeines historisches Taschenbuch, the first published appearance of the American flag, [1784].
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 120 Portfolio of lithograph Civil War portraits by Ehrgott, Forbriger & Co. and others. Cincinnati, OH, circa 1863.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 130 Eleazar Huntington, engraver. Early broadside engraving of the Declaration of Independence, circa 1820-24.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 175 Jeremiah B. Taylor, Letterbook of a frontier Baptist missionary in Kansas with tales of friendly Indians and unfriendly Confederate raiders, 1839-1887.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 188 Jonas Rishel, The Indian Physician, Containing a New System of Practice, Founded on Medical Plants, 1828.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 201 Brigham Young and the First Presidency of the LDS, Commission issued to two Church representatives, 1849.
Swann Printed & Manuscript Americana November 20, 2025
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 293 Kuonraden's Vart (Kuonrad's Travels), an illustrated western travel memoir set to verse, circa 1914.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 311 Hermann Stieffel, Early watercolor view of the ruins of a Spanish mission in the Manzano Grant. Manzano, NM, circa 1860-67.
Swann, Nov. 20: Lot 343 Vida de San Felipe de Jesus, protomartir del Japon, y patron de su patria Mexico.
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 308 - Bob Dylan Handwritten & Signed Lyrics to "Just Like a Woman" With Jeff Rosen & JSA Authentication
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 455 - Isaac Newton Admiration For Judaism & Moral Continuity With Christianity! 350+ Words in his Hand - Extraordinary Content!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 219 - 371g Moon Meteorite, Incredible Find - Laâyoune 002
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 448 - Scarce Einstein AM on Unified Field Theory, 180+ Words & 11 Equations in His Hand! From His Published Article, "A Generalization of the Relativistic Theory of Gravitation"
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 159 - Woodrow Wilson Baseball Signed for WWI Red Cross Fundraiser, Ex. Forbes & PSA Authentic - Finest Known!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 84 - Lee Harvey Oswald ALS to Brother, Trying Desperately to Get out of Russia! Highly Important
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 152 - George Washington Signed Discharge for MA Soldier Whose Regiment Was at Bunker Hill!
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 88 - Abraham Lincoln Fully Signed Military Appointment for Mexican War Vet & Respected Cavalryman
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 188 - Apollo XI Astronauts & Their Wives Signed Photo, Plus Crew Signed Cover, From Apollo XI Presidential Goodwill Tour Era, Pre-Cert Zarelli
University Archives Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books Now through Nov. 19
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 265 - Martin Luther King, Jr. TLS Re: "Stride Toward Freedom" Film Rights To Literary Agent Marie Rodell
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 324 - John Lennon Signed Apple Records Check, PSA GEM MT 10! Possibly Finest Known
University Archives, Nov. 19: Lot 79 - John & Jacqueline Kennedy Signed WH 1963 Christmas Gift Inscribed to Close Friend Joan Braden, PSA Authentic
Pandolfini Casa d’Aste Books, Manuscripts, Autographs and Prints 18 November 2025
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Dante. De la volgare eloquenzia. Vicenza, Janiculo, 1529. € 1.500 / 2.000
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: San Tommaso d’Aquino. Scriptum secundum luculentissimum angelico. Legato con Problemata. Lione, Jacques Myt e Francesco Giunta, 1520. € 2.500 / €3.500
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Palladio, Andrea. I quattro libri dell'architettura. Venezia, de' Franceschi, 1570. € 13.000 / 15.000
Pandolfini Casa d’Aste Books, Manuscripts, Autographs and Prints 18 November 2025
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: De Saint Amant, Pierre Charles. Voyages en Californie et dans l'Orégon. Parigi, Maison, 1854. € 400 / 500
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Description de l’Égypte, ou Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’armée française. Parigi, 1820-1829. € 35.000 / 40.000
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Interesting autograph from Proust to his dear little Daudet. € 3.000 / 4.000
Pandolfini, Nov. 18: Beautiful and rare poetic manuscript, first draft, of an airy lightness by De Saint-Exupéry. € 4.000 / 5.000
Sotheby’s Book Week November & December
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Audebert, Jean-Baptiste — Louis-Pierre Vieillot. Oiseaux dorés ou à reflets métalliques, Paris, 1801-1802. €40,000 to €60,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: [Hugo, Victor] — Charles Hugo, François-Victor Hugo ou Auguste Vacquerie. Portrait de Victor Hugo. Daguerréotype réalisé à Jersey vers 1852-1853. €20,000 to €30,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Orbigny, Alcide d'. Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale... Paris, Pitois-Levrault et Cie et Strasbourg, Levrault, 1834-1847. €10,000 to €15,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Chelidonius, Benedictus. Passio Jesu Chriti. [1526?]. Maroquin bleu de Niédrée. 37 bois inspirés par Dürer. €3,000 to €5,000.
Sotheby’s, Nov. 6-20: Cassini de Thury, César-François. Carte générale de la France faite en 1744. Paris, 1756-1788. 178 cartes entoilées, réunies dans 28 emboîtages. €15,000 to €20,000.