Furniture, Decorations, Culture and More<br>From Charles Wood
Material Culture, Decorative Arts, and Social History from Charles Wood.
By Michael Stillman
Charles Wood has issued his "List 2004-2," which covers "Material Culture, Decorative Arts, and Social History." In this catalogue you will find a great deal of material, primarily late 18th century to early 20th, covering such fields as home furnishings, furniture, cabinet making, managing the home, carriage making, art, lighting, tailoring, shoemaking, and training your servants. Many of the skills and behavior that went with this age have been forgotten by most, but this collection of many practical guides will serve as reminders to what the world was like, not just before Wal-Mart, but before Sears when they were still referred to as "Sears, Roebuck."
What is believed to have been the most popular furniture book in 18th century America is The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director...by Thomas Chippendale. Originally published in 1754, this is the third and most complete edition from 1762. This book was actually a trade catalogue, and states that it was "printed for the author and sold at his house..." Among those who owned a copy was Thomas Jefferson, who had a second edition. Today, Chippendale's name remains synonymous with a certain style of furniture. Item 7. Priced at $13,500.
If a genuine Chippendale catalogue is a bit pricey for your budget, how about a fake? Item 54 is Chippendale's Ornaments and Interior Decorations, in the Old French Style... Problem is, they weren't Chippendale's ornaments and decorations. Publisher John Weal had obtained the plates of another 18th century designer, Matthias Lock, in the 1830s. Unfortunately, Lock was little remembered by then. Being an astute businessman, Weal substituted the more famous Chippendale's name for Lock's when publishing the book. This wasn't the only time. Weal similarly erased the name from plates of furniture created by Thomas Johnson, substituting Chippendale's name. $850.
Item 48 is a "flap book" from around 1905 in remarkably good condition. "Flap books" were designed to show the inner workings of things, be they machines, humans, animals, etc. Foldout overlays enabled the owner to see just how these things worked. This one focuses on various types of motors. It's called Le Mecanicien Moderne par une Comite d'Ingenieurs Specialistes, printed in Paris. $2,500.
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.
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.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
