More from the Library of H.P. Kraus<br>At Oak Knoll Books
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Fast forward to 1911. That was when Robert Hoe put his magnificent collection on the block. The sale was enormous, bringing in almost $2 million, which was larger than the next four largest book auctions combined at the time. It took eight catalogues to cover it all, which were published from 1911 to 1912 by the Anderson Auction Company, the major book auction of that era. Item 908 is the complete set of the Catalogue of the Library of Robert Hoe of New York. $450. Among the items sold was a copy of Gutenberg's Bible for $50,000, more than the entire Hibbert auction 80 years earlier. Hoe's copy of Gutenberg would be purchased by Henry Huntington, one of the greatest collectors ever, whose collection can now be found in the Huntington Library in San Marino, California.
Item 927 can fill you in more on the early books at the Huntington. It's Herman Mead's Incunabula in the Huntington Library. From 1937. $75. Item 926 is Henry E. Huntington's Library of Libraries by Donald Dickinson. This will tell you more about how Huntington assembled his library, including the purchase of entire collections from others. $24.95.
Now we move ahead to one of H.P. Kraus' own catalogues. This was titled Monumenta Xylographica et Typographica, the Cradle of Printing Part II from 1971 (Part I was published in 1964). Item 976. $75. The first item Kraus was offering was a Gutenberg Bible, but the price was now $2,500,000. I cannot imagine what a Gutenberg would command today, but single leaves from this 1282-page book crossed the $10,000 mark at auction back in the 1980s. Suffice to say it has been a good investment.
Item 108 is Histoire de l'Invention de l'Imprimerie by Johann Lichtenberger. This is an 1825 book about the invention of printing, and includes a lithographed portrait of Gutenberg plus eight woodcuts of type specimens. In this book, Lichtenberg argues that Gutenberg made his first attempts at printing in Strasbourg, later perfecting the process in Mainz where his bible was printed. $150.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 17: Francesco Colonna. Hypnerotomachie, Paris, 1546, Parisian calf by Wotton Binder C for Marcus Fugger. €200,000 to €300,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 17: Nausea. De principiis dialectices Gorgias, and other works, Venice, 1523, morocco gilt for Cardinal Campeggio. €3,000 to €4,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 17: Billon. Le fort inexpugnable de l'honneur, Paris, 1555, Parisian calf gilt for Peter Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld. €120,000 to €180,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 16: Salinger, J.D. The Graham Family archive, including autographed letters, an inscribed Catcher, a rare studio photograph of the author, and more. $120,000 to $180,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 16: [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition of Sense and Sensibility, the author's first novel. $60,000 to $80,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 16: Massachusetts General Court. A powerful precursor to the Declaration of Independence: "every Act of Government … without the Consent of the People, is … Tyranny." $40,000 to $60,000.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 16:</b> [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition of <i>Sense and Sensibility,</i> the author's first novel. $60,000 to $80,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/9a74d9ff-42dd-46a1-8bb2-b636c4cec796.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 16:</b> [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition of <i>Sense and Sensibility,</i> the author's first novel. $60,000 to $80,000.")
