In 1951, Asimov was approached about writing some science fiction books that could be adapted for a television series. The lead character was to be a space ranger, something of an update on the Lone Ranger. Asimov liked the idea of writing books for younger people, but had a low opinion of television. He was convinced his stories would be turned into the junk he saw on his small screen (and this was the golden age of TV... Imagine what he would think of it today). Asimov created the Lucky Starr character, and item 13 is a first edition of the first book in this six-book series, DavidStarr,SpaceRanger, published in 1952. However, to protect himself from what appeared on TV, he chose to use a pseudonym in place of his name, so he would not be associated with the trash he feared would soon appear. The name he used for the series was “Paul French.” Ultimately, the plan for the television series fell through, and by the last of the books Asimov had inserted his three rules for robots, a giveaway that “Paul French” was actually Isaac Asimov. $750.
Asimov frequently deviated from his primary topics of science fiction and science (real), particularly after the 1950s. Item 51 is far afield even for the prolific Asimov: IsaacAsimov'sTreasuryofHumor:ALifetimeCollectionofFavoriteJokes,Anecdotes,andLimerickswithCopiousNotesonHowtoTellThemandWhy. It includes 640 jokes and, typical of Asimov, commentaries on them. Perhaps the book shouldn't be all that surprising. Asimov was a skilled public speaker, and he used humor to put his audience at ease. Published in 1971. $50.
Item 159 is sort of a retrospective on Asimov's career. Published in 1989, it is TheAsimovChronicles:FiftyYearsofIsaacAsimov. It contains a collection of the writer's stories, one from each year of his career. It is bound in leather with gilt lettering, and has been signed by Asimov and the book's two illustrators. He would continue to add to his bibliography after this fifty-year collection, but Asimov's health was deteriorating. His career ended in his 53rd year of writing. $1,250.
ALDE, Apr. 8: GUEVARA (ANTONIO DE). Histoire de Marc-Aurèle, Empereur Romain, vray miroir et horloge des Princes. Paris, Pierre et Galliot du Pré, frères, 1565. €3,000 to €4,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: HEURES DE LA VIERGE. Horæ in laudem beatissimæ virginis Mariæ ad usum Romanum. Paris, Charles L'Angelier, 1556. €4,000 to €5,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: MONTAIGNE (MICHEL DE). Les Essais. Édition nouvelle, trouvée après le deceds de l'autheur… Paris, Abel L'Angelier, 1595. €6,000 to €8,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: [ROJAS (FERNANDO DE)]. Celestina, tragicomedia di Calisto et Melibea, tradotta de lingua castigliana in italiano idioma… Venise, 1531. €2,000 to €3,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: CAMÕES (LUÍS DE). Os Lusiadas. Lisbonne, Pedro Crasbeeck, 1613. €2,000 to €3,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Bruxelles, Roger Velpius & Huberto Antonio, 1611. €6,000 to €8,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: LA FONTAINE (JEAN DE). Fables choisies, mises en vers. Paris, Denys Thierry et Claude Barbin, 1678-1694. €6,000 to €8,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Madrid, Joaquin Ibarra, 1780. €3,000 to €4,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: DIDEROT (DENIS) ET JEAN LE ROND D'ALEMBERT. Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. Paris, 1751-1765. €15,000 to €20,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. LAMARTINE (Alphonse de). Les Laboureurs. Poème tiré de Jocelyn… Lyon, J. A. Henry, 1883. €8,000 to €10,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. Livre de prières tissé d'après les enluminures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVIe siècle. Lyon, [A. Roux], 1886. €5,000 to €6,000.
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts & Objects from Three Important Collections Open for Bidding 2-17 April
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: [Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun]. Le Roman de la Rose, [Geneva or Lyons, c.1481], first printed edition of the most important medieval French vernacular poem. £200,000 to £300,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Castiglione. Il libro del cortegiano. [Venice], April 1528, first edition, in a magnificent binding by Jean Picard for Jean Grolier. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Jacobus de Cessolis. Schachzabelbuch, Strasbourg, 1483, von der Lasa copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: World Championship, 1972. A collection of 84 press photographs of the famed match between Spassky and Fischer. £2,000 to £3,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Ben Franklin. Autograph letter signed, to Lord Shelburne, British Prime Minister, during peace negotiations, November 1782. £15,000 to £20,000.
