Artistic Books and Important Literature from Thomas Goldwasser Rare Books
- by Michael Stillman
Inscribed by Willa Cather to 15-year-old Yuhudi Menuhin.
Willa Cather was a writer known for her novels of life on the American prairie. A native of Nebraska, she later moved to New York. That is where she became friendly with a family one would not associate with life on a prairie farm – the Menuhins. They were a family of incredibly talented musicians, none more so than the great violinist Yehudi. Cather's companion of the time described the Menuhin children as being one of the brightest spots in what was not generally a happy time in her life. Item 25 is a first edition of Cather's novel ShadowsontheRock, which dealt with French Quebec in the 17th century. It was inscribed on June 24, 1931 (prior to its August publication date), “For Yehudi Menuhin, With every golden wish there is.” Yehudi was 15 at the time. $22,500.
Item 88 is a copy of H.L. Mencken's Prejudices.SecondSeries, published in 1920. Mencken was a writer and editor of the first half of the 20th century. He was hard to peg by traditional standards, other than to say he was controversial. He managed to offend just about everyone at one time or another. This collection includes his notable essay on the SaharaofBozart (Beaux Arts). It was a heavy attack on the American South from a cultural perspective. The title arises from his claim that the South is “almost as sterile, artistically, intellectually, culturally, as the Sahara Desert.” There are no painters, musical composers, sculptors, architects, theologians, scientists, or historians in the South he writes, not even a “bad one.” However, Mencken does not attribute this shortcoming to the race related issues for which the South is usually criticized. Instead, he looks to the antebellum, slave owning era as being a culturally advanced one, with the decline coming as poor whites took control after the Civil War. Offered is one of a very small number of copies issued with all edges untrimmed and signed by the author. $1,500.
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.")
