More Rare Americana from David Lesser Antiquarian Books
- by Michael Stillman
Transcript of Roosevelt trial testimony, T.R.'s letter.
In 1802, you couldn't display your family spat on Jerry Springer's show, so you had to the best that technology then allowed – conduct a pamphlet war. Maryland's first Attorney General, Luther Martin, did just that. He took on a young law student, Richard Raynal Keene, to work in his office. Keene did more as Martin's assistant than just study law. He fell in love with Martin's daughter, and against the fierce opposition of her father, married the young lady. Martin spewed out a series of venomous attacks on his son-in-law under the sarcastic title “Modern Gratitude.” He was very angry, feeling betrayed. Apparently, Keene's “infernal malignity cannot, it appears, be possibly satiated.” Not a great start to a family relationship. Item 76 is Keene's reply, A Letter fromRichardRaynalKeene,toLutherMartin,Esq.Attorney-GeneralofMaryland;UpontheSubjectofhis'ModernGratitude.' Keene became something of a schemer, at one point being the first to attempt to set up a non-Spanish colony in Texas, long before Stephen Austin, but that fell through. He was involved in other controversies along the way (including the Burr Conspiracy). We don't know whether Keene and his father-in-law ever reconciled, but the couple named a son after Luther Martin, so perhaps they did achieve a truce. $500.
How often do Abraham Lincoln and Aesop appear together? At least once. Item 54 is AbrahamLincolnToniKin,qaAesopTawoyakeKin.LifeofAbrahamLincolnandAesop'sFables. The life of Lincoln was written by Rev. James Garvie, whose mother was a member of the Sioux tribe. This combination of unrelated material was translated into the Sioux language and was printed by the students at the Santee Normal Training School at Santee Agency, Nebraska, in 1893. Only 24 copies are known to exist. $2,500.
Kestenbaum & Company Sale 115: The Library of the late Dr. Michael D. Paul of St. John’s, Newfoundland Featuring: Travel, Atlases, Natural History, Science, Medicine and Fine Color-Plate Books Thursday, 5th March, 2026
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (AMERICA). COLLOT, GEORGES H. VICTOR. Voyage dans l'Amérique Septentrionale…, Paris, 1826 (but printed 1804/5). $60,000 to $90,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (INCUNABLE). SCHEDEL, HARTMANN. Liber Chronicarum. Nuremberg, Anton Koberger, 1493. $40,000 to $60,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ENTOMOLOGY). MERIAN, MARIA SIBYLLA. Dissertatio de Generatione et Metamorphosibus Insectorum Surinamensium, Amsterdam, 1719. $40,000 to $60,000.
Kestenbaum & Company Sale 115: The Library of the late Dr. Michael D. Paul of St. John’s, Newfoundland Featuring: Travel, Atlases, Natural History, Science, Medicine and Fine Color-Plate Books Thursday, 5th March, 2026
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ATLAS). BLAEU, WILLEM JANZOON. <>Le Flambeau de la Navigation…, Amsterdam, 1620. $40,000 to $60,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ATLAS). MERCATOR, GERARD. L'Atlas ou Méditations Cosmographiques de la fabrique du monde et Figure diceluy, Amsterdam, 1613. $30,000 to $50,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ORNITHOLOGY). GOULD, JOHN. The Birds of Great Britain, London, (1862-)73. First edition. $30,000 to $50,000.
Kestenbaum & Company Sale 115: The Library of the late Dr. Michael D. Paul of St. John’s, Newfoundland Featuring: Travel, Atlases, Natural History, Science, Medicine and Fine Color-Plate Books Thursday, 5th March, 2026
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ATLAS). BLAEU, WILLEM & JOHANNES. Appendix Theatri A. Ortelii et Atlantis G. Mercatoris…, Amsterdam, 1631. $30,000 to $50,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ASTRONOMY). DOPPELMAYR, JOHANN GABRIEL. Atlas Coelestis in quo Mundus Spectabilis, Nuremberg, 1742. $12,000 to $18,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (BOTANY). WEINNMANN, JOHANN WILHELM. Duidelyke Vertoning, Eeniger Duizend in alle vier waerelds deelen wassende…, Amsterdam, 1739-48. $20,000 to $30,000.
Kestenbaum & Company Sale 115: The Library of the late Dr. Michael D. Paul of St. John’s, Newfoundland Featuring: Travel, Atlases, Natural History, Science, Medicine and Fine Color-Plate Books Thursday, 5th March, 2026
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ENGLAND). KIP, JOHANNES. Nouveau Theatre de la Grande Bretagne, London, 1714-16. $20,000 to $30,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ASTRONOMY). DOPPELMAYR, JOHANN GABRIEL. Atlas Coelestis in quo Mundus Spectabilis, Nuremberg, 1742. $12,000 to $18,000.
Kestenbaum, Mar. 5: (ARCHITECTURE). PIRANESI, GIOVANNI. (Miscellaneous). Prima parte di architetture e prospettive, (Paris, circa 1800). $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: Balthus, Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights, New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD.
Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. Complete Works, Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD.
Sotheby’s: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD.
Sotheby’s: Winston Churchill. First edition of War Speeches, Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD.
Sotheby’s: Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. Holy Cats First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.
Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000
![Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/0372eeb9-97e1-47b2-baca-b3287d4704ee.jpg "Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000")
![<b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8f9ce440-b420-4407-8293-eb8e1b38ca19.jpg "<b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000")
![<b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/71bb9667-5d66-4aa8-96a2-9880c74a7a26.jpg "<b>Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26:</b> TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000")
