Intriguing Old English Books From Bernard Shapero Rare Books
Siamese Twins Elisa and Mary Chulkhurst.
Some strange occurrences are recounted in Strange news from Lemaster in Herefordshire, being a true narrative...of a most strange and prodigious opening of the earth in divers places thereabouts. Also, a true relation of several wonderful sights, viz. A hand, an arm and shoulder of the bigness of mans...seen to arise out of the earth and ascend up to the skyes. Beware of anyone who uses the word "true" multiple times in a title. This 1679 pamphlet tells of unusual events witnessed by a Mr. Barnes. Various large limbs, arms and shoulders and such, arose from openings in the ground, as did a flying blue globe and blood-colored saddles, which then ascended to the sky. There was also a loud noise, "as if canons had been discharged," which others in the vicinity also heard. And, for "whoever doubts the truth of this relation," Mr. Barnes offered to show them a copy of a letter he sent to his brother in London recounting these mysterious events. Proof enough for me. One of the rare remaining copies of the account of this "miraculous accident" is offered as item 57. L1,600 (US $2,940).
Item 44 is a 1654 book of proverbs from Thomas Drake, Bibliotheca scholastica instructissima. Or, a treasury of ancient adagies and sententious proverbs... Some of these are still familiar today: "when the cat is away, the mice play;" "it is better late than never;" and "Rome was not built in a day." But how about "an empty purse maketh the face full of wrinkles?" Here is one I can attest to: "the dogge waggest his taile, not for you, but for your bread." I will make no comments on "where there are women, there is much tatling." And what about this one: "a poore mans head is full of bees?" What does that mean? Did poor men, like hippies, wear flowers in their hair? I was stumped, but if you can believe everything you find on Google (and certainly you cannot), it means scatterbrained or dreamy, a precursor to the expression "bees in your bonnet." L400 (US $734).
From the "better late than never" category, here's a funeral invitation for John Moor. Mr. Moor's funeral took place on June 25, 1712. This was a fill-in form, name, date, and location to be entered as required. The invitation begins, "You are desired to Accompany the Corps of _____ with the name handwritten in the blank space. The invitation includes pictures of a skull, crossbones, and skeleton, along with the motto "Remember to Die." I'm sure I will remember, but hopefully not to soon. Item 56. L1,800 (US $3,311).
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.
Heritage Auctions Rare Books Signature Auction December 15, 2025
Heritage, Dec. 15: John Donne. Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death. London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
Heritage, Dec. 15: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Tender is the Night. A Romance.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
![<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.")
![<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
