Books on 19th Century Asia from Gert Jan Bestebreurtje
The not so real story of Pigou.
Item 84, published in 1826, is The Mission to Siam, and Hue, the capital of Cochin China, in the years 1821-2, by George Finlayson. Finlayson had accompanied the British mission to Siam (Thailand) and Cochin China (Vietnam). The mission was essentially a failure. Trade was difficult to establish because of internal conflicts within the two countries. However, Finlayson, naturalist and physician, kept a journal of the visit and what he observed, and left us one of the better pictures available of the area at this time. Unfortunately, Finlayson was debilitated by the journey, and did nor survive the trip home. It was left to Sir Thomas Raffles to edit and complete the work. €1,750 (US $2,236).
Item 95 is, The story of Pigou, a Malay boy, containing all the incidents and anecdotes of his real life... Despite the claim about "real life," the tale of Pigou in this children's book is a bit farfetched to believe. According to the story, Pigou was a small boy who hid in a Malay forest during an insurrection and massacre. He was found starving on a shore by a British sea captain, who rescued and took him to England as a cabin boy. On the trip, Pigou discovers the plotting of a mutiny and saves the crew from slaughter. He is rewarded in London by being placed in the care of a wealthy merchant. Pigou receives a proper British education, and grows up to be enormously wealthy and virtuous. The story is too good to be true, so I will label this one fiction. Written by William Gardiner, the book was published in 1822. €695 (US $888).
Item 162 describes, in Dutch, the beginning of an interminably long war. The Aceh War between the Dutch and Muslim Sultinate of Aceh in Indonesia dragged on from 1873-1904. Aceh had a history of independence, and was not willing to submit to Dutch colonial control. It took 31 years and hundreds of thousands of casualties before the Dutch were finally able to put down the uprising. Even that did not stop occasional resistance in the years ahead. After the Second World War, which saw Indonesia occupied by Japan, the Dutch were unable to regain control. Aceh became part of the new nation of Indonesia, but a guerilla movement sought independence for decades, finally agreeing to a peace in 2005. The peace came about after the devastating Tsunami of 2004, centered close to Aceh, which killed tens of thousands of its residents and left even more homeless. Item 162, about the earlier conflict, is De oorlog tusschen Nederland en Atchin, by George Kepper, published in 1874. €625 (US $798).
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.")
