Travels and Other Books from Librairie Thomas-Scheler
Heinrich Zimmerman who sailed on and wrote about Cook's final voyage.
However, many of the settlers became restless, and with mutiny in the air, one boat was sent back to France with the most unhappy among them. Nevertheless, others became dissatisfied and left with their boats. Local Indians turned against the settlers and refused to continue supplying provisions, leading to near starvation. Next, another fleet arrived from France, and Laudonniere was informed that French authorities now questioned his loyalty and were removing him as Florida Governor. This was followed by the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which attacked their fort and killed many of the settlers. Laudonniere and a few others managed to escape into the woods. They made their way to a French ship, abandoning the colony and attempting to return to France. However, the ship was driven onto the English coast in a storm. Laudonniere had to spend time in England before finally making it back to France, where he was coldly received. He spent the remainder of his life in retirement in France. Laudonniere's book, published in 1586, is L'Histoire notable de la Floride... Item 24. $120,000.
From French attempts at colonization we turn to the more successful Spanish endeavors. This title is Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva Espana, by Bernal Diaz del Castillo. Diaz accompanied noted conquistador Hernan Cortes in his sweep through Central America. He was an eyewitness to many historic events, including Cortes' meeting with Montezuma. Thomas-Scheler describes this book as "the most prominent source for all historiographers writing on this subject [Cortes' conquest] ever since its publication." Diaz wrote his book many years after the conquest, but died in 1584 unpublished. The original manuscript was finally published in 1632. Item 17. $30,000.
Item 22 is Dell Uso e dell Arco Conduttore nelle Contrazioni dei Muscoli, by Luigi Galvani. Galvani discovered something that every beginning biology student has learned in his or her lab. He discovered that electrical forces could move animal tissues. This is the finding you recreated when you touched a battery to a dead frog and watched its legs twitch. Before Galvani, no one knew about this. Galvani's name is memorialized in the term "galvanize," whose origin you probably did not know until now. His book was published in 1794. $25,000.
Librairie Thomas-Scheler can be reached by phone at +33 1 43 26 97 69 or by email at basane@thomas-scheler.fr.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
