Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - October - 2003 Issue
Unique New Catalogues from<br>Martayan Lan and Oak Knoll Books
Anatomy as it was studied five centuries ago.Martayan Lan #105
By Mike Stillman
Martayan Lan’s “Rare Books Fifteenth to Nineteenth Centuries” is a remarkable collection of old, rare, and important documents. This is not meant for the average person, but for those collectors or institutions with major collections and the means to support them. For those for whom this is appropriate, this is a wonderful catalogue.
The catalogue is broken into three subjects: travel, geography and voyages; history of science; arts and humanities. The offerings, which include works of many of history’s most significant personalities, are spectacular. Most are very old, including numerous items of incunabula.
We will only mention a few of the items offered, with a focus, at least within travels and voyages, on those related to America. However, there are 177 items in all, mostly European, and Martayan Lan provides thorough descriptions and histories for practically every one.
For example, item 3, Peregrinationes in terram sanctam by Bernhard von Breydenbach is described as the first illustrated travel book. It was a best seller in its time, with eight editions qualifying as incunabula. This is a first edition from 1486. The book recounts a journey to the Holy Land from 1483-1484, and is replete with numerous illustrations of cities in Europe and the Middle East. Priced at $235,000.
Item 8 is The Present State of New England…by William Hubbard. Published in 1677 (this is the first London edition, following one from Boston), it recounts much of the settlers’ history, but is most noted for its description of King Philip’s War. Metacomet (“King Philip”) was leader of the Wampanoag Indian tribe, and he was able to unite several tribes in an attempt to ward off the advancing settlers. Ultimately, like many Native Americans who followed, he was unable to stop their advance, but not before enormous casualties were inflicted, on both sides. This book includes what was, in the Boston edition, the first map produced entirely in America. $55,000.
Item 10, from Francisco Ibar, is Muerte Politco de la Republica Mexicana… This consists of 33 bound issues of a periodical describing Mexican-American relations in 1828-1829. Ibar did not believe that his neighbor to the north was acting in good faith, but that it had designs on parts of Mexican territory. He cannot be said to have been mistaken. $1,850.
Rare Book Monthly
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Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 702. Munster's Largest 16th Century Edition, with Over 220 Woodcut Maps (1598) Est. $18,000 - $20,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 101. Rare Jo Mora "Carte" Showing a NYC-to-Seattle Route through Panama Canal (1933) Est. $900 - $1,100Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 65. The Waldseemuller/Fries "Admiral's Map" (1541) Est. $8,000 - $9,500Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 46. Contains all 30 Plates from Atlas Coelestis in Full Original Color (1742) Est. $16,000 - $18,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 129. The First Map to Name New Scotland and Cape Cod (1625) Est. $8,000 - $9,500Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 663. The First Printed Map Devoted to the Pacific in Full Contemporary Color (1589) Est. $7,500 - $9,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 629. De Jode's Rare Map of Eastern Asia (1593) Est. $7,500 - $9,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 171. De Bry's Influential Map of Colonial North America (1591) Est. $11,000 - $13,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 691. Superb Hand-Colored Image of the Holy Trinity (1502) Est. $800 - $950Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 606. Important, Early Atlas of Japan with 75 Woodcut Maps in Printed Color (1837) Est. $2,000 - $2,300 -
Koller, Sep. 16: FRANZÖSISCHE REVOLUTION - ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE - Extrait des Procès-Verbaux de L'Assemblée Nationale, Des 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 Août & premier Octobre 1789.Koller, Sep. 16: MOURADJA D'OHSSON, IGNACE. Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman, divisé en deux parties dont l'une comprend la Législation Mahométane, l'autre l'histoire de l'Empire Othoman [... ]Koller, Sep. 16: BOTANIK - Blackwell, Elisabeth. A curious herbal, containig five hundred cuts, of the most useful plants, which are now used in the practice of physick.Koller, Sep. 16: SCHEUCHZER, JOHANN JAKOB. Physica Sacra. Iconibus Aeneis illustrata procurante & sumtus suppeditante.Koller, Sep. 16: HAIMONSKINDER – Eyn schön lustig Geschicht, wie Keyser Carle der groß, vier gebrüder, Hertzog Aymont von Dordons Süne [...]Koller, Sep. 16: KRÄUTERBÜCHER - HORTUS SANITATIS - [H]ortus Sanitatis. De herbis et plantis. De animalibus et reptilibus. De avibus et volatilibus. De piscibus et natalibus…Koller, Sep. 16: GAUGUIN, PAUL, MALER (1848-1903). Eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift und Couvert. An den Künstler und Freund Daniel de Monfreid in Paris. -
Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark, 1746 [bound with] A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster, [c.1755]. £30,000 - £50,000Forum, Sep. 24: Gafurius (Franchinus). De Harmonia Musicorum Instrumentorum Opus, first edition, Milan, Gotarto da Ponte, 1518. £20,000 - £30,000Forum, Sep. 24: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, first impression, 1937. £10,000 - £15,000Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: Stackelberg (Otto Magnus v). Costumes et Usages des Peuples de la Grece Moderne, first edition, Rome, 1825. £15,000 - £20,000Forum, Sep. 24: Piranesi (Giovanni Battista). Le Antichita Romane, 4 vol., Rome, Bouchard and Gravier, 1756. £10,000 - £15,000Forum, Sep. 24: Henry VIII's Primer.- Church of England.- The Primer, set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie…,, first edition, by Richard Grafton printer to the Princes grace, 1545; bound with 2 others, similar. £10,000 - £15,000Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: Darwin (Charles). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, fifth edition, ink inscription in the author's hand laid down to half-title, 1869. £6,000 - £8,000Forum, Sep. 24: Siebold (P.F. von) J.G. Zuccarini and F.A.W. Miquel. Flora Japonica, 2 vol., first edition, Leiden, for the author, 1835-70. £6,000 - £8,000Forum, Sep. 24: Illuminated manuscript facsimile.- Constitution Of India (The), Dehra Dun, Survey of India Offices, [c. 1950]. £3,500 - £5,000Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: Mao Tse-tung. Quotations of Chairman Mao, prototype edition, Shenyang, compiled and printed by the Political Department, Air Force Division of Shenyang Military Region, 1963. £3,000 - £4,000Forum, Sep. 24: Richardson (John). Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, 4 vol., first edition, Norwich, Josiah Fletcher, 1829-37. £4,000 - £6,000Forum, Sep. 24: Mite (The), the printer/publisher's own copy with the original type and printing blocks for all three of its editions (1891, 1893 & 1896), Grimsby, Ernest A. Robinson, 1891. £3,000 - £4,000. -
Leland Little, September 11: Kenneth Claiborne Royall (1894-1971), Large Archive with Letters from Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower.Leland Little, September 11: Harry S. Truman, Scarce Autograph Letter Signed as 33rd U.S. President.Leland Little, September 11: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) (1835-1910), Autograph Quotation Signed.Leland Little, September 11: The History of North America, the Extremely Scarce Deluxe "Edition of the Presidents."Leland Little, September 11: Scarce First Edition of Krafft's The American Distiller.Leland Little, September 11: Inscribed First Edition of James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room.Leland Little, September 11: A Signed Limited Edition of Love in the Time of Cholera.Leland Little, September 11: The Extremely Scarce Limited and Extra-Illustrated Edition of The Works of Charles Dickens.Leland Little, September 11: A Beautifully Bound Limited Edition of Émile Zola's The Rougon-Macquart.Leland Little, September 11: The Elaborately Bound and Extremely Scarce The Shakespeare Gallery.Leland Little, September 11: Hunting, Hawking, Shooting, A Signed Limited Edition Four Volume Set.Leland Little, September 11: Signed Limited Edition of Salmon-Salmon with a Chapter on Iceland. -
Sotheby’s
Original Film Posters
10 September 2026Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: The Invisible Man (1933). Extremely Rare US Leader Press One Sheet. £20,000 to £26,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: You Only Live Twice (1967). Italian Advance Quattro Fogli. £10,000 to £15,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: A Dog's Life (1918). Extremely Rare US One Sheet. £50,000 to £70,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: La Belle et la Bête/Beauty and the Beast (1946). French Style A Grande. £12,000 to £18,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). US Lenticular Prototype One Sheet. £10,000 to £15,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Théâtre d’Ombres (1897). Exceptionally Rare French Poster. £8,000 to £12,000.