This month we received our first catalogue from Whitmore Rare Books of Pasadena, California. Whitmore Rare Books is operated by Dan Whitmore, one of many in the trade who made the transition from collector to bookseller. It explains why booksellers generally appreciate the goods they sell in ways not often seen with general merchants. As the Whitmore website explains, “We were raised on great books, as essential to us as bread, and we seek to share that passion with anyone of like mind.”
Whitmore describes its mission as “offering the most important books of the last five centuries in unco...
Simon Beattie Rare Books, Manuscripts, Music, Ephemera published a catalogue for the recent California Antiquarian Book Fair. The unexpected title is The Books You Never Knew You Wanted. Hopefully,...
This month we received our first catalogue from Adrian Harrington Rare Books. However, this is Catalogue 35 for the London bookseller. Adrian Harrington has been selling books for 40 years now, whi...
Aquila Books has released its first catalogue of 2012, Catalogue 112 or Winter 2012. It has been a couple of years since their last, so this will be a welcome sight for those who collect all places...
John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller has published Occasional List Number One. English Books, Fine Printing and Bindings. Windle is hardly new to catalogues, but this is a first of a planned “unknown...
We have received, perhaps slightly late, the Fall/Winter 2011 catalogue from B&B Rare Books of New York. B&B describes its specialties as “18th-20th century American and English literature, poetry,...
Ten Pound Island Book Company released their Maritime List 208, or “Wet Paper.” I had to check on the meaning of that. Ten Pound Island reassures us it refers to paper items pertaining to the sea, ...
Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Manuscripts printed A Sampling of Our Items at the California Antiquarian Book Fairs. The fairs are over, but the books, some of which have been around almost five...
Antiquariat Eigl has released Katalog 37. Travel and Exploration – with a Special Section on James Cook. The catalogue is published in German, but an English translation is available on the booksel...
Joe Rubinfine American Historical Documents has published their List 169. The American Revolution. A Catalog of Manuscripts. Manuscripts by their nature are very rare, usually being one of a kind p...
There are few, if any, authors more collectible than Charles Dickens. Perhaps Shakespeare, but none of his works were published during his lifetime, and little beyond the three folios within a cent...
Asher Rare Books and the Antiquariaat Forum recently published A Selection of Autographs, Drawings, Photographs and Printed Books. This was a selection that the Dutch booksellers brought to America...
Donald Heald Rare Books has issued a catalogue of Pocket Maps. These are 19th century American maps, generally used by travelers, shippers, and settlers as they made their way around the country in...
Hordern House published a catalogue for the recent Pasadena Bookfair 2012. That was a long trip for the Australian bookseller, though not nearly as difficult a journey as many described in the book...
Gert Jan Bestebreurtje Rare Books has issued a catalogue of Dutch Travel. Travel Accounts in the original Dutch language or translated into Dutch. Naturally, most items in the catalogue would be pa...
The 290th catalogue from the William Reese Company was recently released. The latest offering from the Americana dealer is entitled The American Revolution 1765-1783. The great majority of items ar...
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.")
