Phillip J. Pirages has prepared a catalogue of books distinguished more by what's on the outside than inside. Yes, sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. The title is Catalogue 66: Interesting Books in Historically Significant and Decorative Bindings, from the 15th Century to the Present. As the title suggests, many of these are interesting books, some not so much, but for the most part that really doesn't matter. These are for viewing, not reading, works of art one would not want to batter around holding up and reading page by page. What we have are some of the most exquisite binding...
Mark and Nora Butler Anderson have been in the book trade for 15 years, but today we celebrate the issuance of their first catalogue. Not to sound disrespectful, but this is not a timeless catalogu...
Librairie Thomas-Scheler of Paris recently released a catalogue of Livres Précieux (Valued Books). This catalogue is written in French so some familiarity with the language is helpful. Most ...
We have received the newest catalogue from Honey & Wax Booksellers of Brooklyn. It has no stated title, but, based on others, I think it is safe to call it Catalogue 3. After a couple of years ...
Asher Rare Books and the Antiquariaat Forum have released a catalogue of Science & Medicine. Don't look for the latest in scientific knowledge here. And certainly don't take the medical advice....
The William Reese Company has published their catalogue 314 Recent Acquisitions in Americana. The material is not so recent. Dating from as early as the late 16th century to the 20th, the concentra...
Shapero Rare Books has released 50 Fine Books Winter 2014. These are special books, important, elegant, and in exceptional condition. Most are notable for their illustrations, often comparable to p...
Oak Knoll Books has released its Catalogue 306 of Books About Books & Bibliography. The catalogue covers material about books from the arcane and technical to broader subjects such as artistic ...
John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller has issued the latest in a series, Catalogue 60: Books from a San Francisco Private Library Part 4. Voyages and Americana. This was evidently an extensive collect...
David M. Lesser Fine Antiquarian Books has reached their Catalogue 140 of Rare Americana. These are mainly shorter form items – pamphlets, broadsides, and similar less than full length book m...
Kaaterskill Books recently published their Catalogue 19 Latin Americana. From Mexico to Chile, and from the early days of exploration to the turbulent century after the overthrow of Spanish rule, t...
Peter Harrington of London has issued a catalogue of Economics, Politics, & Philosophy. Those can be strange bedfellows. Economics, and those with economic clout, do have an inordinate influenc...
L & T Respess Books has released a catalogue of Big Game Hunting & Guns. Most of the books are focused on hunting big game, be that the big game of America, or the really big game of Africa...
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.
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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.