Rare Book Monthly Reviews - December - 2019 Issue

The Raab Collection Celebrates 30 Years in the Field with an Outstanding Selection of Autograph Material

The Raab Collection Celebrates 30 Years in the Field with an Outstanding Selection of Autograph Material

The Raab Collection has issued their Catalog 81. This represents a significant milestone for the major autograph dealer – their 30th anniversary in the field. Starting in 1989 as a literal kitchen table business, then known as Steven S. Raab Autographs, their growth was rapid and dramatic. Within a few years, Steven and Susan had quit their day jobs to devote full time to autograph sales. The level of material they handled reached the highest level, names such as Washington, Lincoln, Twain, Churchill, Einstein, and so many more filling their catalogues. Now joined by son and daughter-...

A Spectacular Catalogue 02 from Mark Funke Bookseller

A Spectacular Catalogue 02 from Mark Funke Bookseller

Mark Funke Bookseller has printed a new catalogue labeled only MF on the cover. We will assume that stands for Mark Funke, because what else could it stand for? On the spine it reads Catalogue 02. ...

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Catalogue No. 8 from Honey & Wax Booksellers

Catalogue No. 8 from Honey & Wax Booksellers

Honey & Wax Booksellers has issued a new catalogue titled, simply, No. 8. Even that title is low key, appearing only on the spine. I think the reason for such a brief title is that a descriptiv...

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Artists' Books, Private Press, Miniatures, History, Literature & More from The Kelmscott Bookshop

Artists' Books, Private Press, Miniatures, History, Literature & More from The Kelmscott Bookshop

The Kelmscott Bookshop has issued their Catalog 17, or long title, Artists' Books & Private Press, Miniature Books, Art & Photography, Literature, History, Plus More! The first section, Art...

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The Civil War from the George S. MacManus Co.

The Civil War from the George S. MacManus Co.

The George S. MacManus Company has released a new catalogue of material related to the Civil War. This internecine conflict is a specialty of MacManus, their collection of books and other printed m...

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Countercultures from Brian Cassidy Bookseller

Countercultures from Brian Cassidy Bookseller

Brian Cassidy Bookseller has issued Catalogue Sixteen, or Counter-culture(s). That sort of describes the material herein though not all quite fits that appellation. Perhaps unusual or uncommon, may...

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Travel, Exploration, Voyages, and the Arctic from Patrick McGahern Books

Travel, Exploration, Voyages, and the Arctic from Patrick McGahern Books

Patrick McGahern Books has issued a catalogue of Travel, Exploration, Voyages, Arctic. This is not the typical McGahern catalogue, or perhaps we should say, it is only half so. McGahern is a Canadi...

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The American West from Old West Books

The American West from Old West Books

Old West Books has published a new catalogue of Rare, Out of Print Books on the American West, specifically, Catalog 49. There is no need to describe what sort of material you can expect from a boo...

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A New Selection of Rare Americana from David M. Lesser Fine Antiquarian Books

A New Selection of Rare Americana from David M. Lesser Fine Antiquarian Books

David M. Lesser Fine Antiquarian Books has published a new catalogue of Rare Americana. This is number 171 in their ongoing series. The books, pamphlets, broadsides, cartoons, documents, letters, a...

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43 Books of Fables from John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller

43 Books of Fables from John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller

John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller has issued a catalogue of 43 Books of Fables. One usually thinks of books of fables as something for the children, though that only developed over time. Earlier o...

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African-Americana, Civil War, and the South from L & T Respess Books

African-Americana, Civil War, and the South from L & T Respess Books

L & T Respess Books has issued a catalogue of recent acquisitions in the field of African-Americana, Civil War, the South. This is a southern-oriented collection of diverse material. Most of wh...

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India and South East Asia from Shapero Rare Books

India and South East Asia from Shapero Rare Books

Shapero Rare Books has issued a catalogue entitled Land of Splendour. European Travellers in India and South East Asia. As a British bookseller, Shapero would have access to much historic material ...

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Latin Americana from the William Reese Company

Latin Americana from the William Reese Company

The William Reese Company's latest catalogue is devoted to Latin Americana. Reese is noted as a premier dealer in Americana, but that usually refers to areas settled primarily by the British. These...

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Scientific and Technological Books from Zephyr Used & Rare Books

Scientific and Technological Books from Zephyr Used & Rare Books

Zephyr Used and Rare Books has issued a catalogue entitled Science & Technology. Catalogue From One Collector. While the collector is not identified, Zephyr notes he is “a former U.S. Nav...

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Rare Book Monthly

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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.
  • 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.

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