“To make an act of allegiance to the French language, love and submission, is for the writer the only hope that remains to him of reconstituting himself entirely, of restoring himself to his primitive integrity.” That quote from journalist Jacques Drillon introduces the latest catalogue from Librairie Métamorphoses, Livres Rares & Documents Précieux (Rare Books and Valuable Documents). You may notice the irony of translating that statement to English. In the catalogue it is written in the appropriate francais. Not surprisingly, the catalogue descriptions are to...
Garrett Scott, Bookseller has issued Catalog 41: On the Lintels of the Door-Post. I'm not sure what that means, but that could also be said about the writings of many of the authors herein. His mat...
The William Reese Company has issued their 377th catalogue, Politics & War. Those are topics that still dominate the news today, but these are not about current disputes and conflicts, no claim...
James Cummins Bookseller and Between the Covers Rare Books have issued a catalogue of Literature, Photography, & Miscellany with some emphasis on Association Copies. It further explains, from t...
Antiquariat Kainbacher's latest catalogue, XXVIII (28), is titled Der Orient und Afrika. While reading the catalogue will require some knowledge of German, it is unlikely that anyone will need to h...
Shapero Rare Books has published a catalogue of Signed – Inscribed – Limited. Most items have the author's signature along with some comments by him or her. A few have inscriptions from...
The Veatchs Arts of the Book is offering their Catalogue 99 – A Bouquet of Private Presses, Typography, Artists' Books & Fine Bindings, with 19th century stock blocks & an illustrated...
Zephyr Used & Rare Books has published a catalogue entitled There's Always More! - 2022. Indeed there is. Zephyr begins the description of what they have with, “the wide ra...
Jonathan A. Hill Bookseller has issued their Catalogue 238, Japanese, Chinese, & Korean Books, Manuscripts, & Scrolls. There's not much description that needs to be added to that. We can sa...
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.