rare books

The "Astor-Aubéry de Frawenberg" Hours Up For Auction

The "Astor-Aubéry de Frawenberg" Hours, a beautiful Book of Hours dating back to the 1500s goes up for auction at the Heritage Rare Books Auction on April 7. A Book of Hours is a medieval devotional book. These illuminated manuscripts are often illustrated and decorated with gold detail and are incredibly ornate and beautiful, many are in museums and libarary collections.

It is believed that this one was made for a nobleman of Toul, in eastern France, circa 1500-1520. It is bound in red velvet and was later encased in seventeenth-century decorated silver gilt covers with royal arms designed for the manuscript, and intricate designs of birds, vases, sphinxes and more. Inside the manuscript contain 19 large miniatures, four full-page miniatures, and 28 small miniatures with pure gold details by by the Parisian workshops of Jean Pichore and Jean Poyet.

The book was possibly crafted for someone in the Aubéry de Frawenberg family and the beautiful binding was added to the manuscript later. Sometime before 1884, American ambassador to Rome and the wealthiest man in America at the time, Viscount William Waldorf Astor bought it for the what was then a huge amount, £420. The manuscript is believed to be connected with Toul, a town in Eastern France because the calendar names of two Toul feasts are featured in gold and the Cathedral of Toul is in the background. of one of the miniatures. It is estimated to sell for at least $325,000.

Gallery: The "Astor-Aubéry de Frawenberg" Hours

Tags: astor, book of hours, illuminated manuscripts, rare books, william waldorf astor

Rare Fibonacci Manuscript Goes Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Books

A rare manuscript offered by Bonhams in their June 22, 2011 auction of Fine Books and Manuscripts is one of the cornerstones of modern mathematic thinking. Up for sale is a lot featuring a rare 15th century manuscript that includes key pieces of the ground breaking mathematical work, Liber Abaci or Book of Calculation by Fibonacci. Fibonacci is credited with bringing the Hindu-Arabic numeral system to the western world. and lends his name to the Fibonacci Sequence where each successive number is the sum of the two preceding numbers.

Within the text of the Liber Abaci, Fibonacci explains the benefits of Arabic numerals and the symbol for zero by applying them to the practical world of book-keeping, weights and measures, and trade. By appealing to tradesmen and academics he eventually convinced the public to adapt the system paving the way for modern mathematical equations, sequences used in computer programming and financial markets. The manuscript on offer contains the complete text of the section of Liber Abaci known as Flos or "The Flower," which is the most advanced sections of Liber Abaci, dealing with calculus, and geometrical and algebraic methods for solving quadratic equations. The book first appeared in 1202, in manuscript form, and only 12 copies of the manuscript from the 13th through the 15th centuries have been traced in European libraries, many of them in the Vatican.

Tags: fibonacci, FibonacciSequence, matheo, rare books

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Books From Thomas Jefferson's Personal Library Rediscovered

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

A long-sought group of books from Thomas Jefferson's personal library have been found. Washington University in St. Louis announced earlier this week that 74 books in its rare books collection were once part of Thomas Jefferson's personal library. The books were among about 3,000 that were donated to the school in 1880 after the death of Jefferson's granddaughter, Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, and her husband, Joseph Coolidge. The discovery makes Washington University's archive the third-largest collection of Jefferson's books, after the Library of Congress and the University of Virginia.

Jefferson was an avid reader and a fervent notetaker. The copy of Plutarch's Lives in Greek shown above contains a scrap of paper with Greek notes scholars say were written by Thomas Jefferson. Some of the books contain his notes in the margins.

Tags: rare books, rare books collection, thomas jefferson

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Rare Book Set On Egypt Crowns Christie's Sale In Paris

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Books

It was one of the most ambitious projects the world had ever seen. After taking command of the Egyptian campaign around the turn of the 19th century, Napoleon gathered a staff of France's top scientists, artists, explorers and others to undertake a concept like no other, a complete and comprehensive survey of the country's monuments, plants, animals and more. The result was the Description de l'Egypte, a multi-volume set which began in 1803 but wasn't completed until 1830.

Christie's has announced the sale of the Michel Wittock Collection, Part IV, which will be held in Paris on May 11 which will include an exceptional copy of the Description de l'Egypte, bound by Jean-Joseph Tessier in polished and richly decorated calfskin. The 23 volumes in their original mahogany display case are expected to sell for €500,000 to €700,000. This is the first edition of the publication and is printed on woven paper with handcolored ornithological plates. The final work included more than 900 engraved plates. This copy was bound by the Parisian binder Jean-Joseph Tessier using tools specifically cut for the project. This particular copy belonged to Jean-Joseph Courvoisier (1775-1835) who was appointed the minister of justice in 1829 and received this set as a gift commemorating that occasion.

Tags: antiquities, christies, description de egypte, napoleon, rare books

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Photo Tour: Bonhams & Butterfields Fine Books & Manuscripts Auction Preview

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Books

Sometimes in these days of iPads and smartphones it's a pleasure to look at real writing, at old books, scrawled signatures, the things that could be mere curiosities to future generations. Bonhams & Butterfields Fine Books & Manuscripts auction is coming up on February 13. One of the showcase lots is a book, prominently featuring California backdrops, of 100 hand-colored lithograph plates and accompanying text by famed German-Russian painter and explorer Louis Choris. Choris' volume has more than 100 plates depicting areas of San Francisco, such as the Presidio, the Mission, and the Bay; as well as the Hawaiian Islands; Alaska; the Philippines; Chile; and Easter Island. It is estimated at $100,000-$150,000.

The illustrated auction catalog for the Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale is available online for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com/18686. Take a look some other items after the jump...

Tags: Bonhams Butterfields, BonhamsAuction, mahatma gandhi, mark twain, rare books, samuel clemens

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The Sacred and the Spooky Up For Auction At Swann Galleries

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Books

It's a little late for Halloween but on Tuesday, November 9, Swann Galleries in New York will offer a wide range of books that includes an intriguing selection of occult material. Shown above is Francis Potter, An Interpretation of the Number 666, first edition, Oxford, 1642 which is estimated to sell for $1,000 to $2,000. Other occult highlights include Johannes Trithemius, Polygraphie et Uniuerselle escriture Cabalistique, first edition in French of the earliest treatise on cryptography, Paris, 1561 ($3,000 to $4,000) and Jean Bodin, La Demonomanie des Sorciers, one of the most celebrated books on the theory and practice of witch hunting, Paris, 1598 ($800 to $1,200).

Should your bibliophile tendencies be a bit more angelic, the sale also features an illuminated manuscript Book of Hours in Latin and French, on vellum, with 13 large and two small miniatures in colors and gold, Paris, late 15th century with 16th- century additions which is estimated to sell for between $15,000 and $20,000). A set of the second Estienne Hebrew "pocket" Bible, which is considered one of the most impressive examples of Hebrew printing of the French Renaissance, 17 parts in eight volumes, bound in 16th-century calf with gilt arabesque centers, Paris, 1544-46 is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000. The sale also includes a variety of medical and scientific books including a first edition of the first complete textbook of astronomy in Hebrew. The books will be on public exhibition Friday, November 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, November 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, November 8, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 9, from 10 a.m. to noon. An illustrated catalogue is available for $35 from Swann Galleries, Inc., 104 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, or online at www.swanngalleries.com.

Tags: book of hours, occult books, rare books, swann galleries

Rare Book Could Set A Record For Most Expensive Book, Again

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art, Books

Deep-pocketed bibliophiles will have the chance to bid for the world's most expensive book this December. There are only around 100 copies of John James Audubon's massive "Birds of America." The book, which contains 435 hand-colored prints and is more than three feet tall, last sold for $8.8 million in 2000. Sotheby's estimates that the book of four volumes could reach 6 million pounds ($9.25 million) when it is auctioned off at Sotheby's London on December 7, 2010. The sale will also feature a first folio of Shakespeare's plays dating back to 1623 which could bring in at least one million pounds ($1.54 million). These two amazing books come from the same collection, the estate of the 2nd Baron Hesketh, an aristocratic book collector who died way back in 1955.

Tags: audubon, john james audubon, most expensive, rare books, shakespeare, worlds most expensive

Have a Glass of Wine at the Bookstore

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Books

A nearly 200-year-old bookstore in Sydney is uniting bibliophiles and oenophiles with a simple, yet brilliant idea: serving wine in their reading room.

Like languishing in the library of someone's country home, guests at Berkelouw Books in Leichhardt, Sydney, can lounge on plush couches and at comfortable tables with plates of cheese and Australian wines while perusing their selection of rare, out-of-print, secondhand and new books. It's a wonderful way to create community, allowing book-lovers to enjoy a book in their store the same way they would at home.

Berkelouw Books has a rich, six generation history of trading in rare and antiquarian books. "Now that people are getting to know about us, we've had great success with our boutique wines and lots of positive feedback," owner Colin Cappelleri told Reuters.

It makes the Starbucks in Barnes & Noble seem positively vulgar.

[via Reuters]

Tags: australia, Berkelouw Books, BerkelouwBooks, bookstore, rare books, RareBooks, sydney

Rare Galileo Text Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

Imagine a time when the idea that the Earth revolved around the Sun was considered a dangerous notion. That was Galileo's world and this year marks 400 years since his first demonstration of the telescope. His first glimpses of the planets and other heavenly bodies changed our world forever.

PBA Galleries of San Francisco is auctioning off first edition, second issue, of the book in which the first English translation of Galileo's "famous dialogues" were published, arguing the correctness of the heliocentric theory of planetary motion, as demonstrated by his observations with the telescope. This volume is Thomas Salusbury's Mathematical Collections and Translations and contains the first versions of Galileo's theories in English. The majority of it is made up of Galileo's The Systeme of the World in Four Dialogues. Wherein the Two Grand Systemes of Ptolomy and Copernicus are Largely Discoursed of...This is the second issue, with a new title-page and contents list. When it was first issued in 1661, it was to be Volume One of a two volume work. In 1666, however, shortly after Volume Two was printed, the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city. Nearly all copies of the second volume were lost. A small quantity of unused sheets of the first volume remained and in 1667 these were supplied with a new title-page and contents-list with reference to the material in Vol. II omitted. This second issue is very rare and estimated to sell for $30,000 to $40,000 at auction on September 17 at PBA Galleries in San Francisco.

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Tags: galilieo, rare books, rare documents, RareBooks, RareDocuments

Antwerp's Beautiful Reading Room

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books

There's only just over a week left for easy access to one of Antwerp's more hidden treasures: the Nottebohm Room. This reading room is in what used to be the City Library, recently renamed the Hendrick Conscience Library (or Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience in Flemish), for its location on Conscienceplein in the city center.

The Nottebohm Room is everything you'd imagine a traditional reading room should be, all dark wood paneling, inviting desks, and two stories of books that will bring a respectful hush over any book lover. The library's collection dates back to 1481, and includes more than a million books, with 6,000 rare books, folios and other priceless book-related artifacts, including a delicately calligraphed and illuminated history of Rome written by Eutropius . In the early 20th century, the Nottebohm Room was the gathering place for Antwerp's literati -- you can see some more pictures of it here, although the page is in Flemish.

It's my understanding that the Nottebohm Room isn't open to the public regularly, but it's currently hosting an intimate exhibit of modern hand printed books called "Mooi Marginaal", and the contrast between these modern and often whimsical works, along with the nostalgic presence of the entire sweep of publishing history is a fine reason to fit this in when you visit this jewel of a city in Flanders. The exhibit is on until June 14th, Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is free.

Tags: antwerp, antwerpbelgium, belgium, books, libraries, library, rare books, RareBooks

The Szyk Haggadah Among Rare Books Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Books

Swann Galleries' April 2 auction of fine books will include a copy of one of the most famous versions of the Haggadah, the Jewish religious text that tells the story of Passover. The Szyk Haggadah was illustrated by Arthur Szyk in Poland in the 1930s and is famous for the beauty and detail of its pictures. Last year, a new reprinting of the text was announced at a hefty price of $15,000 each. The version Swann Galleries is selling is one of 125 copies on vellum, signed by Szyk and editor Cecil Roth and is in the original gilt-pictorial blue morocco binding by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, London, 1939, It is estimated at $15,000 to $25,000.

This is just part of a sale that coincides with the New York Antiquarian Book Fair and includes works on cards and the occult from the collection of Stuart R. Kaplan founder of U.S. Games Systems, Inc., a leading publisher of tarot decks and card games. The sale will also auction off a copy of Golden Cockerel Press Four Gospels, illustrated by Eric Gill, one of only twelve printed on vellum, bound in white pigskin by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, Waltham Saint Lawrence, 1931 which is estimated at $40,000 to $50,000. A set of David Roberts's The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia, first edition in book form in the issue with hand-colored proofs before letters, 6 volumes in the original bindings, London, 1842-49 is likely to be one of the top lots at $80,000 to $120,000. The books will be on public exhibition at Swann Galleries at 104 East 25th Street in New York City on March 28 and March 30 to April 1.

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Tags: book auction, BookAuction, rare books, RareBooks, swann galleries, SwannGalleries

Harry Potter Book Sells For Over $19,000

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

The Harry Potter economy is alive and well. A softcover copy of the first Harry Potter book sold for a record $19,120 in a rare books auction through Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas Texas on Friday. The 1997 first edition of Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone with the original publisher's illustrated softcover wrappers also featured an illustrated card signed by the author, J. K. Rowling. There were only 200 copies in the first printing and the winning bid this time was nearly double the previous record for this book set last October ($10,750). The winning bidder is from Dubai and is said to be a comic book collector whose wife is a Harry Potter fan.

Gallery: Documents At Auction

Tags: auction, book, harry potter, HarryPotter, rare books, RareBooks

Famous Dickens Collection To Be Auctioned Off

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

Christie's New York will auction off The Kenyon Starling Library of Charles Dickens on April 2. The collection, which could bring in as much as $2 million includes remarkable manuscripts, presentation copies, playbills, and original drawings. The collection is part of the William E. Self Family Collection. Bill Self moved to Hollywood in 1944, and appeared in numerous films, including The Thing, I Was a Male War Bride, Story of G.I. Joe, Red River and Sands of Iwo Jima and later became a highly successful producer for both television and motion pictures and the President of Twentieth Century-Fox 's Television Division. He was an avid book collector and met Kenyon Starling while bidding on rare books. Both had a taste for Dickens and traveled the world visiting major bookshops. Dtarling left his Dickens collection to Bill's family because of their mutual background, shared collecting interest and friendship. The Kenyon Starling Library of Charles Dickens is among the finest in private hands. Among the most significant lots is a presentation copy of Oliver Twist (1838) in a special presentation binding to his friend and fellow-author, William Harrison Ainsworth, and a presentation copy of The Uncommercial Traveller (1861) to the novelist George Eliot. The collection includes important autograph and manuscript material including an extremely rare manuscript page from the original manuscript of the Pickwick Papers shown at right which is estimated to sell for $150,000 - 250,000.

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Tags: charles dickens, christies, manuscripts, rare books

Rare Art Nouveau Book Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

For fans of the Art Nouveau, Swann Galleries' December 19 auction of Art Nouveau Posters offers are chance to buy a rare treasure. Up for auction is a a book containing 138 hand-colored proofs by Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha. This book, in which Mucha applied watercolor coloring to sheets with lithographed outlines of his designs for Ilsee Princesse de Tripoli, is Mucha at his most ethereal. The book represents Mucha's most complete statement in the Art Nouveau style. The book hasn't been exhibited in 110 years, since 1897 when the Salon des Cent dedicated a show to over 400 of Mucha's works. The book is estimated to sell for $300,000 to $400,000.

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Tags: art, art auctions, art nouveau, rare books

Ornithology Collection To Benefit Crane Foundation

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

The International Crane Foundation will be the beneficiary of a special auction of one of the best collections of rare bird art and books to go on sale. On October 5, Sotheby's in New York will auction off the collection of Brooks McCormick, chief executive officer of the International Harvester Co. and a student of ornithology. McCormick was a private man and noted conservationalist who did not like to advertise his wealth. The collection features works by Audubon, Mark Catesby and Charles Darwin. The pieces shown above are from a lot of Mark Catesby works valued at between $400,000 and $600,000. The estimated value of the collection is between $1.5 million and $2 million.

[via WiscNews]

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Tags: aucton, bird art, birds, illustrations, international crane foundation, orinthology, rare books, sothebys

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