Search and Thee May Find - How to Find “Lost” Articles
- by Michael Stillman
Google finds “lost” article on Steve Forbes’ book auction.
That has nothing to do with Steve Forbes’ book collection. By searching for “Steve Forbes” in quotation marks, we only find listings for the combination of “Steve” and “Forbes” together. This reduces the number of responses we get by 80%, all the way down to 70,000, which is still far to many to look through.
Here’s the trick. First enter the URL or web address of the site you want to search. The URL is that funny looking name that shows up in the address bar of your browser. It usually starts with “www” (you can ignore the “http://” that precedes it). In the case of the Americana Exchange, the URL or web address is “www.americanaexchange.com.”
It is not necessary, but I recommend putting the URL in quotation marks, as this will help filter out extraneous results. So, the first thing you do is enter “www.americanaexchange.com” quotation marks and all, into the Google search box. Next, enter the plus sign, that’s “+” (without the quotation marks) after the URL. Finally, enter the word or phrase you are looking for, in this case “Steve Forbes” (complete with quotation marks). What you enter into the Google search field will look like this: “www.americanaexchange.com”+”steve forbes”. If you look at the picture with the first page of this article, you will see exactly how to do this.
Once you submit the preceding search to Google (click the “Google Search” button), you will get a short list of highly targeted results. While not always the case, the chances are good that you will only receive listings from this website. If you look at the image to your left, you will see those results. Two responses show up, both from the Americana Exchange website. The first is the article we have been searching for. Now we know why we couldn’t find it under “S” for “Steve” or “F” for “Forbes.” The full title of the article is “Portrait of the CEO/Politico as Collector: Chatting with Steve Forbes.” We should have looked under “P” for “portrait,” but who would have known?
You will also see a second listing for the Americana Exchange. That’s because Steve Forbes was mentioned in another AE Monthly article. Then below that Google says “In order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the 2 already displayed.” Normally, Google is used to show matches from numerous different sites, not multiple results from one site. Therefore, they cover up most matches from a single site. In this case, they have covered up a few more. Click the link below this which says “If you like, you can repeat the search with the omitted results included.” If you click this link, it will bring up every location on the site that contains your search terms.
Hopefully this will help you find those lost old articles from ÆMonthlyor other favorite sites when you need them.
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.
Heritage Auctions Rare Books Signature Auction December 15, 2025
Heritage, Dec. 15: John Donne. Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death. London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
Heritage, Dec. 15: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Tender is the Night. A Romance.
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…