Rare Book Monthly

Articles - February - 2015 Issue

Western Americana: Bonhams Delivers the Goods in February

Select items from Bonhams' Feb. 9th sale of western Americana

Select items from Bonhams' Feb. 9th sale of western Americana

Coinciding with the 48th California International Antiquarian Book Fair taking place the same week, Bonhams is hosting an auction containing 151 lots of Important Western Americana: Property of a Collector in California on Monday, February 9th, 2015. Both events are taking place in San Francisco. With important works on western exploration, as well as the Gold Rush and Native Americans, this is a can’t miss sale for collectors and dealers focused on western Americana.

The sale opens with a significant amount of texts on the discovery of California, and the material ranges from the extremely rare and possibly worth over $100,000, to a less wallet-impacting $10,000 and under. Lot 3, Miguel Costanso’s Diario Histórico de los viages de mar, y tierra hechos al norte de la California… (est. $80,000-120,000), known as the suppressed report of the Portolá Expedition, is considered one of, if not the rarest of all known Californiana. The text contains details of the first exploration of Northern California by land and includes the discovery of San Francisco Bay. Another important Portolan item is also for sale. Lot 2, Estracto de noticias de Puerto de Monterrey…, attributed to Gaspar de Portolá himself (est. $30,000-50,000), is the first printed account of the founding of Monterey, itself the first European settlement in Northern California.

In terms of somewhat less expensive items, lot 1 is an interesting lot, especially for collectors of California maps. Miguel Venegas’ Noticia de la California, y de su conquista temporal, y espiritual hasta el tiempo presente… (est. $8,000-12,000), is the first edition and first issue of the first history of California. While the text is mainly composed of information from Venegas’ 1739 work, this printing contains four maps of particular value. 

Other significant, standout items are numerous and varied. At Lot 6, the first printed laws of California are available as Felipe de Neve’s Reglamento para el Gobierno de la Provincia de Californias… (est. $120,000-180,000). The copy included in the sale is a fine copy of the first edition and is extremely rare. These laws were the groundwork for California law until American occupation. Lot 18 lists James O. Pattie’s The Personal Narrative of James O. Pattie of Kentucky, during an Expedition from St. Louis… (est. $30,000-50,000), being the first printed narrative of an overland expedition to California. And under lot 99, John Woodhouse Audubon, son of John James, is represented with his Illustrated Notes of an Expedition Through Mexico and California (est. $80,000-120,000), including four hand-colored lithographed plates.

For material related to the California Gold Rush, Bonhams has highlighted several items in the sale’s press release. Lot 45, a Letter Signed by Johann August Sutter to John C. Fremont (est. $15,000-25,000), discusses the use of Sutter’s Fort during California’s annexation and was written less than a year prior to the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill. Lot 50, J. Ely Sherwood’s California: Her Wealth and Resources; With Many Interesting Facts Respecting the Climate and People… (est. $15,000-25,000), is a rare first edition of one of the first publications on the discovery of gold and served as a guide for prospectors. One of the most fascinating items related to this period is lot 111. A nine-page manuscript, entitled “My Experiences as a Gold Digger” written by a man named Bret Harte (est. $10,000-15,000), is a gem of a firsthand account of what it was like during the Gold Rush.

As was said in the opening paragraph, material pertaining to western Native Americans are also a significant draw for the sale. Karl Bodmer, the renowned and important artist known for his depictions of the West, has a set of individual plates originating from the atlas that accompanies Prince Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied’s Travels in the Interior of North America from 1841. They are available as lots 21 through 26, varying in estimate from $1,000-2,000 to $20,000-30,000. Additionally, George Catlin’s O-Kee-Pa: A Religious Ceremony; and Other Customs of the Mandans (est. $10,000-15,000), an account of his firsthand perspective of the Mandan ritual, is available as lot 143.

All in all, Important Western Americana: Property of a Collector in California looks to be a successful and important sale for western Americana. The entire sale’s catalogue may be viewed on Bonham’s website. To register, please follow the link available in the top left quadrant of the catalogue’s page.

Rare Book Monthly

  • DOYLE
    Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
    July 23, 2025
    DOYLE, July 23: WALL, BERNHARDT. Greenwich Village. Types, Tenements & Temples. Estimate $300-500
    DOYLE, July 23: STOKES, I. N. PHELPS. The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498-1909. New York: Robert H. Dodd, 1915-28. Estimate: $3,000-5,000
    DOYLE, July 23: [AUTOGRAPH - US PRESIDENT]FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. A signed photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Estimate $500-800
    DOYLE, July 23: [ARION PRESS]. ABBOTT, EDWIN A. Flatland. A Romance of Many Dimensions. San Francisco, 1980. Estimate $2,000-3,000.
    DOYLE, July 23: TOLSTOY, LYOF N. and NATHAN HASKELL DOLE, translator. Anna Karénina ... in eight parts. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., [1886]. Estimate: $400-600
    DOYLE, July 23: ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000. Estimate $1,200-1,800
  • Freeman’s | Hindman
    Western Manuscripts and Miniatures
    July 8, 2025
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FRANCESCO PETRARCH (b. Arezzo, 20 July 1304; d. Arqua Petrarca, 19 July 1374). $20,000-30,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF THE VITAE IMPERATORUM (active Milan, 1431-1459). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF ATTAVANTE DEGLI ATTAVANTI (GABRIELLO DI VANTE) (active Florence, c. 1452-c. 1520/25). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FOLLOWER OF HERMAN SCHEERE (active London, c. 1405-1425). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. An exceptionally rare, illuminated music leaf from a Mozarabic Antiphonal with sister leaves mostly in museum collections. $11,500-14,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Exceptional leaf from a prestigious Antiphonary by a leading illuminator of the late Duecento. $11,500-14,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF MS REID 33 and SELWERD ABBEY SCRIPTORIUM (AGNES MARTINI?) (active The Netherlands, Groningen, c. 1468-1510). $10,000-15,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Previously unknown illumination from one of the most renowned Gothic Choir Book sets of the Middle Ages. $6,000-8,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum, July 17: Lucianus Samosatensis. Dialogoi, editio princeps, second issue, Florence, Laurentius Francisci de Alopa, 1496. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, July 17: Boccaccio (Giovanni). Il Decamerone, Florence, Philippo di Giunta, 1516. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, July 17: Henry VII (King) & Philip the Fair (Duke of Burgundy). [Intercursus Magnus], [Commercial and Political Treaty between Henry VII and Philip Duke of Burgundy], manuscript copy in Latin, original vellum, 1499. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum, July 17: Bible, English. The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New, Robert Barker, 1613. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, July 17: Bond (Michael). A Bear Called Paddington, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1958. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum, July 17: Yeats (William Butler). The Secret Rose, first edition, with extensive autograph corrections, additions and amendments by the author for a new edition, 1897. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, bound in dark green morocco elaborately tooled in gilt and with 3 watercolours to fore-edge, by Fazakerley of Liverpool, 1841. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, July 17: Miró (Juan), Wassily Kandinsky, John Buckland-Wright, Stanley William Hayter and others.- Spender (Stephen). Fraternity, one of 101 copies, with signed engravings by 9 artists. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Sowerby (George Brettingham). Album comprising 22 leaves of original watercolour drawings of fossil remains of Cheltenham and Vicinity, [c.1840]. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Mathematics.- Blue paper copy.- Euclid. De gli Elementi, Urbino, Appresso Domenico Frisolino, 1575. £12,000 to £18,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern
    Now through July 10, 2025
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Book of Hours by the Masters of Otto van Moerdrecht, Use of Sarum, in Latin, Southern Netherlands (Bruges), c.1450. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Albert Einstein. Autograph letter signed, to Attilio Palatino, on his research into General Relativity, 12 May 1929. £12,000 to £18,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: John Gould. The Birds of Europe, [1832-] 1837, 5 volumes, contemporary half morocco, subscriber’s copy. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern
    Now through July 10, 2025
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Ian Fleming. A collection of James Bond first editions, 8 volumes in all. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.R.R. Tolkien. Autograph letter signed, to Amy Ronald, on Pauline Baynes's map of Middle Earth, 1970. £7,000 to £10,000.
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