Rare Book Monthly

Articles - November - 2015 Issue

Nov. 15: Fine Books & Manuscripts at Skinner

Select items from Skinner's November 15th sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts

Select items from Skinner's November 15th sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts

Headlined by a first edition of Audubon’s The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, the auction house Skinner’s November 15th sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts immediately asserts itself as one for your consideration during this year’s busy fall. And if natural history isn’t your cup of tea, or you find yourself thinking a $200,000 - $300,000 estimate is a bit beyond your budget, there are 407 other lots spanning a wide range of subjects and pricing. Eighty-one lots of autographs begin the sale, ranging from Lincoln, to Neil Armstrong, to Claude Monet. From there, books are presented in an alphabetic manner, and include a large amount of important literature. The sale wraps up with an offering of etchings, and a selection of maps and atlases. Let’s take a look at some high profile lots from the sale.

Lot 93. Audubon, John James (1785-1851) and Reverend John Bachman (1790-1874) The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. New York: by J.J Audubon and V.G. Audubon, 1845-1851. Three imperial folio atlas volumes and three octavo text volumes. Atlas volumes illustrated with 150 hand-colored lithographs of the four-footed mammals of North America (fifty in each volume), first edition, with the title page for volume three present; the three bound in uniform half red morocco and corners with gray buckram sides, 27 1/4 x 20 3/4 in. Estimated $200,000-300,000.

Lot 287. Shakespeare, William (1564-1616) Mr. William Shakespear's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. Published according to the true Original Copies. London: for H. Herringman, E. Brewster, and R. Bentley, at the Anchor in the New Exchange, the Crane in St. Paul's Church-Yard, and in Russel-Street Covent-Garden, 1685. Fourth folio, engraved portrait frontispiece of the poet by Martin Droeshout facing the typographical title, with the ten lines of verse by Ben Jonson beneath; with the anonymous Epitaph by John Minton; the leaf L1 printed in a smaller typeface; printed in two columns throughout, within single rule borders; bound in full brown calfskin, circa 1820, decorated in a very spare geometric style reminiscent of cathedral bindings. Estimated $40,000-60,000.

Lot 314. Whitman, Walt (1819-1892) Leaves of Grass. Brooklyn: [for the author by Andrew and James Rome], 1855. First edition, first issue, with the engraved portrait of Whitman by Samuel Hollyer after a photograph printed on thick paper, no tissue guard; copyright statement on verso of title; without the laudatory press statements that appear in later issues; bound in full green publisher's cloth, the spine gilt lettered with floral decorations, the boards triple filleted with the title in gilt and floral tools blind blocked, marbled endleaves, gilt edges; in a later green buckram jacket inserted in a half morocco slipcase. Estimated $30,000-40,000.

Lot 96. Audubon, John James (1785-1851) The Birds of America. New York: J.J. Audubon [and] Philadelphia: J.B. Chevalier, 1840-1844. First octavo edition, in seven volumes, illustrated throughout with 500 hand-colored lithographs after Audubon's drawings, printed in color in Philadelphia by Bowen, portrait of Audubon inserted in volume one; half-titles and subscribers' lists present in each volume. Estimated $30,000-35,000.

Lot 13. Churchill, Winston (1874-1965), Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), and Others. Signed Menu from the Atlantic Conference, 9 August 1941. Folded menu printed in red, blue, and copper-colored metallic ink, commemorating the dinner served during the historic meeting of Churchill and Roosevelt aboard the U.S. Flagship Augusta where the Atlantic Charter was drafted; dignitaries present are listed inside on the verso of the cover, each has signed over his name: Franklin D. Roosevelt; Sumner Welles; Admiral Harold R. Stark; General George C. Marshall; Admiral Ernest J. King; Major General Henry H. Arnold; Harry L. Hopkins; Averill Harriman; Winston Churchill; Sir Alexander G.M. Cadogan; Admiral Alfred D.P.R. Pound; General John G. Dill; Air Chief Marshal Wilfrid R. Freeman; and Lord Cherwell. Estimated $20,000-25,000.

Lot 248. Milne, Alan Alexander (1882-1956) Winnie-the-Pooh, Four First Edition Titles in Dust Jackets, One Signed. When We Were Very Young, London: Methuen, [1924], first edition, illustrations by Ernest Shepard, no roman numerals on the contents page, in publisher's blue cloth boards, gilt-decorated, t.e.g., with the cream-colored textured paper dust jacket printed in blue ink; dust jacket slightly worn, with finger smudges and some ink doodles to two letters in the title (not very noticeable); Winnie-the-Pooh, London: Methuen, [1926], first edition, illustrations by Shepard, bound in publisher's gilt pictorial green cloth boards, t.e.g., in the original dust jacket, slightly worn, smudged; Now We are Six, London: Methuen, [1927], first edition illustrated by Shepard, bound in publisher's red cloth, t.e.g., the binding quite clean, in the original green paper dust jacket; [and] The House at Pooh Corner, London: Methuen, [1928], first edition, signed by Milne on title page; bound in publisher's salmon cloth, pictorial gilt tooling to front board, in the original dust jacket, jacket slightly worn and frayed, all housed in a custom chemise and blue half morocco slipcase, each volume 7 1/2 x 4 3/4 in. Estimated $20,000-25,000.

Lot 302. Timberlake, Lieutenant Henry (d. 1765) The Memoirs. London: for the Author, sold by Ridley, Nicoll, and Henderson, 1765. First and only 18th century edition, octavo, with half-title and the folding map, "A Draught of the Cherokee Country on the west side of the twenty four Mountains commonly called Over the Hills," and the folding engraved plate depicting an encoded page from the journal of a French officer killed by Indians. Estimated $20,000-25,000.

With 408 lots included in the sale, perusing the catalog isn’t a prolonged affair. Collectors of autographs, literature, natural history, and maps will all find something interesting. You can view all sale lots directly here. The sale itself takes places November 15th, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Previews are available November 12th through the 15th at the site of the auction, 63 Park Plaza, Boston. If you intend on bidding, please register with Skinner at their website here.

Rare Book Monthly

  • 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.
  • Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly!
  • 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.

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