Rare Book Monthly

Articles - June - 2016 Issue

June 8: Aristotle's Perfect Gem and the Black Tulip of Presidential Autographs at Bonhams

Material from Fine Books and Manuscripts mentioned in this auction preview

Material from Fine Books and Manuscripts mentioned in this auction preview

On June 8th, Bonhams will bring a sale of Fine Books and Manuscripts to its New York showroom. Featuring what they call, "one of the finest printed books to have appeared in these rooms," as well as a wide range of early material, maps, literature, Americana, and autographs spanning the 15th through 20th centuries, many subjects and niches are tapped, and serious collectors will do well to browse the catalog in full. A direct link to the online catalog can be found at the bottom of this auction preview.

The headlining item of the sale happens to be lot number one and has been described as "a perfect gem" in the Syston Park Library catalogue. In Bonhams' own words, Aristotle's De animalibus [De historia animalium. De partibus animalium. De generatione animalium.] (1476) is "the earliest work known of comprehensive natural history written from the perspective of an impartial observer." The specific copy being offered is a first edition and is only one of two known copies printed on vellum, the other kept at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Any printing of the first edition is exceedingly rare, with three copies appearing at auction since 1978, the most recent occurrence in 2001. The estimated price for such an important rarity is $300,000-500,000.

Map collectors, especially those of the new world, should find several items of interest. The second lot of the sale, Peter Apian's Cosmographia, sive descriptio universi orbis (1584) includes a folding wood-cut world map which is one of the earliest to name America (est. $5,000-7,000). And Lot 27 is Henri Joutel's Journal historique du dernier voyage que feu M. De la Sale fit dans le Golfe de Mexique, pour trouver l'embouchure, et le cours de la Riviere de Missicipi.... (1713), a first edition of the only eye-witness account of the last expedition of the French explorer La Salle and containing a folding engraved map dubbed Carte nouvelle de la Louisiane (est. $8,000-12,000).

Modern literature makes a relatively brief, but strong showing, with a signed first edition of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged (lot 79, est. $25,000-35,000) and an incomplete (but considered superior as these were given by the author to friends) limited first edition of T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph (lot 77, est. $40,000-60,000).

For natural history enthusiasts, an album of eighty-three gelatin silver print photos from three exploratory voyages to the Artic under the direction of Donald B. MacMillan between 1921 and 1925 may be of interest (lot 12, est. $2,000-3,000). A second octavo edition of Audubon's The Quadrupeds of North America is listed as lot 14 for an estimated $3,000-5,000. Also, be sure to look up lot 16, Pierre Joseph Buc'hoz's Premiere [-Seconde] Centurie de Planches Enluminees et Non Enluminees Representant au Naturel, Ce qui se trouve de plus Interessant et de plus Curieux parmi les Animaux, les Vegetaux et les Mineraux, a four volume set in two parts which contains 200 hand-colored plates and 200 in plain state (est. $14,000-20,000). Lastly, a rare version of George Catlin's [North American Indian Portfolio: Hunting Scenes and Amusements of the Rocky Mountains and Prairies of America] including six additional plates along with the twenty-five original is one of 350 copies printed. This work was among the fruits of Catlin spending eight years living amongst various Native American tribes, and a truer view of Indian life does not exist (lot 117, est. $15,000-20,000).

A fifteen lot run of Amelia Earhart items (lots 124-138) will no doubt appeal to collectors of this particular aviator or of aviation in general. Featuring autographed and signed material, as well as an array of photographs and other miscellaneous items, the foundation of a budding collection or sizeable addition to an existing project is contained within the sale. Also of note and related to aviation are two postcards signed by Wilbur Wright, one depicting the first American woman to fly as a passenger in an airplane (lot 152, est. $3,000-5,000), the other a reproduction of a photograph of the Wright flyer (lot 153, est. $3,000-5,000).

The auction closes with an offering of autographs from the collection of Harry Gould, Jr., the prize being a document signed as President by William Henry Harrison. Only twelve such autographs, called the Black Tulip of Presidential autographs, are known to be in private hands. Harrison held office for a mere thirty days. This superbly rare autograph is listed under lot 183 for an estimated $40,000-60,000. One other lot presidential autograph hounds may be keen on is the preceding lot, number 182 (est. $5,000-8,000), being the autograph of James A. Garfield as President. This one is also rare because of the President's short term; Garfield's lasted six months.

The full catalog for Fine Books and Manuscripts can be accessed on the Bonhams website. Registration prior to bidding is required and can be done online here. The sale begins on June 8 at 1:00 pm EDT.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby’sBooks, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to ModernNow through July 10, 2025 Sotheby’sBooks, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to ModernNow through July 10, 2025
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    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.
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    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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  • DOYLERare Books, Autographs & MapsJuly 23, 2025 DOYLERare Books, Autographs & MapsJuly 23, 2025
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    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 | HindmanWestern Manuscripts and MiniaturesJuly 8, 2025 Freeman’s | HindmanWestern Manuscripts and MiniaturesJuly 8, 2025
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    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 AuctionsFine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper  17th July 2025 Forum AuctionsFine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper  17th July 2025
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    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
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    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.
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    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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