The program is more useful if you have it in advance.
At the upper end Lou Weinstein of Heritage, the Los Angles dealer, reported excellent sales including a
$175,000 sale of the first edition of Frankenstein. They also sold a 1534 version of the Greek New Testament by
Erasumus, for $60,000 as well as a first edition of Lewis & Clark [Philadelphia, 1814] for $100,000. Bill
Reese reported the sale of David Samwell's 1786 "A Narrative of the Death of Captain James Cook" for $135,000.
This is a book that rarely comes to market and made $120,000 at Christie's in 2000. He also sold a
presentation copy of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations [third edition] to his [Adam Smith's] literary executor
for $48,500. Association copies are the most collectible books in all fields today.
Richard Lan, the New York map and rare book dealer, reported excellent sales and serious interest in his ultra
important 1513 Ptolemy with its first map of the New World. It is priced at $750,000. He also sold a copy of
Thevenot's Relations de divers Voyages Curieux,...., 1696, an important collection of Voyages.
Joseph Felcone offered this. "I did well this year, and I bought some great things. The fair is so large
that, no matter what your interests, there will be things there for you. For the Americana collector, this is
certainly the best ABAA fair for Western Americana, but colonial and early Americana is usually pretty thin.
As a non-specialist dealer in higher-end antiquarian books, nothing compares to New York." The New York Fair
is April 28th to May 1st.
Michael Dawson of Dawson Books perhaps summed it up best. "Great show, great dealer sales, real energy. We
see this enthusiasm at photography shows and it was great to see this vitality in the book world." He singled
out Winslow Associates, the show promoters for comment. "A show works when the exhibitors can move in and out
efficiently, when the inevitable problem is quickly resolved, and when the audience arrives in numbers and is
excited. It happened in San Francisco and I'm glad we participated. I think Winslow did a great job."
The following dealers contributed information and perspective for this article: James Arsenault, Michael Brown, John Creighton, Michael Dawson, Scott Dewolfe and Frank Wood of Dewolfe & Wood, Bill Ewald, Joe Felcone, Michael Good, Sebastian S. Hesselink, Helen Kahn, Richard Lan, Derek McDonnell, James Potter Limited, Bill Reese, John Waite, Lou Weinstein, Mark Wessel, Henry Wessells and John Windle.
High Bids Win Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines and Machine Manuals December 24 to January 9
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Ellis Smith Prints unsigned. 20” by 16”.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: United typothetae of America presidents. Pictures of 37 UTA presidents 46th annual convention United typothetae of America Cincinnati 1932.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec signed Paper Impressionism Art Prints. MayMilton 9 1/2” by 13” Reine de Joie 9 1/2” by 13”.
High Bids Win Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines and Machine Manuals December 24 to January 9
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Aberle’ Ballet editions. 108th triumph, American season spring and summer 1944.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Puss ‘n Boots. 1994 Charles Perrult All four are signed by Andreas Deja
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Specimen book of type faces. Job composition department, Philadelphia gazette publishing company .
High Bids Win Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines and Machine Manuals December 24 to January 9
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: An exhibit of printed books, Bridwell library.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur Court By Mark Twain 1889.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 1963 Philadelphia Eagles official program.
High Bids Win Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines and Machine Manuals December 24 to January 9
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 8 - Esquire the magazine for men 1954.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: The American printer, July 1910.
High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Leaves of grass 1855 by Walt Whitman.
Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: William Shakespeare. The Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare, 1960. 7,210 USD
Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol, First Edition, 1843. 17,500 USD
Sotheby’s: William Golding. Lord of the Flies, First Edition, 1954. 5,400 USD
Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: Lewis Carroll. Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, Inscribed First Edition, 1872. 25,000 USD
Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit, First Edition, 1937. 12,000 USD
Sotheby’s: John Milton. Paradise Lost, 1759. 5,400 USD
