Rare Book Monthly

Articles - February - 2021 Issue

EXLIBRIS: Useful & Informative Listserv + A Miscellany of Other Interesting Bookish Links

Exlibris is a free listserv packed with useful information. Commercial posts are allowed on Tuesday.

Exlibris is a free listserv packed with useful information. Commercial posts are allowed on Tuesday.

EXLIBRIS: Chances are unless you are a professional in the field of rare books, manuscripts and special collections, or operate at an elevated level in the book trade, the free EXLIBRIS listserv hosted by Indiana University may have escaped your notice. 

 

That’s your loss.

 

This is a truly informative and useful resource and its thousands of subscribers include librarians, archivists, scholars, researchers, conservationists, and academics of all stripes and nationalities. It’s threads are packed with useful bookish information, albeit some of it is esoteric and obscure. Nonetheless it is always interesting and one of the best ways to know what’s going on in the groves of academe.

 

Along with often arcane chat, EXLIBRIST posts frequently links to exhibits, seminars, talks, meetings, job openings and is especially a place where book related information is widely and generously exchanged.

 

Be warned that this list has an extensive set of rules and that subscribers are expected to follow them to the letter. In other words mind your manners and this is not the place to inquire about the value of your grandmother’s Bible.

 

EXLIBRIS allows commercial posts on TUESDAY ONLY. These posts reach a very knowledgeable audience and are well worth the time and effort to participate.

 

Lurking for at least a few weeks prior to participation is strongly suggested. The subscription link lays out the rules. BE SURE TO READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW THEM EXACTLY. If you are a dealer and think you might want to post your elist on Tuesdays (the only day such commercial activity is permitted), READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL POSTS AND DO NOT DEVIATE.

 

Repeat: Tuesday only and only following their rules.

 

Subscribe to EXLIBRIS

list.indiana.edu/sympa/info/exlibris-l

Subscribe” button is at far left about half way down, followed by the “unsubscribe” link.

Note: Although Indiana University hosts the list it is not affiliated with the school.

 

One little quirk of EXLIBRIS is that if you do send a commercial post, everyone else on the list will get it except you; it will not show up in your own INbox. So if you want to be sure that your post has gone up best to send a blind cc to yourself.

 

Another important reminder is: Never hit the “reply” button unless you want your message to go to the entire list and not to a specific individual.

 

Also note that traffic is heavy on Tuesday, with the Euro dealers posting first, followed by the Americans. Some very beautiful (and often expensive) materials are offered on Tuesday; so even if you are not quite in that league yet, it’s a very good place to see new and select inventory. If you want a handle on who has what and what it costs, the Tuesday commercial posts are worth following.

 

  • US POSTAL SERVICE (USPS) - “PIRATE SHIP” FREE ACCOUNT

Having problems with shipping using the US Postal Service? Various dealers have enthusiastically recommended PIRATE SHIP www.pirateship.com which bills itself as a free USPS software. I have not used it myself, but it comes highly recommended by multiple reputable dealers.

 

  • THE HIDDEN PAYPAL SHIPPING LINK.

Do you use Paypal? Are there times you want to generate a shipping label that is not in response to a Paypal generated invoice? It’s not hard, but for some reason Paypal has taken some pains to hide the link. Here it is, suggest to put it someplace where you can find it again www.paypal.com/shiplabel/create

 

Besides making labels for material without prior existing Paypal invoices, this link is a useful workaround for international shipments. My recent experience is the regular link generated by Paypal does not always work when the shipment is headed outside the US. Before you tear your hair out trying to print out the label and customs info, try using www.paypal.com/shiplabel/create instead. This link seems to to have many fewer glitches than the usual way when it comes to shipping abroad.

 

  • RARE BOOKS SCHOOL AT U OF VA ANNOUNCES SUMMER COURSES 2021

The Rare Book School (RBS) at the University of Virginia is now accepting applications for their Summer 2021 courses. A five-day intensive course on the history of manuscript, print, and digital materials will be offered online and, conditions permitting, in person. A decision about in-person courses will be made no later than March 1. If courses move to an online format, more online courses will be announced.

 

Among the thirty-four courses, there are several pertinent to those involved in the study of rare books, manuscripts, special collections, and librarianship in special collections. These include two debut courses:

 

H-170: Spanish American Textual Technologies to 1800, taught by Hortensia Calvo, Christine Hernández, and Rachel Stein at Tulane University

L-120: Introduction to Audiovisual Archives Management, taught by Erica Titkemeyer and Steve Weiss at UNC-Chapel Hill

 

Explore the full RBS schedule here: rarebookschool.org/schedule

 

To be considered in the first round of admissions decisions, course applications should be submitted no later than March 3. Applications received after that date will be reviewed on a rolling basis, however, please note that some classes do reach capacity during the first round of admissions. Visit their website at www.rarebookschool.org for course details, instructions for applying, and evaluations by past students. Questions? Contact them at: rbsprograms@virginia.edu.

 

  • RANSOM CENTER AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HAS EXCEPTIONAL ONLINE PRESENCE

If you want to see what a truly exceptional university website looks like and have an enjoyable experience at the same time visit the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas (Austin). It is a bright and shining star. www.hrc.utexas.edu

 

During the period the physical center is closed due to the pandemic they have created a very user friendly entrance into exhibits, videos, blogs and other center functions called VISIT FROM HOME www.hrc.utexas.edu/visit-from-home Other parts of the Ransom Center site provide digital access to an astonishing number of archives and personal papers of well known and not so well known literary lights. Check it out.

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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