Historical Paper Triumphant Once Again; Prices Soar at Sotheby's!

The stupendous collection of Printed and Manuscript Americana built by Ira and Barbara Lipman grossed just under 12.4 Million dollars at Sotheby's this past month.

It is never a surprise when an early printing of The Declaration of Independence goes through the roof ($504,000), but the numerous broadsides, newspapers, almanacs and other Paper Americana/ Ephemera in this sale, did not disappoint lovers of this once neglected field of collecting:

Following are some additional prices realized:

Lot #2, a 1794 broadsheet relating to the first anti-slavery legislation...$8,820.00

Lot 37, Ames Almanac for the year 1771 with first printing of Benjamin Franklin's famous pre-mortem epitaph...$1,638.00

Lot 69, a newspaper broadside carriers address related to the recent (December 1773) Boston Tea Party...$35,280.00

Lot 70, Nine issues of Niles Weekly Register containing "The Jew Bill" debate...$10,710

Lot 72, The famed Tombstone edition of The Pennsylvania Journal dated 1765 and protesting the hated Stamp Act...$69,300

Lot 78, a 1775 broadside relating to The Battle of Bunker Hill...$13,860.00

Lot 117, a 1778 broadside printed in the middle of The American Revolution and containing an Address by Congress to The United States..

$30,240.00

Lot 147, a run of Dutch printed newsletters from 1651-1690 with early American content...$12,600.00

Lot 165, Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac for 1749...$30,240.00

Lot 192, a 1756 Declaration of War by Great Britain against France (start of The French and Indian War)...$35,280.00

Lot 217, a 1778 broadside related to The Great Britain Peace Commission...$18,400.00

Lot 295, "The Bloody Butchery" broadside dated 1775 with an account of the Battles of Lexington and Concord...$94,500.00

Lot 296, Virginia Gazette newspaper dated 1775 with news of Lexington and Concord...$11,970.00

Lot 302, The first obtainable printing of Lincoln's 1862 Emancipation Proclamation, a broadsheet circular...$403,200.00

Lot 305, NY newspaper dated November 20, 1863 with a printing of The Gettysburg Address...

$10,710.00

Lot 307, New York Herald newspaper containing Lincoln's second Inaugural Address, March 1865...$8,820.00

Lot 309, The iconic reward poster for the capture of the Assassins of Lincoln containing tipped on photographs of J.W. Booth, etc....$214,200.00

Lot 339, First Printing of The Monroe Doctrine, 1823, broadside extra of The National Intelligencer...$75,600.00

Lot 357, Independent Chronicle newspaper dated 1787 with a printing of The North West Ordinance...$2,016.00

and several Davy Crockett almanacs from 1837 through 1840, brought prices ranging from $4,400.00 to $10,710.00 each!

Eric C. Caren, owner of The Caren Archive, has had numerous single owner sales at major auction houses, of "How History Unfolds on Paper." His first collection formed the nucleus of The Newseum.

Rare Book Monthly

Historical Paper Triumphant Once Again; Prices Soar at Sotheby's!

Rare Book Monthly

Archived Articles

Historical Paper Triumphant Once Again; Prices Soar at Sotheby's!

Rare Book Monthly

Article Search

Archived Articles