Rare Book Monthly

Articles - May - 2021 Issue

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

  • 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

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