Rare Book Monthly

Articles - January - 2025 Issue

Introducing Categories: Maps, our first!

From the beginning of the printed word, records about them have been kept. Their form soon coalesced into a common understanding that title, author, date and place published identifies most printings.  Since then, not much has changed, until now.

 

Until now, search logic was used to penetrate catalogues and databases with three or more of these:

 

 

 

            By author name

            By title

            By subject

            And by date

 

And these identifiers still work fine. However, we’re in the earliest moments when collectible paper will dominate the field.  Searching by title and author will sometimes work but often won’t.  To resolve this issue we’re adding a category search that is based on terms that have been consistently employed to identify specific categories, within the 34,875 auctions our data relies on.

 

Our first is MAPS.  Within Transactions+ we are currently providing 14,598,183 records, which include 1.257 million records that provide a detailed auction history for and about maps that occurred over the past 175 years.

 

For the maps collector, this slice of our database costs $250 a year.

 

While we focus on the past, we are also looking at the unfolding present.  To do this we’re linking the Maps category with a MatchMaker style service that will identify all upcoming lots that meet our category criteria. When lots meet our database criteria, we’ll post a hot link for paid services members.

 

To find Categories, it’s now a link on the toolbar.  You’ll find Maps now and soon after a lengthening list of categories, with their related upcoming lots. 

 

Welcome to the new world.

 

If you interested in maps but not ready to subscribe, you can simply sign up as a FREE Maps member.  We’ll provide a free 14 day look-see. Please provide your information via this Google form.

 

For Paid Services members, simply log in now or whenever you wish, then click on Categories on our Main Toolbar.

 

If not a member and want to try a Look-See, fill in the attached email. Mention your preferred start date.

 

Our Best

 

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    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Dunlevy (Andrew). An Teagasg Criosduidhe De Reir Ceasda agus Freagartha... The Catechism or Christian Doctrine by Way of Question and Answer, Paris (James Guerin) 1742. €400 to €700.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: The Georgian Society Records of Eighteen-Century Domestic Architecture in Dublin, 5 vols. Complete, Dublin 1909-1913. €500 to €750.
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    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Nichlson (Wm.) Illustrator. An Almanac of Twelve Sports, Lond. 1898. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) trans. The Light of the Leaves, 2 vols., Mexico (Imprenta de los Tropicos/Bunholt) 1999. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Fleming (Ian). Moonraker, L. (Jonathan Cape) 1955. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) & Egan (Felim) artist. Squarings, Twelve Poems, D. (Hieroglyph Editions Ltd.) 1991. €1,750 to €2,250.

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