The Historical Auction Series No.2 The H. Bradley Martin Sale 1989-1990
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I think that the name Bradley Martin will always confer certain glamour on the books that came through that sale. I also think that the resonance of the Bradley Martin sale is that it permitted or set a style for the dispersal of libraries through “named” catalogue sales in the 1990s.
Excerpts and paraphrases from an interview about the H. Bradley Martin sales with Selby Kiffer, Senior Vice President in Books & Manuscripts at Sotheby’s New York, conducted 7/30/03:
[On the economic environment of the Martin sale:] I don’t think that the sale was impacted by the economy at all. 1989 was for example the peak of the art market. I also think that it’s worth pointing out that no matter how high prices seem when they are achieved, they do get eclipsed. For instance, at the Martin sale we sold a copy of the Declaration of Independence for $1,595,000. But in December we sold one for $2 million dollars, which was then resold for $8 million dollars.
[On the importance of the H. Bradley Martin sale to Martin’s legacy:] I think that the sale, its catalogues, and its acquisitions gave people a look at Bradley Martin as a total book collector for the first time. Previously he had been thought of mainly as a bird book collector. But he proved otherwise with strong collections in Americana, English Literature, etc. The sale was important in helping to cement Martin’s reputation in the book world.
[On the importance to Sotheby’s of the H. Bradley Martin sale:] Well, Christie’s had just had the Doheny sale. With Martin, we were able to come back with a sale of similar stature and importance. This was significant. It was also important to me and my colleagues, and it still is, to say that we were able to work on a library of that caliber. Martin is the sort of sale that will be recalled a century later, same as the Hoe sale.
Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
Sotheby's Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 1: Bob Dylan, his high school classmate's yearbook with his senior portrait, signed and inscribed to her, 1959. $10,000 to $20,000.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 4: Various entertainers, Group of 30 items, signed or inscribed, various dates. $1,500 to $2,500.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 27: John Adams, Autograph Letter Signed to Benjamin Rush introducing Archibald Redford, Paris, 1783. $35,000 to $50,000.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 36: Robert Gould Shaw, Autograph Letter Signed to his father from Camp Andrew, Boston, 1861. $10,000 to $15,000.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 53: Martin Luther King Jr., Time magazine cover, signed and inscribed "Best Wishes," 1957. $5,000 to $7,500.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 127: Paul Gauguin, Autograph Letter regarding payment for paintings, with woodcut letterhead, 1900. $6,000 to $9,000.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 169: Suck: First European Sex Paper, complete group of eight issues, 1969-1974. $800 to $1,200.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 173: Black Panthers, The Racist Dog Policemen Must Withdraw Immediately From Our Communities, poster, 1969. $2,000 to $3,000.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 187: Marc Attali & Jacques Delfau, Les Erotiques du Regard, first edition, Paris, 1968. $300 to $500.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 213: Andy Warhol, Warhol's Index Book, first printing, New York, 1967. $800 to $1,200.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 215: Cookie Mueller, Archive of 17 items, including 4 items inscribed and signed. $3,000 to $4,000.
Swann, Apr. 10: Lot 249: Jamie Reid, The Ten Lessons / The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle; Sex Pistols, chromogenic print with collage, signed, circa 1980. $20,000 to $30,000.
