The Historical Auction Series No.2 The H. Bradley Martin Sale 1989-1990
Great copies can still be found.
It was a privilege and a great pleasure to work with Bradley on the development of his Library and to share his knowledge and love of books. The unqualified enthusiasm and excitement with which this material is now being received by his fellow collectors testifies to his extraordinary achievement.
During the year before the sale, when the selected pieces from the Martin sale were touring major cities across the country, the upcoming auction got a fair amount of press. These write-ups were very positive and anticipatory about the coming of what was shaping up to be a major book and manuscript sale. For instance, articles about the tour and the upcoming Martin auction were featured in The Chicago Sun-Times (March 21, 1989); The Los Angeles Times (March 27, 1989); and The New York Times (December 21, 1988, and in “Auctions” by Rita Reif, June 2, 1989). I would quote these articles here except that they are all by and large formulaic and repeat, almost word for word, the Sotheby’s press release previously quoted in this article. Still, they do convey a mix of intrigue and wonderment at both the Martin collection and at the fact that viewing of select portions of it was then available to the general public in their specific localities.
However, like many book auctions the Martin sale was also one not without some controversy. Sotheby’s jockeyed with other auction houses for the Martin Library and walked away the victor, leaving some of the losing houses a bit worn in the battle and at times a bit bitter about certain aspects of the sale. An article entitled “The Imperfect Binding of H. Bradley Martin’s Rare Book Collection” by David Streitfeld that appeared in The Washington Post on June 6, 1989, deals with some of these slightly more divisive issues at length. The general subject is the last will and testament that H. Bradley Martin left behind, and the feelings of disappointment bordering on resentment which some interested parties (suitors, basically, who courted Mr. Martin when he was alive in the hope that they or their institutions would benefit once he decided to disperse of his book collection) expressed when they learned that the Martin Library was going whole to Sotheby’s, where it would be sold in parts to the highest bidder. Streitfeld’s article starts this way:
The numbers on H. Bradley Martin’s final tax return were typed without commas, and are so long and so large that it takes a moment to figure out exact amounts – like the bottom line, $51,640,912.43.
Where all this money will go can be deduced from the “Bequests, etc. to surviving spouse” line: $48,090,267.41. The source of his wealth, meanwhile, is explained in the entry for “Decedent’s business or occupation,” which calls him simply a “Collector.”
That is like identifying Picasso as a “Painter.”….
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 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.
