I asked Dorothy Sloan for some suggested items to illustrate Sale No. 22 and she provided these:

Lot 75. [BRANDS & BRAND BOOKS]. GUADALUPE AND SAN ANTONIO RIVERS STOCK ASSOCIATION. Cattle Rustling in South Texas. Rare Broadside 1882, [Cuero] Estimated $7,500 to $15,000

Lot 133. Texas Secedes from the Union [a broadside] [CIVIL WAR]. TEXAS. SECESSION CONVENTION. (First Session, January 28-February 4, 1861). An Ordinance | to dissolve the Union between the State of Texas and the other | States, united under the compact styled "The Constitution of | the United States of America." Texas' Second Declaration of Independence. Estimated $15,000 to $30,000.

Lot 208. [GLOBE]. LORING, Josiah. A Very Handsome Early American Terrestrial Globe. Texas Now Shown as Part of the United States 1846, Boston Estimated $15,000 to $20,000

Lot 356. [MAP]. ROBINSON, John H[amilton]. ROBINSON, John H. A Map of Mexico.... An excessively rare map by "a mapmaker of imperialistic intent" 1819, Philadelphia. Estimated $200,000 to $300,000.

Lot 426. MOORE, Francis, Jr. Map and Description of Texas.... 1840, New York A high-spot Texana, Moore's Rare and important Emigrant Guide to Texas. Includes the first published view of the Alamo and very early engravings of Texas scenes based on eye-witness drawings. Estimated $200,000 to $300,000.

These brief descriptions do not do justice to the breadth or depth of description in either catalogue. They have both been executed with the utmost attention to detail.

If you are a Texas or southwest collector you will find the Sloan presentation great reading. If your interests run toward travels the Herz collection will be your first priority.

In the downturn serious material is coming out. It signals the gathering belief that the market is recovering. No doubt, the auction houses promised consignors a spectacular effort and its apparent they kept their word: all this just to have a place in the starting gate. In a few weeks we'll know the outcome.

The Herz Sale at Christies on December 9th.

The Dorothy Sloan Sale on December 11and 12.