Rare Book Monthly Articles - July - 2022 Issue

Winning when you collect

Winning when you collect

Collections, random or life-long pursuits are often given away or forgotten because there aren’t many alternatives for selling them for meaningful amounts of money.  This is easy to be misunderstand when you look on the internet.  Everything has a price and therefore there must be a buyer.  After all, you have been buying that way so there must be others equally interested.  Sometimes yes, sometimes no.    In fact, listing sites are a kind of a mirage suggesting liquidity.  Certainly sellers are willing to part with their prizes for the prices they offer but no listing sites have had the ...

Some Words of Advice on Collecting NFTs from Bill Gates

Some Words of Advice on Collecting NFTs from Bill Gates

Rare books and paper have long navigated the fine line between collectibles and investments. Usually, collectors exhibit some of each, collecting things because they like them but also hoping to co...

Required Reading:  Booked by Fate by Phillip Pirages, a Bookdealer

Required Reading: Booked by Fate by Phillip Pirages, a Bookdealer

Mr. Phillip Pirages has written a book about his on-going career as a dealer in collectible paper.    I have observed that bookdealers live two distinct lives.  Among dealers they share their exper...

“My God what have we done.” The Log Book Account of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima on Sale at Heritage Auctions

“My God what have we done.” The Log Book Account of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima on Sale at Heritage Auctions

The world changed on August 6, 1945. History can be divided into two eras, the one before August 6, and the one after. In the one after, we have all lived under the fear of instant annihilation unk...

Deshoulières 1691: a not so casual little book

Deshoulières 1691: a not so casual little book

A copy of the 1691 edition of Mme Deshoulières’ works made me realize that an old book is never as insignificant as it may seem. Especially when a crowned dolphin is swimming on its tail!     A...

Sotheby’s to Offer Precursor and Direct Influence on the Bill of Rights

Sotheby’s to Offer Precursor and Direct Influence on the Bill of Rights

New York, 30 June 2022 - To commemorate the anniversary of America’s Independence on July 4, 1776, Sotheby’s announces a copy of Virginia’s Official Ratification of the United States Constitution a...

Valuable and Important Books and Manuscripts from the Library of Edward R. Leahy coming to auction in October

Valuable and Important Books and Manuscripts from the Library of Edward R. Leahy coming to auction in October

Christie’s New York is pleased to announce the auction on 6 October of 2022 of Valuable and Important Books and Manuscripts from the Library of Edward R. Leahy. Mr Leahy’s collection comprises the ...

Macon Brothers Learns and Succeeds

Macon Brothers Learns and Succeeds

In a typical month several hundred auctions that include significant numbers of books, manuscripts, maps, and ephemera, are completed.  Auctions are an old game relying on centuries old customs as ...

Tsundoku – A New (but Old) Trend in Book Collecting

Tsundoku – A New (but Old) Trend in Book Collecting

The book world has been overcome by a condition (and a newly discovered term) known as tsundoku. The term has been around since the 19th century but has only recently come into vogue. Not surprisin...

Ephraim George Squier’s 1876 Priced Auction:  Not all auctions are equal

Ephraim George Squier’s 1876 Priced Auction: Not all auctions are equal

  When we work with older auctions at Rare Book Hub we try to understand them.  Old auctions, in any event, are useful to provide incremental data whether the sale is significant or not, but somet...

Four Big July Book Fairs in the MidWest -  St. Paul, St. Louis, Detroit & Chicago Celebrate Books

Four Big July Book Fairs in the MidWest - St. Paul, St. Louis, Detroit & Chicago Celebrate Books

 July 8-9 (Friday Saturday) Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair.  Schoenecker Arena, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.  This fair caters to both experienced and beginning collectors. It hosts...

Melbourne Rare Book Fair 2022 Returns July 7-9!

Melbourne Rare Book Fair 2022 Returns July 7-9!

After a two year break due to the pandemic and strict border closures in Australia, the Australian New Zealand Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ANZAAB) is excited to announce the return of the...

Do Books Have a Place Going Forward, Not Just Looking Back?

Do Books Have a Place Going Forward, Not Just Looking Back?

It was a minor skirmish in a far away place in the debate between physical books and electronic resources in the library. It's unlikely you heard about it or ever will again. Nonetheless, it's illu...

Fireproof copy of The Handmaid’s Tale sells at Sotheby’s for £103,000

Fireproof copy of The Handmaid’s Tale sells at Sotheby’s for £103,000

NEW YORK — Margaret Atwood years ago imagined apocalyptic disaster, Dystopian government and an author faking her own death. But until recently she spared herself the nightmare of trying to burn on...

Salem “Witch” Has Her Conviction Overturned

Salem “Witch” Has Her Conviction Overturned

It was one of the greatest, and best known miscarriages of justice in American history. Twenty supposed witches were executed in Salem, Massachusetts, after a hysteria and kangaroo court trials in ...

Six New Catalogues Reviewed This Month

Six New Catalogues Reviewed This Month

For July, we review six new booksellers catalogues. Amanda Hall Rare Books has a catalogue of works on various subjects. Voewood Rare Books also covers many subjects with rare books and manuscripts...

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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