Sothebys: Fine Books and Manuscripts - Part 1

The abolition of slavery: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude ... shall exist within the United States"

The "Authorized Edition" of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln

"The Union is much older than the Constitution. It was formed, in fact, by the Articles of Association in 1774"---Abraham Lincoln, first inaugural address

The United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights | The author of the Declaration of Independence witnesses the Ratification of the Bill of Rights

The "Indian Magna Carta"

First edition of the foundation of modern astronomy, overthrowing all that came before

First edition of Josephus in Latin, handsomely illuminated

The Third Folio, bound by Francis Bedford, with distinguished provenance

"It ought not to be suspected that we are trifling with the Go[vernmen]t of France, or gaining time by an idle correspondence."

The Fourth Folio, an outstanding copy, complete and unsophisticated

"the book ... that initiated the most cataclysmic change in human thinking within the last four hundred years"

"... led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention."

The sumptuous Levy copy of Birds of America

The scarce deluxe issue of these celebrated views of the Mayan ruins