Electronic offering of latest titles from the Manhattan Rare Book Company.
By Michael Stillman
We have received the most recent electronic update to the catalogues published by The Manhattan Rare Book Company. For those not familiar, Manhattan Rare Book is a New York dealer offering titles in a wide range of subjects. Included among its many fields are science and technology, pre-1900 literature, modern firsts, history and politics, Americana, art, medicine, and children's books. The common thread is that Manhattan does specialize in top tier books. This is a bookseller you should consult if looking for the most important works in these fields. Here are a few of the items on their latest electronic list of new offerings.
Annalen der Physik, by Albert Einstein. This 1905 paper (offered is a first printing in rare, original wrappers) led to his discovery expressed in the famed equation, E =mc2, something we all know even if we don't really understand it. Priced at $8,500.
The Collected Poems of Robert Frost, published in 1930. It is in fine condition with a virtually fine rare original dust jacket. It is signed by Frost, dated 1930, and noted as signed in Amherst. $3,000.
A first edition of The Christopher Robin Birthday Book. This A.A. Milne 1930 classic contains quotes and words of wisdom from the creatures who inhabited the Hundred Acre Wood. Not really, of course. Milne made them all up himself. $2,800.
A 1905 typed and signed letter from Thomas Edison to James W. Caples concerning the purchase of cobalt ore. Edison believed he could use metallic cobalt to construct a better battery. $2,600.
Walt Whitman's Democratic Vistas, an 1871 first printing in original wrappers. It combined Whitman's optimism for America with post-Civil War reality. Don't be fooled by the "75 cents" price on the cover. It now goes for $2,800.
The 27-page commentary between Mission Control in Houston and the crew of the lunar landing module Eagle during their landing on the moon. It was issued to reporters by Mission Control shortly after the landing took place. It includes Neil Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind." $1,400.
The Photographic History of the Civil War, a 10-volume set produced by Francis Trevelyan Miller. This set remains one of the best sources of photographs from that terrible conflict. This is a first edition from 1911. $1,800.
The six-volume The Second World War, by Winston Churchill, published 1948-54. Churchill said, "History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it." We think history would have been kind to Churchill even if he didn't write it. Nonetheless, it is quite amazing to find a complete history of such a major event written by someone who was a critical participant. Who knows what the world would be today were it not for this great man. $1,850.
You may find the Manhattan Rare Book Company online at www.manhattanrarebooks.com or call them at 212-326-8907.
University Archives Rare Autographs, Books & Photos; Abraham Lincoln Collection April 23, 2025
University Archives, Apr. 23: Best Image of Abraham Lincoln: "Closest… to ‘seeing' Lincoln… A National Treasure" Original Hesler/Ayres Interpositive. $800,000 to $1,000,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: Einstein, 3pp of Unified Field Theory Equations: “I want to try to show that a truly natural choice for field equations exists.” Formalizing His Final Approach, Association to Theory of Relativity. $80,000 to $120,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: Marilyn Monroe's Best Personally Owned & Annotated Script for Unfinished Last Film, "Something's Got to Give" (1962). $75,000 to $100,000.
University Archives Rare Autographs, Books & Photos; Abraham Lincoln Collection April 23, 2025
University Archives, Apr. 23: David Ben-Gurion ALS: "The Jewish people have attained the epitome...the State of Israel is born," 1 Day After Signing Israeli Declaration of Independence, Best Ben-Gurion Ever! $80,000 to $100,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: Lincoln ALS to Youth: "A young man, before the enemy has learned to watch him...votes... shall redeem the county" Evocative of Famous "Work" Letter. $70,000 to $100,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: Lincoln Appointment for Cabinet Member With Largest, Boldest, Full Signature! Important Content: Detente with England. $10,000 to $15,000.
University Archives Rare Autographs, Books & Photos; Abraham Lincoln Collection April 23, 2025
University Archives, Apr. 23: Abraham Lincoln Rare Signed Check To Law Partner W.H. Herndon, Perhaps Unique as Such! $20,000 to $25,000
University Archives, Apr. 23: Tokyo War Crimes Files of Prosecuting Attorney For POW Camp Atrocities, 500+ Pages, Unpublished Court Documents, Photos and More. $25,000 to $35,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: 1698 South Carolina Slavery Archive Huguenot Planters Earliest Rare Plat Maps for Plantations 41 Docs 107 pp. Most Colonial. $25,000 to $35,000.
University Archives Rare Autographs, Books & Photos; Abraham Lincoln Collection April 23, 2025
University Archives, Apr. 23: Adam Smith ALS While Revising “The Wealth of Nations” - A New Discovery Documenting Meeting with Influential Editor. $18,000 to $24,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: Margaret Mitchell Rare ALS to Her Editor as Epic Film "Gone With the Wind" Gains Heat "Forgive this scrawl. I haven't written a letter in long hand in years and I've almost forgotten how it's done." $3,000 to $4,000.
University Archives, Apr. 23: Einstein 1935 TLS, Hopes to Warn Non-Jews of "The true nature of the Hitler regime.” $8,500 to $10,000.
Sotheby's Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
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
Rose City Book & Paper Fair June 14-15, 2025 1000 NE Multnomah, Portland ROSECITYBOOKFAIR.COM
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 748. Second volume of Blaeu's atlas featuring 89 maps of the Americas and Asia (1642) Est. $12,000 - $15,000
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 12. A world map with popular cartographic myths and unique embellishments (1788) Est. $3,000 - $3,750
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 30. One of the most sought-after charts from Cellarius' work (1708) Est. $1,200 - $1,500
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 38. Anti-Vietnam War persuasive cartography on a velvet poster (1971) Est. $350 - $425
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 43. Ortelius' influential map of the New World - second plate (1584) Est. $4,750 - $6,000
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 95. Scarce German map illustrating the French & Indian War (1755) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 149. Bachmann's dramatic view of the Mid-Atlantic region (1864) Est. $1,200 - $1,500
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 373. De Jode's very rare map of Europe with costumed figures (1593) Est. $6,000 - $7,500
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 674. De Bry's Petits Voyages, Part VII with all plates and map of Sri Lanka (1606) Est. $1,400 - $1,700
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 704. The first printed map devoted to the Pacific in full contemporary color (1589) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
Old World Auctions (April 23): Lot 734. Superb hand-colored image of the Tree of Jesse (1502) Est. $700 - $850
