• Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [RUTH, George Herman “Babe” (1895-1948)]. Signed photograph. Circa 1930s. 191 x 248 mm. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HARRISON, Benjamin. Document signed (“Benj Harrison”) as governor of Virginia, certifying the service of Daniel Cumbo, a Black Revolutionary soldier. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: ONE OF THE FIRST PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: FIRST PRINTING OF LINCOLN’S IMMORTAL GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HIGHLY IMPORTANT MORMON ARCHIVE. ALLEY, George. Archive of 23 Autograph Letters Signed by Mormon Convert George Alley to His Brother Joseph Alley. $10,000 to $20,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [AVIATION]. [ARMSTRONG, Neil A.] Aviation Hall of Fame Gold Medal MS64 NGC, Awarded to Neil Armstrong in 1979. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: NEWLY DISCOVERED FIRST PRINTING OF "WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE... " FROM THE ONLY NEWSPAPER ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN LINCOLN’S SECOND INAUGURAL PROCESSION. $4,000 to $8,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: THE MOST IMPORTANT GEORGE WASHINGTON DOCUMENT IN PRIVATE HANDS; GEORGE WASHINGTON’S COMMISSION AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, 1775, ONE OF ONLY TWO ORIGINALS. $150,000 to $250,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: A VERY RARE ACCOUNT OF BLACKBEARD’S DEATH AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIRATE ITEMS EXTANT. $3,000 to $5,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: EDISON, Thomas. Patent for Edison’s Improvements on the Electric-Light, No. 219,628. [Washington, D.C.: U.S. Patent Office], 16 September 1879. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [VIETNAM WAR]. The original pen used by Secretary of State William P. Rogers to sign the Vietnam Peace Agreement, Paris, 27 January 1973. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: SONS OF LIBERTY FOUNDER COLONEL BARRÉ ANNOTATED TITLE-PAGE, “WHICH OUGHT TO ROUSE UP BRITISH ATTENTION”. $4,000 to $6,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: [Langland (William)]. The vision of Pierce Plowman, nowe the seconde time imprinted..., Roberte Crowley, 1550. £8,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: [Shakespeare (William)]. [Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies], second folio edition, [by Tho.Cotes, for Robert Allot], [1632]. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Bible, Czech Biblia Bohemica, first complete Bible printed in the Czech vernacular, Prague, August 1488. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Shabthai Tzvi.- Collection of four printed and illustrated broadsides detailing the appearance, rise and fall of the false messiah, Shabthai Tzvi, Augsburg, 1666-67. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Leaf from the Beauvais Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment, [Northern France (perhaps Beauvais or Amiens)], [fourteenth century (c.1310)]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Aubrey (John). [Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme], manuscript in English, Latin and Greek, [c. 1693]. £30,000 to £50,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Poems on Various Occasions, first edition, Harriet Maltby's copy, Newark, Printed by S. & J. Ridge, 1807. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, second impression with dust-jacket, 1937 [but 1938]. £7,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Blake (William).- Thornton (Robert John). The Pastorals of Virgil, 2 vol., engraved plates by William Blake, 1821. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: America.- Mount (William J.) & Thomas Page. The English Pilot…, [bound with] The Fourth Book, describing The West Indies Navigation from Hudson's-Bay to the River Amazones, 1721. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Oldfield (Henry Ambrose), Rajman Singh Chitrakar & others. An album of 160 photographs and 13 original artworks, (1833-1919), [c. 1850s-1880s]. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Audubon (John James) [and William MacGillivray]. Ornithological Biography…, 5 vol., first edition, presentation copy inscribed by Audubon, Edinburgh, 1831-49 [i.e. 1831-39]. £10,000 to £15,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Alken (Henry). Sporting Notions, first edition, T.McLean, 1832-33. £800 to £1,200.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Bardi (Lorenzo). Nuova Raccolta delle piu interessanti Vedute della Citta di Firenze…, Florence, Lorenzo Bardi, [c.1840]. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Crawfurd (John). Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava..., first edition, 1829. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Dawe (George, engraver). The Life of a Nobleman, first edition, Geo. Henderson, [c.1825]. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: [Doyle (John)], "H.B.". Political Sketches &c., 10 vol. including The Descriptive Key to H.B., Thomas McLean, [1829-51]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Eben (Adolphus Christian Frederick, Baron von) and Nicolaus Heideloff. Modèles de l'Uniforme Militaire Adopté dans l'Armée Royale de Suède, Rudolph Ackerman, 1808. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Geissler (J.G.G.) and Friedrich Hempel. Mahlerische Darstellungen der Sitten, Gebrauche und Lustbarkeiten bey den Russischen, Tartarischen…, 4 parts in 1, Leipzig and Paris, [1804]. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Hunt (Charles). Portraits of Winning Horses...of the Derby, Oaks, & St. Leger, from the Year 1842 to 1849…, Rock Brothers & Payne, 1849. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Kunike (Adolf Friedrich). Zwey hundert und sechzig Donau-Ansichten nach dem Laufe des Donaustromes…, Vienna, Leopold Grund, 1826. £3,000 to £5,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
    Part 2
    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Lasinio (Carlo). [Matrimony], Florence, 1790. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Reinhardt (Joseph). A Collection of Swiss Costumes, in Miniature, second English edition, James Goodwin, [1828]. £800 to £1,200.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Wengen (Gottfried Durst von). Die Öffentliche Maskerade Bamberg am Fastnachts-Montage 1833…, Bamberg, [1833]. £2,000 to £3,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Set of First-Edition Volumes. 6,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard. A Collection of The Pooh Books. Set of First-Editions. 18,600 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Salvador Dalí, Lewis Carroll. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Finely Bound and Signed Limited Edition. 15,000 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die. First Edition. 9,500 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter Series. Finely Bound First Printing Set of Complete Series. 5,650 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms. First Edition, First Printing. 4,200 USD

Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - December - 2019 Issue

A Spectacular Catalogue 02 from Mark Funke Bookseller

Catalogue 02.

Mark Funke Bookseller has printed a new catalogue labeled only MF on the cover. We will assume that stands for Mark Funke, because what else could it stand for? On the spine it reads Catalogue 02. It offers 25 items on 146 oversized pages. No one will feel shortchanged by this catalogue. If that isn't the most thorough presentation ever I don't know what is. Most items have 3 or 4 full pages of illustrations to go with the description.

 

What is inside? Good question. Funke tells us it ranges from “the eccentric to the exquisite.” Price points go from $50-$20,000, meaning everyone is covered but the very poor and the inordinately rich. For a more specific description, we find it includes “a variety of topics, including death, Halley's comet, homosexuality, Mickey Mouse, and vegan cooking.” So, what is the common thread? Beats me. Perhaps Mickey Mouse is vegan and gay, and witnessed Halley's comet, but I don't think he is dead, though he is near a century in age. Here are a few of the selections you will find.

 

The first item in the catalogue, though surely it ought to be the last, is the one pertaining to death. This is not a subject we like to talk about, but this book contains 167 leaves about it. It is a collection of death certificates. They come from Vienna between the years 1740 and 1830. Funke calls it a “small subset of life in Vienna,” though that is giving quite a broad meaning to the term “life.” They recount these people's last moments on earth, or at least, the surface of the earth. “Or,” as Funke points out, “if you're feeling less morbid, the history of undertakers in one of the most beautiful cities on earth during a truly fascinating time.” Some are in manuscript, others filled in around beautiful type in Latin and German. Now mostly two or more centuries departed, there may be little else left of what were once people's lives, maybe even our ancestors. Item MF 026. Priced at $2,450.

 

This is a one-of-a-kind. It is the working copy for the revised second edition of Franz Neumann's Behemoth: The Structure and Practice of National Socialism. Neumann was a political scientist and a German Jewish socialist, but naturally, not the National Socialist type, that being the Nazi party. That placed him in the moderate left spectrum of German politics in the 1920s, pro-labor but seeking cooperation. After the Nazis came to power, Neumann was warned that he would be arrested. He got out early, moving first to London and then to America. Behemoth was his opus, an explanation of National Socialism for Americans unclear of what it was about. Neumann's conclusion was that it was not so much a clear political philosophy but a uniting of various groups with a shared hatred for the labor movement. Its modus operandi was to use terror, lawlessness, and arbitrary actions to keep the population in line. In 1942, after publication of the first edition of Behemoth, he began working for the OSS, the forerunner of the CIA. He was able to provide insights to the agency as to what their intelligence meant. He later transferred to the State Department where he provided advice on who to prosecute and how to go forward with war crimes prosecutions. Item MF 041 is Neumann's working copy of Behemoth in preparation of the 1944 second edition. It is a copy of the first edition with 80 interleaved blank pages, many with Neumann's notes, including “copious edits and diagrams.” Funke explains, “This is a book that helped the United States win World War II and is studied to this day.” $8,500.

 

Next is an extensive, though not complete run of Esperanto Poriaklasbatalo Internaciisto. It consists of 73 newsletters from the years 1975-2002. This was a publication of Austrian Communists, but this isn't what makes it interesting. Communist propaganda isn't, for the most part, all that fascinating. What is interesting is the language. They are written in Esperanto. There aren't all that many Esperanto speakers out there. The problem is that it has no native speakers. It's an invented language. The idea behind it made sense. People have trouble communicating with other people from different lands. Whatever our language, most people don't speak it. Esperanto was created to be everyone's second language, so we could communicate with others no matter what was their primary language. It was designed to be easy to learn, without all the idiosyncrasies of other languages that make them difficult to learn. It had no tenses, no male and female verbs, all those things that make languages confusing. It made perfect sense for Communists who sought to organize the world. Unfortunately, it didn't work as planned. Having no native speakers to push its use, Esperanto never achieved much acceptance. A few people can speak the language, but very few. Its appeal ended up not being much greater in the long term than did that of international communism. Item MF 044. $1,750.

 

This is a bilingual book about a biracial couple. The title is Rabbey in the Woods, by Shigeru Tomiyama. The text is in English, but there is supplemental text in Japanese. It is a children's book, and as expected, filled with illustrations. It is a story about a young bunny who goes out to meet many other animals. It offers a lesson in tolerance. Not only is there interspecie tolerance among the various animals, but also within Rabbey's family. As he explains, “I have parents. Father is Blackey. He is black. Mother is Whitey. She is white.” Such a family would not stir much controversy today, but this book was published in 1948. Evidently, fur color is not as big a deal for animals as skin color is for humans. Come to think of it, dogs and cats of different colors get along fine. What is it with humans? This copy was inscribed by the author to the teacher of his children. Item MF 037. $750.

 

This item was created by the Socialist Youth of Germany – Falcons in 1982. The title is Ronald Reagans Kriegsrevue, that is, Ronald Reagan's war review. It was not meant to be complimentary toward the U.S. President. Reagan visited Berlin on June 9, 1982, and this was prepared as a protest. There is a broadside accompanied by a 5 ½ minute audiotape. The tape cassette contains sounds of sirens and bombs, along with spoken words and a protest song. The flyer notes that excess revenue from sale of the tapes would be contributed to benefit workers in El Salvador. That was a nice thought, but my guess is that those El Salvadoran workers needed to keep their day jobs anyway. Item MF 046. $350.

 

Mark Funke Bookseller may be reached at 206-631-2907 or mark@funkebooks.com. Their website is found at www.funkebooks.com.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG BEADED JUDICIAL COLLAR. $80,000 - $120,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: ONLY KNOWN COPY OF THE ONLY BOOK BY THE REMARKABLE EVE ADAMS. $8,000 - $12,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A COMPLETE RUN OF VISIONAIRE MAGAZINE THROUGH 2010. $6,000 - $9,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: LAW REVIEW OFFPRINT SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY RUTH BADER GINSBURG. $3,000 - $5,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: META REBNER'S WORKING SCRIPT OF THE LOVED ONE. $1,500 - $2,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A KATHY GROVE PORTRAIT OF CYNDI LAUPER FOR THE FEBRUARY 1989 DETAILS COVER. $800 - $1,200
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A PLASTIC COAT BY MILLIE DAVID FEATURED IN SOHO NEWS STYLE SECTION, FROM THE COLLECTION OF ANNIE FLANDERS. $500 - $700
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG JEWELRY BOX. $600 - $900
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A SET OF JONI MITCHELL LYRICS FOR "IF I HAD A HEART." $2,000 - $3,000
  • 19th Century Shop
    Catalogue 198 just published
    19th Century Shop. Darwin and Wallace, first printing of the first paper on natural selection
    19th Century Shop. Shakespeare’s Poems, first collected edition
    19th Century Shop. Walt Whitman portrait inscribed with a Leaves of Grass poem
    19th Century Shop. Major Elizabeth Barrett Browning manuscript notebook
    19th Century Shop. Spock's Baby Book, original MS
    19th Century Shop. Cellarius, Harmonia Macrocosmica, the great celestial atlas

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