Agatha Christie, 19th Century Children's Books, and the Folies Bergere: The Week in Rare Books
19th century children's books
This weekly auction result is provided by Spencer W Stuart, an independent collections advisor specializing in rare books and manuscripts as well as fine photography and prints. He is also the author of Contemporary Issues in Rare Books & Manuscript Collecting and host of the monthly webinar Collecting Insights.
These are the three lots that stuck out this week because of either uniqueness or exceeding expectations:
19th century children's books
155 volumes in duodecimo and octavo, publisher's decorated bindings, 130 of which feature color lithographs on the front cover, produced between 1850 and 1890. Published by Mégard in Rouen, Mame in Tours, Ardant or Barbou in Limoges, Lefort in Lille, and Guyot in Lyon, the bindings imitate the precious bindings of almanacs or poetry collections from before the Revolution. Sold for €6,000 at De Baecque after an initial estimate of €800-€1,000
Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie
First English edition, The Crime Club, 1945. Sold by Forum Auctions for £1,300 following an estimate of £150-£200.
Folies Bergere poster
Color stone lithograph poster by Antoine Barbizet advertising various acts at the Folies Bergere, among them the African American lion tamer Dompteur Delmonico. Linen backed (Paris: Imp. Bertauts, 1873-74). Sold for $3,840 at Potter & Potter Auctions following an estimate of $300-$500.
