Auctions | October 26, 2015

Hollywood, Rackham, Engravings at National Book Auctions

ITHACA, NY—National Book Auctions, located in Ithaca, NY, announces the launch of their next auction catalog.   

This catalog presents rare, antique and decorative books as well as select additions of ephemera, artwork and collectibles.  This catalog also includes our next session from a large and impressive private collection of early engravings.  Dispersed among the many book lots is our third session of Hollywood collectibles.      

Antique and rare books in this catalog feature numerous titles.  Among the earliest examples are Andreas Alciatus' "Emblemata," printed c1575 with woodcuts and housed in a vellum binding, the 1662 first edition of Comenius' "Janua Linguarum Trilinguis," and the 1694 first edition of Richer's "La Vie de Corneille Tromp."  Other scarce titles include a 1952 first printing of Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea," in the original dustjacket, the 1795 edition of Benjamin Franklin's "The Way to Wealth or Poor Richard Improved," and the 1906 printing of "Madame Butterfly," signed by Giacomo Puccini.

Several pleasing collections will also be showcased.  Included is a selection of desirable titles relating to the opening of the American West such as antique volumes, histories of California including the gold rush, Native American Indian history, Lakeside Press printings, and many others.  This group is highlighted in part by a substantial inventory of volumes from the "Senate Reports of Explorations and Surveys for a Railroad Route," incorporating color plates and fold-out maps. Additional lots will offer desirable titles from categories such as decorative antique bindings, the "Fruits of New York" series, modern first edition fiction, military history, railroad, New York, early Americana, atlases, Civil War, natural history, technology & engineering, and much more.

Found throughout this catalog are interesting offerings of ephemera, artwork and collectibles.  We're pleased to conduct another session of items from a very large private collection of early engravings including ornithological and botanical, many of which are hand-colored, alongside an interesting assembling of original antique artwork.  Two lots present examples of incunabula.  Numerous lots feature film and Hollywood memorabilia including autographs, posters, photographs, lobby cards, and press books.  Important early maps will be sold alongside antique ephemera lots incorporating stereoviews, postcards, railroad-related, magazines, travel-related, original correspondence, photographs, billheads, stamps, and other genres. 

National Book Auctions is a public auction service specializing in books, ephemera, and art. National Book Auctions is a targeted service offering experience and expertise unique to marketing antique and modern books and ephemera for consignors and collectors alike. The upcoming 2014 auctions will feature a wide assortment of collectible, signed, and first edition books. For more information, please contact the gallery at 607-269-0101 or email mail@nationalbookauctions.com.