Robert Hoe, Accused Lincoln Conspirator Letter, and The Replacement's Album Art: The Week in Rare Books
Books relating to the library of Robert Hoe
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:
The library of Robert Hoe
Items relating to book collector, printer, and first president of the Grolier Club Robert Hoe (1839-1909) comprising Oscar Albert Bierstadt's The Library of Robert Hoe: A Contribution to the History of Bibliophilism in America (New York, Duprat & Co., 1895), Anderson Galleries' Catalogue of the library of Robert Hoe of New York (New York, 1911-1912), and One hundred and seventy-six historic and artistic book-bindings dating from the fifteenth century to the present time (New York, Dodd, Mead & company, 1895). Sold at Sotheby’s for $10,160 following an estimate of $700-$1,000.
Letter by accused Lincoln assassination conspirator
A letter from John H. Surratt, Jr. to the U.S. Assistant Secretary of War, Colonel Watson. Surratt's mother Mary's boardinghouse in Washington, DC, was used by the conspirators as a safe house to plot the scheme. After Lincoln's assassination, Mary Surratt was convicted of conspiracy and hanged, while John Surratt fled to Canada, Europe, and then Egypt from where he was extradited. By the time of his trial in 1867, the statute of limitations had expired on most potential charges and he was acquitted of having taken an active part in Lincoln's assassination. Sold by University Archives for $14,000 following an estimate of $3,000-$5,000
The Replacements' album art
The painting that inspired the band's second album, Not Available, a variant image of Edweena of that used on cover. The back of the album credits it as “based on a drawing by a Resident”. Sold by PBA Galleries for $4,062 following an estimate of $200-$300.
