New York -- The online site run by Les Enluminures Ltd and dedicated to the description and sale of text manuscripts www.textmanuscripts.com was launched in September 2002. It offers the largest and most wide-ranging inventory of text manuscripts currently on the market. Numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on, manuscripts on the site have now reached the number 1000, the latter a medieval music manuscript for the Mass made more precious by the extraordinary High Renaissance, silk textile binding. Found today in libraries and museums far and wide, text manuscripts sold over the last seventeen years by Les Enluminures live permanently in an "Archive" for future scholarly consultation. The historic moment of the offering of TM 1000 represents a remarkable achievement that prompts a review of a few highlights from the sales of the past seventeen years.

Text Manuscript 1, the Prayerbook of Sister Renee Hennequin, dated c. 1550, now belongs to the University of California at Los Angeles, where it has the shelf mark Rouse MS 111. In many ways TM 1 is representative of the 1000 manuscripts that follow. It is unillustrated, on paper, bound in its early mid-sixteenth century calf, and bears indications of original provenance on its flyleaf: "A soeur Renee Hennequin" (belonging to sister Renee Hennequin). Renee was a nun at the French convent of the Filles-Dieu, a dependency of the Abbey of Fontevraud, the rich library of which was mostly destroyed in a famous shipwreck, making this manuscript an important document that sheds light on the devotional practices of the Order. Like many of the manuscripts that have found homes in institutional libraries, Renee's Prayerbook has been the subject of further study and is now published. It turns out that it contains many unusual prayers in the vernacular beginning "S'ensuit plusieurs ..." (There follow many ... ), the short-hand title Les Enluminures gave to the manuscript - predictably as it turns out.

Indeed, there follow many. For example, TM 53 is now known as The Dartmouth Brut Chronicle, Dartmouth College, Rauner Special Collections Library, Codex MS 003183, which presents a unique version of the Middle English prose history of Britain. Further study on the manuscript, including a scholarly conference devoted to it in 2011 and the publication of the proceedings in "Digital Philology" in 2014, have led to new findings on this copy. Nearly two hundred related copies of this chronicle exist today, each re- counting Britain's history from the arrival of Brutus from Troy (hence the name Brut) through the reign of King Arthur to various end-points in the fifteenth century. However, the Dartmouth Brut's omission of four chapters after the death of Arthur establish it as an idiosyncratic text unique in the recension and one that offers a singular perspective on the history of Britain. The manuscript includes more than two hundred and fifty annotations by three readers over several centuries, revealing a sustained interest in the text as a primary source for facts and to teach English history to one of its subsequent owners.

One of the most interesting consequences of the ongoing study of the Dartmouth Brut has been the creation of a digital surrogate of the manuscript and an exploration of the implications of the surrogate in a project called "Remix the Manuscript." Remix the Manuscript is an experiment in how digital technologies affect access and understanding of material culture. As people invent new tools and interfaces, the earlier ones become obsolete, and the very nature of archives changes. The project explains that its intention is to study the "process of processing." One document (e.g., the Brut Chronicle) becomes an expandable database, prompting greater understanding of how technology shapes historical information. Elaborating on the idea of "remix," the project stresses that a (the) chronicle text itself is a remix of sources whose structures can be explored with data processing tools, reflecting the spirit of the research project - an ongoing narrative of events, questions, and detours. Far from being the definitive stand-in of an object, a digital reproduction depends on the software and hardware, which themselves determine what we can see and what even counts as information. Remix the manuscript thus confronts head on the study of the manuscript in the Humanities in digital times.

Another good example of a manuscript that has been the focus of an in-depth study since its acquisition is TM 360, the Liber Ordinarius of Nivelles, now in the Houghton Library of Harvard University, where it is MS lat. 422. The Uber Ordinarius not only represents the earliest surviving manuscript from one of the oldest and most venerable monastic institutions in the Empire, it also offers a goldmine of information about its history, liturgy, and architecture. Fourteen contributions to The Uber Ordinarius of Nivelles: Liturgy as Interdisciplinary Intersection, edited by Jeffrey F. Hamburger and Eva Schlotheuber (forthcoming Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2019), introduce the manuscript to scholars in medieval history, liturgy, musicology, and the history of art and architecture through detailed analyses of the content and context that make it a document of outstanding importance for the study of high and later medieval monasticism. In addition to the analytical essays, the volume also includes an edition of the documents included in the manuscript along with the liturgical instructions, the majority of them previously unknown, that, taken as a whole, provide insight into the politics and power struggles at the abbey in the thirteenth and early fourteenth century.

It would not be an exaggeration to state that TM 686 was one of the most important manuscripts ever sold by Les Enluminures, despite its modest appearance. This Franciscan manuscript, now Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France, MS n.a.l. 3245, brought to light a new Life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano. The discovery of the tiny (12 x 8 cm.), unassuming, even ugly manuscript (a fitting echo of the poverty and humility of St. Francis and his early followers) was greeted with astonishment by the scholarly community and beyond, attracting attention of the international press around the world. Jacques Dalarun's edition of the Life of St. Francis appeared in 2015, and translations into French, English, Italian, German, Portuguese (and more) followed shortly after. The importance of the entire contents of this manuscript meanwhile has continued to emerge, thanks to the work of a team of scholars, whose preliminary findings were presented at a colloquium in Paris in 2017, organized by the Bibliotheque nationale de France et l' lnstitut de recherche et d'histoire des textes (CNRS). This manuscript has now inspired more than sixty scholarly articles and books.

Every medieval manuscript was made and decorated by hand for a particular purpose at a certain moment in history. To hold and to turn the pages of a manuscript is to touch hands directly with medieval Europe. Nearly everything we know about the early history of language, literature, the Bible, poetry, music, art, family life, medicine, travel, science, religion, philosophy, and piety comes to us through manuscripts and cannot be studied without them. The number of medieval manuscripts remaining in private hands gets fewer and fewer every year, and those that remain become more valuable and more keenly sought after. Through in-depth descriptions and its Archive, www.textmanuscripts.com celebrates each of these 1000-plus manuscripts for anyone who delights in experiencing and knowing about the European Middle Ages, at any level.

Worcester, MA — Kevin A. Wisniewski, Ph.D. has joined the staff of the American Antiquarian Society (AAS) as director of book history and digital initiatives. Dr. Wisniewski earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He also holds two masters, one in English and History from the University of Pennsylvania and one in Publication Design from the University of Baltimore. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from Stevenson University. Dr. Wisniewski has extensive experience in both traditional and digital history. He is a founding editor of the online journal Textshops Experiments (http://textshopexperiments.org) and served as the managing editor of Roving Eye Press.  He has also served on the editorial boards of the Beyond Criticism Series published by Bloomsbury Publishing and the Calypso Editions.

Additionally, Kevin has widespread teaching experience having taught at: the University of Maryland, College Park; the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Widener University; and Cecil College. His scholarly interests include both the history and current trends in reading, writing, and publishing in both traditional print and digital forms. Kevin is also a graphic designer and book artist who has created limited edition broadsides of both eighteenth-century and contemporary poetry. His wide-ranging intellectual interests include eighteenth-century trans-Atlantic print culture, contemporary performance and comedy, and eighteenth-century environmentalism.

At AAS, Wisniewski will lead the Society’s signature Program in the History of the Book in American Culture (PHBAC) and will develop a strategic plan to move this program into the future. First initiated in 1983, the PHBAC program draws on the AAS resources as a center of bibliographical research and as a matchless repository of early American printed materials, but also on recent intellectual currents that look at the history of books and other printed objects in their full economic, social, and cultural context. The program regularly sponsors fellowships, a weeklong summer seminar in the history of the book, workshops and symposia, and the James Russell Wiggins Lecture in the History of the Book in America. The program created a five-volume work of collaborative scholarship entitled A History of the Book in America published from 2007-09, which takes the subject from Colonial times to the present day.

“We are delighted that Kevin has joined the Society," said James David Moran, vice president for programs and outreach. “He will be instrumental in bringing our long-standing signature PHBAC program into the 21st century and leading the Society’s efforts in creating and sustaining our many digital humanities initiatives.”
 

Dallas, TX – A rare title lobby card from the first true sound horror film that had long-lasting significance in the Universal Horror series is expected to be among the top draws in Heritage Auctions’ Movie Posters Auction July 27-28 in Dallas, Texas.

“This auction includes very rare paper, some of which comes from some of the most popular films of all time, like Dracula, Casablanca and Gone with the Wind,” Heritage Auctions Vintage Posters Director Grey Smith said. “This is an auction with appealing options for many collectors, because of the diversity of the lots offered.”

Dracula (Universal, 1931) Title Lobby Card (estimate: $40,000-80,000) captures a dramatic image from Bram Stoker’s gothic thriller that is the definitive vampire film. Despite the financial challenges faced during the Depression, Carl Laemmle, Jr., bought the rights to the novel and the Broadway play in which Bela Lugosi was the star. Lugosi assumed the same role in the film version, solidifying his legacy as the ultimate Count Dracula. A potential centerpiece for any collection, this beautiful lobby card rarely is offered at auction.

Gone with the Wind (MGM, 1939) three sheet (estimate: $20,000-40,000) is a stunning rarity, one of only two copies known to remain in existence, from the film that earned a trove of Oscars that included awards for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Supporting Actress. Arguably the best image created out of all five styles of the three sheets offered by MGM, it is among the rarest and in highest demand among classic collectors. This auction will be the first in which Heritage Auctions has offered this gem from the Theaters of Old Detroit Collection.

The Golem (Paramount, 1920) CGC Graded Title Lobby Card (estimate: $20,000-40,000) spotlights another monumental horror film that is considered a landmark of early German Impressionism. This lobby card is extremely rare, and in exceptional condition. Showing the Golem (clay monster) created by a rabbi to save Prague from the Emperor’s order of expulsion, the card is one of a very small number known to exist and just the second title card from the film offered at auction.

A Foolish Wives (Universal, 1922) One Sheet (estimate: $20,000-40,000) shines a light on a film that was one of Universal’s most successful at the time of its release, but one that was made at a staggering cost of more than $1 million. The only known copy of this stone lithograph, featuring star and director Erich von Stroheim, was sold originally in 1995 and is being offered by Heritage Auctions for the first time.

An insert for The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Universal, 1923) (estimate: $15,000-30,000) is one of only three copies known to exist and is offered by Heritage Auctions for the first time. The insert shows the role that made Lon Chaney a star: Victor Hugo’s hunchback, Quasimodo. The film, which helped set the standard for later horror films, was one of the top grossing silent films of all time, and helped to bring Universal Studios into the spotlight.

A one sheet for The 39 Steps (Gaumont-Fox, 1935) (estimate: $10,000-20,000) highlights one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s first major international successes, and features many of the stylistic and thematic elements that later became integral parts of his later work.
Two lots from one of the most popular movies ever made are featured in the sale. Casablanca (Warner Brothers, 1942) Window Card and Casablanca (Warner Brothers, 1944) Australian One Sheet, each with a pre-auction estimate of $10,000-20,000, were made for the classic on which shooting started before the script was complete. Paper for this film, which won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, is extremely scarce and in high demand among collectors.

Other top lots include, but are not limited to:
Dracula (Universal, 1931) Lobby Card (estimate: $25,000-50,000)
This Gun for Hire (Paramount, 1942). Very Fine- on Linen. One Sheet (estimate: $15,000-30,000)
Mickey Mouse in Alpine Climbers (United Artists, 1936). Fine- on Paper. Silk Screen Poster (estimate: $10,000-20,000)
Mickey Mouse in The Barn Dance (Columbia, 1929). Fine on Linen. Stock One Sheet (estimate: $10,000-20,000)

New York – Sotheby’s is honored to offer property directly from the personal collection of Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin this month in New York, as a highlight of our auction dedicated to Space Exploration on 20 July 2019 – the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

The 11 items consigned by Buzz Aldrin are led by a selection of pages from the Flown Apollo 11 Flight Plan and Flown Apollo 11 Data File – the manuals used by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to guide them on their great adventure, which represent some of the documents most critical to the success of the entire mission. Each such sheet is signed and inscribed by Aldrin and accompanied by a letter of authenticity.

The full Space Exploration auction will open for public exhibition in Sotheby’s New York galleries on 13 July, alongside Omega Speedmaster: To the Moon and Back – an auction dedicated to the official watch of NASA.

Buzz Aldrin commented: “Our mission was a mission for all of mankind. It’s been an honor to look after these documents for the last 50 years, which bore witness to that historic event. As we look forward to the landmark anniversary, I decided that it was time to share them with a new generation of collectors, who can enjoy them for the next 50 years and beyond. I’m thrilled to be working exclusively with Sotheby’s to offer these significant artifacts, at this time.”

Cassandra Hatton, Vice President & Senior Specialist in Sotheby’s Books & Manuscripts Department, said: “We are very proud to say that with this auction, we are working directly with several of the astronauts who risked their lives in the pursuit of President John F. Kennedy’s ambitious and dramatic goal of sending a man to the moon, and we are especially honored to be the only auction house offering items directly from Buzz Aldrin. Buzz has held on to the most important pages from the Flown FlightPlan and Flown Data File, and it is truly a privilege to be entrusted with these pieces from his treasured personal collection. Furthermore, in an amazing alignment of the stars, three documents from Buzz’s collection happen to correspond directly to other items from other consignors – when examined together, they provide us with a much deeper understanding of the objects and of the mission itself.”

One of the most crucial and potentially life-saving documents aboard the Command Module “Columbia” was the four-page “Mission Rules Summary”from the Flown Apollo 11 Data File, which detailed the steps to be followed in the event of a spacecraft malfunction(estimate $30/50,000). Keeping the crew safe was NASA’s number one priority, thus the present “Mission Rules Summary” was developed to provide the crew with alternate courses of action should they lose control of the spacecraft or experience significant equipment failure. Illustrating the thorough and strategic planning behind every aspect of the Apollo 11 mission, the summary would have helped expedite the crew’s decision-making process in an emergency, allowing them to decide upon the correct course of action as fast as possible.

Included in Aldrin’s collection are both the first and the last pages of the Flown Apollo 11 Flight Plan – the Alpha and Omega of this significant document.

Beginning with the words “LIFTOFF”, the first page details the crucial timeline of tasks to be performed by the crew from the launch through the first two hours of the lunar voyage from moment 0:00, after Mission Control launched the crew into space by the Saturn V Rocket(estimate $30/50,000). Outlined in the plan are instructions for: operating systems and navigation checks, camera install for use while in Earth orbit, and preparations for Trans Lunar Insertion (TLI) as well as for Transposition, Docking, and Extraction (TD&E) of the Lunar Module.

[Outside of Aldrin’s collection, the present lot corresponds with the 20 original Apollo Firing Room Control Panels from the Kennedy Space Center Firing Rooms 1 & 3, which launched 8 Apollo missions carried by the Saturn V and Saturn IB rockets, including the three most historic: Apollo 8 (first humans to orbit the moon), Apollo 11 (first humans to land on the moon), and Apollo 17 (last humans to land on the moon), as well as Apollo 4 (unmanned),10, 13, 15, and 16, Skylabs 2, 3, & 4 and ASTP (estimate $200/300,000).]

The final page of the Flown Apollo 11 Flight Plan outlines the timeline of activities to be performed during the final two hours of the mission including jettisoning the Service Module, and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, travelling at a speed of 36,000 feet per second, before finally splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, where the crew and the Command Module "Columbia" were recovered by the USS Hornet (estimate $25/35,000). The final step on the timeline reads “SPLASHDOWN”, marking the moment when the Apollo 11 crew returned alive, thus successfully completing their mission and fulfilling the goal set by President Kennedy of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

[Outside of Aldrin’s collection, the present lot corresponds with the Flown Apollo11 Boost Cover Release Port Label, which was salvaged from the Crew Access Hatch of Command Module “Columbia” after it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on July 24th, 1969, splashing down into the North Pacific Ocean(estimate $125/150,000).]

Creating a visual record of their mission was an essential task for the Apollo 11 crew and with thorough and detailed photography they were able to capture lasting documentation of this momentous achievement. To accomplish this, the astronauts followed the “Photographic Timeline” from the Flown Apollo 11 Data File (estimate $15/20,000). The timeline contains details on what activities to photograph and when, as well as instructions for which camera and film magazines to use. Images captured by the cameras include: Earth and lunar photography, the lunar descent, panoramic shots from the LM window, EVA Crew activities including their famous moonwalk, lunar mapping photography, rendezvous, and more.

Outside of Aldrin’s collection, the present lot corresponds with an incredible assemblage of lunar surface artifacts that include the label from Film “Mag S”, used to take the most important lunar surface EVA pictures (and accidentally dropped onto the lunar surface by Neil Armstrong), and what is the first document to be fully handwritten on the lunar surface, written by Buzz Aldrin to explain the contents of the various film magazines used on the mission (estimate $50/70,000).]

Falls Church, VA – Waverly Rare Books, a division of Quinn’s Auction Galleries, will host a Thursday, July 18 sale featuring outstanding modern and contemporary prints and posters from the 19th century to the present day. Artists represented include Pablo Picasso, Frances Gearhart, Walter Henry Williams, Mary Bauermeister, Leroy Neiman, Werner Drewes and Kathleen Spagnolo, among many others. The 261-lot auction will be held at Quinn’s Falls Church gallery, with absentee and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.

Bidders are sure to be pleased by the wide array of etchings, prints, portfolios and serigraphs by noted artists, as well as the 40-plus posters that include examples with vintage railroad and maritime themes, and desirable pieces by Alphonse Mucha and Francisco Tamagno. Additionally, there are advertising posters by Jules Chéret, Lucien LeFevre and Henri LeMonnier.

A complete set of six etchings by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), titled Lysistrata (1934), carries a presale estimate of $10,000-$15,000. The set is from the deluxe suite, with wide margins, and is edition 83 of 150. Each etching is signed in pencil, lower left. Lysistrata was printed by Roger Lacouriere (Paris) and published by The Limited Editions Club (New York).

A lithograph poster by Jules Chéret (French, 1836-1932), Cosmydor Savon (1891), is expected to bring $2,000-$3,000. In the poster, published in Paris by Imp. Chaix, Chéret pays close attention to the subject’s elegant striped dress, which resembles the dress in his poster Librairie Ed. Sagot. Chéret was a renowned master of Belle Epoque poster art and has been called the father of the modern poster.

A circa-1930s linocut in colors on soft Japan wove paper by Frances Gearhart (American 1869-1959), titled November Textiles, carries an estimate of $2,000-$3,000. The print is artist-signed and titled and is from the collection of printmaker Phyllis Cohen. A copy was exhibited at a major Gearhart retrospective in Pasadena, Calif. (2009-2010), and was used as cover art for the exhibition’s catalog.

An Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860-1939) lithographed color poster of a woman cellist is artist-signed in the plate and titled Zdenka Cerny. The 1913 lithograph is Impression V. by Neubert, Praha (Prague). “Mucha was a painter, illustrator and graphic artist who lived in Paris during the Art Nouveau period and gained fame from his stylized renderings of Sarah Bernhardt,” said Catherine Payling, Director of Waverly Rare Books. “His posters are highly sought after and always attract a following at auction. We expect his depiction of Zdenka Cerny – who was billed as the ‘greatest Bohemian violoncellist’ – to sell for $1,500-$2,500.”

A woodcut in color by Edna Boies Hopkins (American, 1872-1937), titled Bud (1906), is signed in pencil and displays the artist’s stamp at lower right. Hopkins was an American artist who made woodblock prints based on Japanese ukiyo-e art and Arthur Wesley Dowd’s formula that combined the elements of notan (light and dark in harmony), line, and color. Hopkins’ woodcut Bud was, in fact, included in the 1991 Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art (Cornell University) exhibition titled “Arthur Wesley Dow and His Influence.” Auction estimate: $1,000-$2,000

Two lithographed posters by Lucien Lefèvre (French, 1850-1904), both with an authentic seal, are expected to realize $1,500-$2,000 each. One is titled Cirage Jacquot & Cie (1894); the other La Bague Soleil (1891). Both are signed in the plate and published by Imp. Chaix (Paris). Lefèvre was a poster designer and draftsman who exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants in Paris, in 1872-1873.

A lithograph in colors by Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904-1989), titled Flowers and Fruit (1971), comes from the Currier & Ives series Landscape, Fruit and Flowers, of the same year. The piece, a collage on wove paper, is editioned lower left and artist-signed in pencil at lower right. It is Dali’s homage to the Currier & Ives print created by Frances Flora Bond Palmer and should sell for $1,000-$2,000.

A 1965 woodblock print in colors on faux Japan paper by Walter Henry Williams (American, 1920-1998), titled Cock Fight #3 is also expected to reach $1,000-$2,000. It is pencil-signed, titled and editioned 166/210. Williams was an African American artist, painter and printmaker best known for dreamlike nostalgic images harkening to his rural Southern childhood.

Waverly Rare Books’ July 18 auction will begin at 6 p.m. Previews will be held at the gallery Monday through Thursday, July 15-18, from 10-6 Eastern time. For additional information about any item in the auction, call 703-532-5632, ext. 575; or e-mail waverly@quinnsauction.com. View the online catalog and register to bid absentee or live online, at https://www.LiveAuctioneers.com. Visit Waverly online at http://www.quinnsauction.com. Waverly is always accepting consignments for future auctions and welcomes enquiries.

Detroit – Having outgrown its original space, Detroit’s premiere literary festival, the Detroit Festival of Books, is relocating to Eastern Market’s largest forum – Shed 3 – for its third-annual festival on July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free for all attendees.
 
“Bookfest is a wonderful demonstration of the growing interest in the city of Detroit and its cultural offerings,” said Ryan M. Place, founder and chairman of Detroit Bookfest. “Amid surging attendance the past two years, we just ran out of room and needed more space to allow this event to grow.”
 
Over 10,000 individuals, of all ages and from countries as far away as Europe and India, showed up to the event last year, with around 200 vendors selling books, music and antiquarian offerings. This year, the festival will feature a variety of food and beverage options, including offerings from Nosh Pit Detroit, Big Dogs Hot Dogs, Cherry Pit BBQ, Cosmic Burrito and Eastern Market Brewing Co.
 
“Bookfest is proud to be a part of Detroit’s ongoing transformation,” Place added.
 
Detroit Bookfest is committed to keeping entry free and having affordable offerings. “We’re on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the web. It is because of our loyal volunteers, donors and supporters that this event keeps growing. Please join us and become a part of this exciting event!”

Paris — Christie’s Books department is extremely pleased with the success achieved for the first part of Paul Destribats’s collection (607 lots dating from the 1910s to 1945) which realised a total of €8,116,813, far beyond its presale global estimate of €5-7 million. International interest with buyers coming from 20 countries confirms the exceptional and unique character of this collection in the history of art. The emblematic texts about Surrealism attracted institutions and bibliophiles, aware of this rare opportunity to acquire iconic books, such as the Second Manifeste du Surréalisme by André Breton, enriched with a superb photographic binding executed by Paul Bonnet which was preempted by the Bibliothèque nationale de France for €442,000, four times its presale estimate.

Further highlights included the Prose du Transsibérien by Blaise Cendrars and Sonia Delaunay which sold for €334,000 while a remarkable set of one of the most important texts signed by Cendrars, J’ai tué with a beautiful binding by Georges Leroux, realised €218,750 (estimate €60,000-80,000).

One of the two only known sets of Man Ray’s Champs délicieux with all the photographic plates signed by the artist was acquired for €346,000.

Chicago — Potter & Potter Auctions is pleased to announce its 960+ lot Pop Culture sale to be held on Saturday, July 27th, 2019 starting at 10am at the company's gallery, located at 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613. All lots from this event will be on display and available for public preview on Thursday, July 25th, and Friday, July 26th from 10:00am to 5:00pm in the Potter & Potter facility. All times noted are CST.

This sale presents breathtaking, wall-to-wall selections of entertainment-themed posters, photographs, autographs, and other ephemera. Lot #658,  A "Yellow Submarine" production pencil drawing signed by all four members of the Beatles, is estimated at $5,000-10,000. This piece was acquired in 1981 from the photographer Vincent Zuffante. These autographs were collected during a time of great personal conflict between the band members, and as such, getting them to all sign the same item was almost impossible. Zuffante accomplished this with strategic folds, hiding the other autographs from each signer. Lot #, a 1938/57 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs cutting continuity script from the Walt Disney Studios, is estimated at $1,000-2,000. This 104 page document belonged to Disney writer Carl Cons, and has his name, phone extension, and title on its the upper right. Lot #672, an original gelatin silver photograph of Billie Holiday performing “Lady Sings The Blues” at Carnegie Hall is estimated at $800-1,200. It is framed and mounted on stiff cardstock, dated October 10, 1956, and was taken by photographer Carole Reiff (American 1934—1984) in 1956. Lot #55, a c. 1983 double sided advertising poster for the "Pop Shop" signed by Keith Haring is estimated at $700-900. Also of royal stature is lot #130, a 1958 offset lithograph movie poster for Queen of Outer Space, the cult-classic sci-fi feature starring Zsa Zsa Gabor. It is estimated at $400-600.

Also on offer is a grand-slam offering of baseball cards and related sports merchandise. Lot #551, a 1951 PSA VG 3 Bowman Mickey Mantle rookie card, No. 253, is estimated at $1,000-2,000. The card is illustrated with a handsome profile of the young player against a blue and white sky with trees and stadium lights. Lot #565, a 1968 PSA NM—MT 8 Topps Mets Rookies Jerry Koosman / Nolan Ryan card, No. 177, is estimated at $1,000-2,000. Koosman and Ryan were both members of the "Miracle Mets" team that won the 1969 World Series. And lot #629, a collection of nine 1930s to 1950s New York Yankees felt pennants - including league and World Series championship examples - steps up to the plate at $500-1,000.

The range of early and mid-century toys available through this auction will undoubtedly put bidders in a playful mood. Lot #246, a rare 1935 Buck Rogers Atomic Pistol by Daisy, is estimated at $600-900. It is in its original box and retains its original leather holster and belt. Lot #269, a 1950s Doepke aerial ladder truck #2014 in its original box, is estimated at $800-1,200. This near mint, large pressed steel fire vehicle comes complete with its original die cast ladders. There's absolutely no monkeying around with lot #238, a 1950s-era Marx King Kong mechanical gorilla. This near mint, remote controlled example is 11" tall, made from faux fur over tin, and is complete as issued with his full set of chains, collar, and cuffs.

And though not technically "toys", the offering of promo cars - perfectly to scale miniature vehicles used as salesman's samples in the 1950s through 1970s - available through this sale can't be beat. Why not hit the road with lot #295, a 1956 Lincoln Continental MK II promo car Revell showroom display? This instant collection includes ten 1/32 promo models housed in a shelved, wooden case with a Plexiglas front. This display was mounted in a dealer showroom and allowed potential customers to view their prospective car purchases in the actual colors available. According to our expert, "This is the first example of a full dealer promo display for any car that we’ve seen; definitely rare, and a unique opportunity for all collectors of vintage vehicles."

It's no laughing matter when it comes to the fine selections of comic books and art available through this Pop Culture event. Lot #346, a 1959 CGC 5.0 graded copy of DC Comics Action Comics No. 252, is estimated at $1,500-2,000. This highly sought after comic debuts Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) and Metallo and features stories by Robert Bernstein and Otto Binder, art by Al Plastino and Howard Sherman, and a cover by Curt Swan and Al Plastino. Lot #512, a 1975 CGC 9.0 graded copy of Marvel Comics X-Men No. 94, is estimated at $800-1,200. This rarity spotlights the second appearance of Nightcrawler, Storm, Thunderbird, and Colossus and features art by Dave Cockrum and Bob McLeod and a cover by Dave Cockrum and Gil Kane. And it's back to the future with lot #31, 2 pieces of ca. 1960s/80s Flintstones Original Comic Strip Art from Hanna-Barbera Productions. These framed and matted strips are estimated at $600-800.

Potter & Potter Auctions enjoys a worldwide reputation for excellence in consistently delivering the finest collections and archives to market. This sale is no different. Lot #969, a library of astronaut signed books and photographs from the 1960s/2010s, is certain to send collectors into orbit. Estimated at $4,000-6,000 this extraordinary archive includes signatures of all twelve astronauts who have walked on the moon, the first American woman in space, the first African-American woman in space, and other notable astronauts, as well as an official NASA photograph taken and signed by Neil Armstrong showing Buzz Aldrin descending the ladder of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module on July 20, 1969. Lot #894, a group of c. 1930s/40s materials from the Radio Orphan Annie Secret Society is estimated at $600-800. This collection of 23 items includes decoder and coder pins, a sundial with compass, Secret Society pins, identification bracelets, a Sandy slide whistle, and various Secret Society booklets. And lot #195, a collection of 215 movie stills and glamour photographs from the 1920s/40s is estimated at $300-500. This grouping of 8" x 10" images includes prominent actors and actresses including Bette Davis, John Wayne, Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, Veronica Lake, Bing Crosby, Henry Fonda, Rita Hayworth, The Marx Brothers, and many others.  

Books, Disneyana, and other collectibles that defy, or bridge conventional categories bring this exceptional sale full circle.  Lot #529, a rare 1924 copy of Weird Tales, The Spirit Lover by Houdini by Rural Publishing is estimated at $800-1,200. Its contents include a story by Houdini, H.P. Lovecraft’s The White Ape, and others; its original pictorial wraps depicts a séance. Lot #5, a Walt Disney Studios Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Dopey animation cel from 1937 is estimated at $1,500-2,500. This hand-painted cel depicts Dopey playing a cymbal and includes blind stamping and a studio label identifying it as an original work from the movie. And ending on a supernatural note, lot #680 - a Paul Reed Smith “Corazon” SE Santana solid body electric guitar, personally signed by Carlos Santana - is estimated at $2,000-3,000. This special edition was gifted to high-value donors at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on September 24, 2016, during a fundraising event benefiting the “Santana Telehealth Project.” This spectacular guitar - one of only 50 extant - is 38” tall and has a maple top, a 22 fret mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, trademark PRS bird inlays, PRS designed tremolo, and PRS SE 245 treble and base pickups. It is complete as issued and comes in its backpack case and accompanied by its original cord, whammy bar, blank warranty card, and full provenance documentation.

According to Gabe Fajuri, President at Potter & Potter Auctions, "This massive auction could not have been assembled without teamwork - and in this case, the team included our new director of toys and pop culture, Tom Miano. He brings a fresh perspective and a new group of merchandise - in new categories - to Potter & Potter, and the resulting auction speaks for itself. We're looking forward to many more sales of this nature and beyond, after what will be, no doubt, the smashing success of the current sale. To bring to market so many unusual, fun, collectible, and rare items in such a diverse array of fields is what we all love about the auction business here at Potter & Potter."

New York — Poster Auctions International’s second sale of the year finished at $1,300,000 in sales. Auction LXXVIII on June 23 elicited enthusiasm for uncommon and little-known works by masters of Art Deco and Art Nouveau.

Charles Loupot sparked a frenzy of bidding for his never-before-seen designs. “Nicolas,” from 1933, secured the highest bid at auction: $72,000 (all figures include sales premiums). The Art Deco master’s interpretation of Nectar, the wine deliveryman for the Nicolas firm, has appropriately become an advertising icon—but this particular poster is the only known copy of the design with letters. Loupot also stunned poster lovers with two of his earliest and previously unknown lithographs: “Parfums Naturels / Parrot” and “Parfums Naturels / Butterflies,” both from 1916, sold for $3,840 and $5,520, respectively. The artist also caused a stir with the divine “Au Louvre” from 1923; this variant, without letters, was won for $15,600.

This auction included a very notable Art Deco design: Guillermo Laborde’s 1930 “1er Campeonato Mundial Football / Uruguay,” which promoted the first ever FIFA World Cup in Montevideo. The charming design combined with the historical significance of this work made for a very desirable collector’s item. The poster exceeded its estimate of $2,500-$3,000 with a winning bid of $8,400.

Luciano Achille Mauzan inspired further ardor for uncommon works of the 1920s and 1930s. This auction featured two of his never-before-seen posters for French perfume—and his image of a flirtatious lady leaning over a dramatically oversized rose spurred competitive bidding. “Brixia / Crème et Poudre à la Rose,” from ca. 1924, also surpassed its estimate of $7,000-$9,000 for a total of $13,200.

Similarly, Marcello Dudovich proved his prowess with early 20th century lithographs, especially his large-scale works. His theatrical still life, “Marca Zenit / G. B. Borsalino,” from 1911, was swept away for $14,400; the intoxicating “Cordial Campari,” from 1914, earned a grand $21,600.

Of course, Art Nouveau posters continued to persuade bidders as well. In our bicycle section, William H. Bradley gained notable bids for his 1895 “Victor Bicycles,” which topped out at $9,600. Edward Penfield’s “Orient Cycles,” from ca. 1895, also inspired awe, and was won for $16,800. Other impressive transportation sales include E. Schreiber’s “Mercedes” from 1912 ($22,800), George Picard’s “Salon de l’Automobile” from 1906 ($13,200), and Charles Léonce Brossé’s “Meeting d’Aviation / Nice” from 1910 ($16,800).

As always, Alphonse Mucha’s lush decorative works were in high demand, and in particular, his impressive theatre designs for Sarah Bernhardt were quite coveted. His celestial “La Dame aux Camelias,” from 1896, was won for $28,800, followed closely by his 1899 “Hamlet” which fetched $24,000. And his beloved “Moët & Chandon” from 1899 proved its lasting desirability with a winning bid of $26,400.

The Belle Epoque prevailed with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose iconic 1896 design, “Troupe de Mlle Églantine,” can-canned away to the tune of $31,200. The same amount was pledged to his sensitive 1895 portrait, “May Belfort”—and Belfort’s partner, the English dancer May Milton, transfixed collectors in Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1895 portrayal. This variant of “May Milton” included a banjo-playing clown as a remarque and was signed and numbered from an edition of 25 copies, earning a $48,000 winning bid.

Modern and contemporary posters also had their share of the limelight. A very rare French promotion for “King-Kong,” from 1942, encouraged an $18,000 win. The whimsy of Keith Haring delighted as ever; his 1985 poster, “New York is Book Country,” sold for $1,920, and the infectious energy of his 1984 “Keith Haring at Tony Shafrazi Gallery” earned $1,440.

Poster Auctions International’s next sale will be held in New York on October 27, 2019. Consignments are accepted until August 1, 2019.

Chicago — Potter and Potter's early summer auction, featuring the second installment of rarities from the Jim Rawlins collection, offered nonstop surprises and excitement from start to finish. After the hammer fell for the last time, 58 lots realized between $1,000-5,000; 7 lots realized between $5,001-$9,999; and 1 lot broke the five-figure mark. Prices noted include the company's 20% buyer's premium.

Lot #53, a c. 1900 clown magician musical automaton made in Paris by Leopold Lambert, was the top lot in the sale. Estimated at  $8,000-12,000, he conjured up $13,200. This breathtaking and impressive rarity had the magician, nodding his head and sticking out his tongue, waving his wand and producing a dove, three baubles, a rabbit, and a die on his table.  

Apparatus with provenance to high profile performers caught the attention - and interest - of enthusiasts worldwide. Lot #6, Edgar Bergen’s c. 1939 Flowering Rose Bush, made by Petrie and Lewis of New Haven, CT, was estimated at $5,000-7,000 and blossomed to $8,400. This illusion featured a barren green plant which slowly and elegantly bloomed, bearing real flowers which could be cut and handed out to the audience.  Lot #126, Harry Kellar′s c. 1900 Coffee and Milk Trick, complete with a letter of provenance, made $5,280. In this illusion, bran or confetti was scooped into two cups which were then sealed with clamped lids. When the lids were removed, one cup was full of hot coffee and the other was full of milk. Lot #29, Cardini′s c. 1960 Vanishing Birdcage soared to $5,040 on its $2,000-3,000 estimate. And things really caught fire with lot #448, Tom Mullica′s Nicotine Nincompoop cigarette case. Estimated at $400-600, this Flamex cigarette case and lighter - the exterior decorated with an Egyptian hieroglyph design - made $2,640. This prop was owned and used by Mullica as part of his magic act for over 30 years.

Magic props by the legacy manufacturer Thayer and Owen also represented many of the top lots in this sale.  Lot #245, the company's c. 1936 Golly Wobble, made an impressive $8,400 - over eight times its low estimate! This example included its original $3.50 price tag; these bottles have become one of the most sought after of the Thayer-turned props, due both to their extremely limited production and the ingenuity of their operation. Lot #11, a pair of c. 1938 McDonald Birch′s Multiplying Chairs, came to rest at $4,320. This illusion had a wooden chair with a patterned fabric seat suddenly, quickly, and magically, become two matching chairs in the blink of an eye. Lot #241, a rare c. 1945 Thayer Diminishing Spool trick spun to $900 on its $150-250 estimate.  And lot #270, a c. 1940 classic black and gold Thayer Colonio Table with a black drape, turned wood center column, and two removable ″wells" stood tall at $840 against its $200-300 estimate.

Antique, vintage, and contemporary examples produced by other manufacturers rounded out the top lot highlights in the apparatus categories. Lot #146, a fine c. 1988 Pillar of the Magi/Pillar of Mercury made by John Gaughan and Associates ascended to $9,600 on its $5,000-7,000 estimate. This piece was one of four manufactured by Gaughan, and was an improved model of this classic illusion advertised by Bland, Maurer, and Martinka.  Lot #35, a large, c. 1900 cannon ball vase by Martinka shot to $8,400 on its  $5,000-7,000 estimate. This traditional conjuring prop enabled an object to vanish from a box, only to reappear in a vase in which, only moments before, was occupied by a cannon ball.  And lot #158, a c. 1948 Saw Through an Arm trick by Massey of Ardmore, PA more than doubled its low estimate, changing hands at $4,800.  This illusion is the most elaborate and likely rarest of Massey′s ingenious props, and retailed for $100 when released in 1948.  

This auction's offerings of can't look away magic related ephemera - including catalogs, photographs, advertisements, autograph, correspondence, brochures, and other rarities -  also took center stage at this sale.  Lot #376, a c. 1900s Chung Ling Soo satin tied souvenir booklet more than doubled its high estimate, selling for $2,880. This important, time capsule style document was illustrated with ten halftones including Soo performing some of his most famous stunts, portraits of his assistants, and press reviews.  Lot #432, two 1930s-era letters from Howard Thurston to Doc Nixon were first class all the way, scoring $2,040 on their $250-350 estimate.  And lot #401, a c. 1918 Harry Houdini Christmas card, illustrated by George McBride with a caricature of Houdini emerging from a stocking, flanked by a rhyming verse, trimmed the tree at $1,650 on its $250-350 estimate.

The Magic Collection of Jim Rawlins II sale closed the circle with museum-quality selections of books, archives, stage worn costumes, and other important antique magicana. Lot #204, a c. 2001 Discoverie of Witchcraft Magic Set from the ReDiscoverie Collection realized $3,600 on its $1,000-1,500 estimate.  This collection of magic props, produced in an edition size of only 100 units, was inspired by the descriptions of illustrations of apparatus in Reginald Scot's Discoverie of Witchcraft and included wooden-handled knives, a bell, awl, barrels, coins, a wand, and other essential witchcraft accoutrements. And it was sink or swim when it came to lot #119, Doug Henning's bright blue, full-body Water Fountain Levitation Jumpsuit.  This 1980s, stage worn costume was made by Zazz Designs of Hollywood and decorated with multi-color embroidery and rhinestones. It made $6,000 on its $1,500-2,500 estimate.