New York – Christie’s is pleased to announce the October sale of America’s first banned book, New English Canaan, which was authored by Thomas Morton (estimate: $35,000 – 45,000). Called “Lord of Misrule” by Plymouth colony governor William Bradford, Morton founded the 17th century colony Ma-Re Mount (later known as Merrymount) in present-day Quincy, Massachusetts.

The Puritans of Massachusetts Bay were scandalized by their view of Morton’s lack of morals. According to Governor Bradford in Of Plymouth Plantation — originally published in 1651 — The Merrymount “consociates” traded guns to the Algonquin Native Americans and engaged in “dancing and frisking together” with them. Morton’s colony soon prospered and threatened Plymouth’s trade monopoly in the region. Tensions came to a head in 1628 over Merrymount’s Mayday festival, which involved dancing around an 80-foot Maypole surmounted by stag antlers in a celebration that included the local native people. The Plymouth Militia, led by Myles Standish (whom Morton referred to as “Captain Shrimp”), chopped down Merrymount’s Maypole and arrested Morton, who was put on trial for supplying arms to the Indians and later left for dead on an island off the coast of New Hampshire. Morton survived, returned to England, and brought a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Bay Company.

This book was based on the reports gathered during his legal battle and subsequently launched him into celebrity. Blending picaresque literary flourish with historical accounts and poetic interludes, this work — composed with the help of literary friends — is an unremitting satirical attack on the Puritans as well as a joyous Jacobite romp telling a lost true story of America’s early colonial history. Morton denounces the Puritan’s policy of land enclosure and genocide of the native population while ending with a call for the "demartialising" of the colonies and the creation of a multicultural New Canaan in the New World. The book was banned in Puritan New England.

Only two other copies have appeared at auction in the last 30 years.

New York—Swann Galleries opened the fall season on Thursday, September 19 with a marathon sale of 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings earning more than $2M.

Works by Martin Lewis proved popular with collectors. Of the 16 works offered nearly all found buyers, and five works reached among the top 20 overall. Highlights included Men Working on Elevated Train Tracks, Looking at Airplane in Sky, circa 1919—the rare early etching made its auction debut at $42,500; Glow of the City, drypoint, 1929, brought $40,000; and Little Penthouse, drypoint, 1931, earned $23,750. Further American artists featured Edward Hopper’s 1922 etching East Side Interior, which reached $47,500; George Bellows’s Dempsey and Firpo, lithograph, 1923-24, acquired by an institution at $37,500; and a 1951 complete set of 22 drypoints by Elie Nadelman which earned $22,500.

Marc Chagall lead the sale with his most widely-appreciated livre d’artiste, Cirque. The lively 1967 portfolio with complete text and 38 lithographs brought $143,000. Also by Chagall was Grand Corbeille, color lithograph, 1975, which garnered $23,750.

Other highlights included Edvard Munch’s Badende Kvinner, open-bite etching, 1895, which earned a record for the print at $30,000, and Gråtende Akt, lithograph, 1908, which brought $20,000. Diego Rivera’s 1932 lithographs El Sueño (La Noche de los Pobres), sold for $40,000, and Zapata, brought $32,500—both purchased by an institution. Henri Matisse’s circa 1952 Fauvist interior color aquatint Petit Intérieur Bleu sold for $22,500, while Joan Miró’s 1973 color etching Le Chef des Équipages sold for $20,000.

Todd Weymann, Director of Prints & Drawings at Swann, said of the sale, “Bidding throughout the auction was particularly robust from the private sector, with virtually all of our top lots won by individual collectors in the U.S. and abroad. We had significant success with modern American and European works, notably New York prints from the 1920s and 30s and editions from top-selling European artists such as Matisse, Chagall and Miró”

The next auction from the Prints & Drawings department will be held on October 29 with Old Master Through Modern Prints, featuring Rembrandt etchings from the John Villarino Collection. Visit swanngalleries.com or download the Swann Galleries App for catalogues, bidding and inquiries.

Minneapolis, MN — As a hub for artists of all kinds—bookbinders, papermakers, letterpress printers, and more—Minnesota Center for Book Arts has devoted two days solely to the celebration of new book art created within the last year. The event kicks off on Friday, October 18, 7-10pm with a ticketed preview party, followed by a juried public sale on Saturday, October 19, 10am-3pm.

NEW EDITIONS PUBLIC SALE

With more than 50 local, national, and international artists showcasing over 125 curated pieces—from artist’s books and photo books to broadsides and hand-printed work—the public sale at New Editions connects artists with art lovers of all backgrounds.

“This year’s selection of work is fresh, fun, and really speaks to the depth and breadth of what book art can be. We love being able to showcase such a variety of artists and the various contemporary processes and themes artists are incorporating into their work,” says Torey Erin, Exhibitions and Artist Programs Manager.

“You’ll see examples of letterpress printing, bookbinding, paper making, zine making, marbling, calligraphy, typography, origami, collage, and more. This is a great event for members of the public who are new to the book arts and want to support our artist community, as well as for longtime arts lovers who want to add new work to their collection,” says Executive Director Elysa Voshell.

NEW EDITIONS PREVIEW PARTY

MCBA kicks off the weekend showcase with a ticketed preview party featuring first access to the sale and MCBA’s first-ever Book Arts Story Slam. Five local artists representing a variety of disciplines have crafted true stories inspired by the theme Book Arts Impressions: You Never Forget Your First! MCBA’s Story Slam lineup includes:

●        Kent Aldrich, Master Printer, The Nomadic Press

●        Robyn Awend, Artist & Director of Visual Arts & Co-Director of the Center for Arts & Culture at the Sabes JCC

●        Dara Beevas, Publisher, Wise Ink

●        Mary Bruno, Letterpress Printer, Bruno Press

●        Todd Thyberg, Founder, Angel Bomb

Ticket holders will receive a limited-edition tote bag, pictured below, which was printed at MCBA by screen printer Kirsten Olson and designed by Frankie Castillo, and will also have the opportunity to participate in a raffle featuring local goods and services.

New Editions is supported by Presenting Sponsor Star Tribune; Signature Sponsors Cathy Ryan and Doris Engibous; and Promotional Sponsors Bolger, Delaware North -Open Book At MSP Airport, Jennifer Martin, and The Sherwin-Williams Company.

New York — Swann Galleries will offer Classic & Contemporary Photographs on Thursday, October 17 with a selection that explores the way fine art and vernacular photography create a dialogue influencing visual culture.

Irving Penn leads the sale with a platinum-palladium print, Cuzco Children, Peru, December, 1948, printed 1978, at $80,000 to $120,000. In 1948, after finishing an assignment for Vogue, Penn stayed in the city of Cuzco where he rented the studio of a local photographer. There he paid the locals to pose for photographs, taking an astonishing 2000 negatives over the course of three days—including multiple images of the children in the portrait on offer. Penn’s image captures the children as simultaneously innocent and knowing, childlike and mature, conveying a gravitas that belies their ages. Further works of note by Penn are a platinum-palladium print American Ballet Theatre, 1947, printed 1968 ($15,000-25,000), as well as portraits of American artist John Marin, platinum-palladium print, 1947, printed 1977 ($8,000-12,000), and fellow photographer Horst P. Horst, silver print, 1945-46 ($5,000-7,500).

Peruvian photographer Martín Chambi is present with a collection of 54 silver prints on carte-postale paper from the 1920s-30s. The images, depicting the architecture of Cuzco and archaeological sites and Incan ruins on the outskirts of the city, are expected to bring $10,000 to $15,000.

W. Eugene Smith’s important 1971-73 silver print of Tomoko Uemura in her Bath, which broadcasted to the world the seriousness of the outbreak of Minamata disease, caused by mercury poisoning, is available at $10,000 to $15,000. Further examples of artists working at the cross section of art and activism include Dorothea Lange’s San Francisco Waterfront (demonstration), silver print, 1934, and Walker Evans’s Store Near Moundville, Alabama, silver contact print, 1938, printed 1960, at $10,000 to $15,000 apiece, as well as selection of works by Lewis W. Hine: Greaser in a coal mine, Bessie Mine, Alabama, silver print, 1910 ($2,500-3,500); A Western Union Messenger, Nashville, Tennesee, silver print, 1910, printed 1920s ($2,000-3,000); and Old-time freight brakeman, N.Y. Central, silver contact print, circa 1923 ($2,500-3,000). 

Contemporary photographs include White Christ, cibachrome print, 1989, by Andres Serrano ($15,000-25,000); Five Prints, 1983-86, printed 1987, a complete portfolio of dye-transfer prints by John Divola ($8,000-12,000); Clemens in my bed with saris, Paris, oversize Cibachrome print, 2000, by Nan Goldin ($6,000-9,000); and Ron Athey / Human Printing Press with Darryl Carlton, from Four Scenes, chromogenic print, 2000-01, by Catherine Opie ($4,000-6,000). Artists utilizing early photography techniques include Chuck Close’s whole-plate daguerreotype Hand II, 2000, at $8,000 to $12,000, and a unique 1987 silver-print phantogram by Adam Fuss at $10,000 to $15,000.

An archive of artist’s books by Ed Ruscha includes a selection of first editions, as well as ephemeral material documenting his early career. The highlight of the archive is a first edition of Twentysix Gasoline Stations, 1962, signed and inscribed “Love, Ed.” Further first editions include Royal Road Test, 1967, and Edward Ruscha (Ed-werd Rew-Shay), Young Artist, 1972. The archive is expected to bring $10,000 to $15,000. A run of photobooks by Robert Frank includes a first American edition of the artist’s iconic work, The Americans, 1959 ($1,400-1,800), a signed limited-edition issue of New York Is., 1959 ($2,000-3,000), and a signed limited edition of Flower Is…, 1987 ($3,000-4,500).

The house’s notable vernacular photography section includes a robust offering of collections and albums documenting the lives of women throughout the last century. A group of 11 photographs circa 1910-20 includes images of suffragists ($1,500-2,500); a 1969 archive entitled The Yearbook from Skidmore College that dates to one of Skidmore’s final years as a women’s college ($400-600); and a binder with 31 images, including nine group photographs, of African American women ($1,000-1,5000).

Exhibition opening in New York City October 12. The complete catalogue and bidding information is available at swanngalleries.com and on the Swann Galleries App.

Amesbury, Massachusetts — John McInnis Auctioneers, the largest full-service auction house on Boston's North Shore, is excited to announce its Camelot with a Twist Presidential And Sports event on October 13th, 2019, starting at 10am. All items from this sale are on display in the McInnis Amesbury, MA auction gallery and are available for preview on Saturday, October 12th from 11 am to 6 pm and October 13th from 8am throughout the sale.  All lots can be viewed on Liveauctioneers.com at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/150455_camelot-with-a-twist-presidential-and-sports/. For more information on this sale, see www.mcinnisauctions.com.

This auction launches with almost 300 lots of presidential-caliber materials from the Hammersmith Farm estate in Newport, RI. These items were bequeathed to Jackie’s stepbrother Hugh “Yusha” Auchincloss’ assistant, Colleen Townsend Pilat, upon his passing. Pilat partnered with her friend, award-winning Hollywood actor James Woods, to bring this “time capsule” to the public through John McInnis Auctioneers. Lots 1 through 280 are cataloged chronologically, providing a timeline on the legacy of the Auchincloss, Bouvier, and Kennedy clans though the passing of Yusha, the last family member to occupy Hammersmith Farm.

Treasures from first lady and fashion icon Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ youth are certain to catch the eye of historians, museums, collectors, and connoisseurs worldwide. Lot #97, Jackie’s childhood writing desk, is estimated at $2,500-5,000. This glass topped, Louis XIV French Provincial desk is decoratively painted and measures 30” x 48” x 27”. Two personal diaries, written by Yusha, reveal in detail the privileged life he and Jackie lived as teenagers during WWII. These first person accounts, documenting every day happenings, coming of age moments, intimate confessions, and crushes that would last a lifetime, are a front row seat to history in the making… and ripe for screenplay adaptation! These diaries include lot #88, covering January 1, 1943 through September 30, 1945, and lot #89, covering October 1, 1945 through September 30, 1946. Each carries an auction estimate of $2,000-4000. And lot #69, Jackie’s copy of The Book of Dogs given to her by her father John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier III, is estimated at $1,000-2,000. The book includes notations, made by Jackie at 6 ½ years old, highlighting her favorite breeds.

Important books from the family’s personal library at Hammersmith Farm are well represented in this sale, with some including original autographs, dedications, notations, or illustrations. Lot #129, a JFK signed hardbound copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare published by Oxford University Press in 1955, is estimated at $3,000-6,000. President Kennedy was a student of Shakespeare and referenced his plays in speeches throughout his time in office. Lot #174, a 1937 copy of Holmes Alexander’s Aaron Burr, the Proud Pretender, published by Harper & Brothers of New York, is estimated at $3,000-6,000. This handsome, hardcover book is signed by JFK on the flyleaf and includes its original Seal of the President of the United States John F. Kennedy bookplate. And lot #212, a Jackie Kennedy inscribed copy of Downing and Scully’s The Architectural Heritage of Newport Rhode Island from 1967 is estimated at $2,000-4,000. The book is lovingly dedicated to Jackie’s step-father Hugh on the occasion of his 70th birthday and embellished with a charming, original watercolor painting of flowers in Jackie's hand.

The Hammersmith Farm collection features astonishing photographs, many never having been published. Lot #91, an Auchincloss family picture album, is estimated at $2,500-5,000. This archive contains over 150 images with the initial 16 pages annotated by Jackie in her distinctive hand. Lot #92, the first known color photo of Jackie – taken in the Sunken Garden at Hammersmith Farm on July 28th, 1943 – is estimated at $2,000-4,000. This ethereal image shows Jackie on her 14th birthday smelling a flower. All rights for use are available with this photo. Lot #126, a collection of photos taken at Jack and Jackie’s wedding reception at Hammersmith Farm, is estimated at $500-1,000. One breathtaking example in this collection is an unpublished, candid image of Jackie on the lawn during this celebration held on September 12, 1953. And lot #74, a collection of unpublished, playful photographs of Jackie Bouvier At The Chapin School – a private girls’ academy in New York City – is estimated at $400-800.

The Hammersmith Farm collection portion of this sale rounds out with fine examples of decorative arts, memorabilia, and furniture. Lot #207, a side chair used by three generations of Auchincloss family members is estimated at $1,000-2,000. This chair was the most talked about furnishing at Hammersmith Farm. Janet Auchincloss Rutherfurd enjoyed retelling how John F. Kennedy, Jr. once had a bathroom accident at the dinner table on this chair. Although fully cleaned and sanitized, the resulting stain remains in the upholstery today.  

President Kennedy was lifetime sports fan and participant, and this sale includes several premier rarities that bridge his government and athletic interests. Lot #298, a baseball signed by JFK and members of the 1962 Detroit Tigers, is estimated at $10,000-20,000. The ball was autographed at D.C. Stadium on opening day, April 9, 1962. The President threw out the first pitch at this game, and subsequently gave this ball to his best friend and fellow sports enthusiast Dave Powers.

The range of sporting collectibles signed by some of the highest profile 20th century athletes offered through this sale is nothing short of a grand slam. Lot #312, a vault marked and signed Ted Williams bat, is estimated at $10,000-20,000. This lot includes a Ted Williams 35 inch "Louisville Slugger" baseball bat stamped W155 on end of handle and signed in ink on its opposite side, together with a Williams stat card autographed by Williams. This extraordinary offering is from the estate of Arthur McAvoy (1933-1982) a passionate baseball enthusiast, memorabilia collector, and fixture on the New England sports scene.  Lot #313, a Ted Williams signed baseball from 1958, is estimated at $1,000-2,000. Also from the McAvoy collection, this example has red stitching and is signed "To Ellen Best Wishes Ted Williams 1958.” Lot #304, a Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig autographed baseball, is estimated at $4,000-6,000. This fully provenanced rarity is accompanied by a letter of authenticity by James Spence Authentication. And lot #303, a Ty Cobb and author signed copy of The Light of Faith – written by poet Edgar A. Guest and published by  The Reilly & Lee Co. of Chicago in 1926 – is estimated at $500-$1,000.

The final third of this top-tier auction features items associated with the Kennedy family from the third quarter of the 20th century.  Much of this material has been consigned from the estates of people who were employed by the Kennedy family over time. These include Deirdre Henderson, who worked for JFK as both Senator and President, and Rosalie Helm, a personal and professional assistant to Edward Kennedy and his wife Joan during the 1960s and 1970s. Helm was an avid ephemera collector and was gifted her Kennedy materials directly from the family. Her archives, representing lots 450 through 597 in this sale, have been cataloged chronologically in order to tell the story of this legacy family in the most authentic way possible.  

The Helm collection features ephemera that provides a first-hand view into the family’s professional duties. Key political materials include lot #453, JFK’s 45 page manuscript for The Strategy of Peace - Senator John Kennedy's Views on America's World Policies, edited by Professor Allan Nevins. It is estimated at $2,500-5000. And lot #457, a Lucite box engraved with Too Beautiful To Use and 1960 Democratic National Convention given as a gift to Joan Kennedy, is estimated at $1,000-2,000. It became obvious that Joan would get more attention that JFK when campaigning with him; as such, after her West Virginia appearance the campaign was cautious to use her.

The Helm archive also offers a lighter perspective of the day to day happenings in the lives of the Kennedy family. Lot #596, a collection of doodles and drawings by Ted Kennedy, is estimated at $200-400.  These include renderings of sailboats, a compass, barns, a map of Oxford, and others, each in the Senator's hand and mostly on US Senate memorandum stationary. And lot #550, a handwritten note on US Senate memorandum paper from Ted Kennedy simply asking, “Rosalie - where is clicker for T.V.” is estimated at $100-200. No one is immune to this common frustration!

This remarkable sale comes full circle with once-in-a-lifetime selections of Kennedy and Auchincloss family materials that span nearly a century. Lot #433, a portrait of Rosemary Kennedy as a young girl, is estimated at $2,000-4,000.  It pictures the oldest Kennedy daughter around age seven, wearing a pink dress and sitting on a bench, a pink rose at her feet. And lot #399, the original blueprints for John F. Kennedy’s final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery, is estimated at $4,000-6,000. Dated April 1, 1965, these plans were drawn up by architects John Carl Warnecke and Associates; this was a significant project completed with the blessing of JFK’s family after his burial in 1963.  

According to Dan Meader, who researched and curated this collection, “We were thrilled to work with Ms. Pilat and Mr. Woods, and our other consignors, to bring these breathtaking objects to market. McInnis has a long and successful tradition of selling extraordinary Kennedy merchandise - including JFK’s bomber jacket in  for $655,500 and his padded rocking chair for $103,500 – so there is no doubt that the items presented here will also attract worldwide interest. It was a profound experience to handle the archives of unpublished Kennedy family photographs, letters, and diaries. These items hold enormous potential for new discoveries and stories, and may even re-write history. I can’t wait to see what becomes of them.”

Dallas – An oil painting by iconic American science fiction and fantasy artist Frank Frazetta could bring as much as $400,000, and artwork from the collection of Glynn and Suzanne Crain and the IRI collection should continue their waves of popularity in Heritage Auctions’ Illustration Art Auction Oct. 15 in Dallas, Texas.

Coming to auction for the first time, Frank Frazetta Child of the Sun paperback cover, 1972 (estimate: $200,000-400,000) is an amazing peak-period masterpiece purchased by the current owner in the early 1970s near the time when the book was published, and has been kept in the same collection ever since. The dramatic, multi-figure composition includes more depth and detail than many Frazetta book covers. Included is a beautiful woman, one of the elements many associate with the artist, but also three heroic male figures, as well as a range of intricate background elements, making the image one that can be appreciated as fine art as well as in an illustration context.

Frazetta’s artwork has enjoyed unmatched success at Heritage Auctions: his 1969 Egyptian Queen fantasy painting shattered the record for original comic art May 16 when it sold for $5.4 million in Heritage’s Comics & Comic Art Auction in Chicago.

“The success of Egyptian Queen launched the demand for Frank Frazetta’s work from something for collectors of illustration art to the kind that appeals to collectors of all kinds of art,” Heritage Auctions Vice President Todd Hignite said. “Specific to this auction, it helped to lay the foundation for the groundswell of demand for the Child of the Sun cover image.”

James Allen St. John The Chessmen of Mars book dust jacket, 1922 (estimate: $70,000-90,000) is a dramatic image of a one-sided battle in which a warrior on horseback prepares to skewer his opponent as he falls to the ground with a blood-drenched sword. The image, which comes from the Crain collection, is signed lower right by the artist and was published as the book dust jacket of The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (A.C. McClurg & Co., 1922), making it one of the most desirable paintings by the artist known to exist.

The demand for the items in the Crain collection could soar; numerous auction records were shattered in The Glynn and Suzanne Crain Science Fiction Collection Auction Aug. 13-14.

Renowned pin-up artist Alberto Vargas has several works featured in the sale, including Martini Time, 1935 (estimate: $40,000-60,000). The 27-by-20-inch watercolor and pencil on paper evolved from drawings done in the 1920s and was in the artist’s possession when he died in 1982. The fact that it was not commercially commissioned meant Vargas had full artistic freedom. The image was reproduced on page 84 of Vargas, by Alberto Vargas and Reid Austin (1978) and on page 49 of Vargas (Taschen, 1990).

The collection from Investment Rarities Incorporated founder Jim Cook and his wife, Diane, includes 126 lots in this sale. The Cooks have fostered a reputation as elite collectors in numerous categories, including Fine Art, Comic Art, Sports and Entertainment. Thanks to their reputation for their ability to identify both quality and rarity in their collection, which in this sale includes works by an array of artists, including Hugh Joseph Ward, Gil Elvgren, Alberto Vargas, Harry Lemon Parkhurst, Walter Beach Humphrey and Rolf Armstrong. Some of the top lots in the sale from the IRI collection include, but are not limited to:

·         Hugh Joseph Ward The Price, Spicy-Adventure Stories, July 1935 (estimate: $30,000-50,000)
·         Gil Elvgren Pin-Up in Turquoise Bikini, Simoniz car polish advertisement, circa 1960 (estimate: $30,000-50,000)
·         Gil Elvgren Check and Double Check (Now Don't Get Me in a Corner), 1946 (estimate: $30,000-50,000)
·         Alberto Vargas Pin-Up in Yellow, circa 1940s (estimate: $20,000-30,000)

One of the most popular and acclaimed pin-up artists of the 20th century was Gil Elvgren, whose entries in the auction include I've Been Spotted (Lasting Impression), 1956 (estimate: $40,000-60,000). The oil on canvas was reproduced as Figure 367 in Gil Elvgren The Complete Pin-Ups by Charles G. Martignette and Louis K. Meisel (Taschen Books, 1996.) Other top Elvgren offerings in the sale include:

·         Gil Elvgren Good Looking, 1950 (estimate: $30,000-50,000)
·         Gil Elvgren The Bicycle Built for Woo, 1947 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
·         Gil Elvgren Something Borrowed, Something Blue 1947 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)

American illustrator Hugh Joseph Ward, who usually signed his works with only his initials, “H.J. Ward,” also has multiple works featured in the sale. Ward is known for his cover art for pulp magazines, especially for Spicy Mystery, Spicy Detective and other titles published by Harry Donenfeld in the weird menace genre.

Hugh Joseph Ward Loot for the Lords of Doom, Spicy-Adventure Stories cover, August 1940 (estimate: $30,000-50,000) is a very rare science fiction painting by the artist, and part of the Crain collection, while Hugh Joseph Ward The Price, Spicy-Adventure Stories, July 1935 (estimate: $30,000-50,000) comes a group of outstanding pulp and magazine art from the IRI Collection.

Other top lots include, but are not limited to:

Frank R. Paul The Ark of the Covenant, Air Wonder Stories cover, August 1929 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
Frank R. Paul The Asteroid of Death, Wonder Stories Quarterly cover, Fall 1931 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
Harry Lemon Parkhurst The Great God Harris, Spicy-Adventure Stories cover, December 1940 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
Earle K. Bergey The Sleeper is a Rebel, Thrilling Wonder Stories cover, February 1948 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
Enoch Bolles There's No Stopping Her! Film Fun cover, May 1936 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
Alberto Vargas Santa Girl, 1941 (estimate: $20,000-30,000)

New York—On Thursday, October 10, Swann Galleries will hold a sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts, a three-part auction featuring autographs, nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature, as well as art, press and illustrated books. The auction is replete with poetry, with poetic works being offered in each category: concrete and visual poetry from the last century, volumes of classic poetry that once belonged to Herman Melville, and a selection of titles by Robert Frost and Charles Bukowski.

The cornerstone of the art books offering is a selection from the Sackner Archive of Concrete & Visual Poetry. Founded in Miami Beach in 1979 and collected over a 40-year period by Dr. Marvin Sackner and his late wife, Ruth Sackner, the archive is one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of works of art in this genre ever assembled.

Before being moved to its permanent home at the University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections this summer, a choice selection of unique artists’ books, book objects, press works and print portfolios from the archive were selected for sale at Swann. Highlights include Christopher Wool’s Black Book, 1989, with 17 screenprints (Estimate: $20,000-30,000); a signed special edition de tête of Tom Phillips’s 1983 The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, Inferno, London, number three of only ten sets ($15,000-25,000); Richard Minsky’s signed and specially dedicated edition de tête of Minsky in Bed, New York, 1996 ($7,000-10,000); and Gloria Helfgott’s unique 1989 artist book, Shakespeare Once a Printer and Bookman, New York ($1,000-1,500).

Autographs of note include a rare look at Herman Melville’s personal library, with two volumes of Greek and Roman classics once owned and annotated by the author. Here, making their market debut, are Euripides, Juvenal and Persius, in the only found surviving volumes from the set known to have been owned by the Moby Dick author. Melville’s autograph can be found in the volume containing Juvenal and Persius, and all are marked with numerous annotations illuminating which passages were of interest. The marginalia provides a more complete understanding of Melville and the poetic works that became the focus of his later publications. Expected to bring $40,000 to $60,000, this discovery is the first from Melville’s library to come to auction in more than a decade.

Further autographs include an archive of over 65 letters between Greta Garbo and her close friend Salka Viertel, covering a 40-year period beginning in 1932 ($40,000-60,000); a 1925 autograph note signed on a postcard by Mohandas K. Gandhi to Reverend C.H. Conley offering his apologies for not responding to the Reverend’s letter sooner, noting that he had “been wondering all the time” ($3,500-5,000); a photograph signed and inscribed by American sharpshooter Annie Oakley ($1,500-2,500); and a scarce franking signature by Davy Crocket ($10,000-20,000).

Literature features first and limited editions, signed and inscribed copies, as well as children’s classics. The selection is led by a limited Paris first edition of Ernest Hemingway’s second book, In Our Time, 1924, at $25,000 to $35,000. A run of works by Robert Frost include one of only 70 copies of the first edition, second issue of A Boy’s Will, 1913, and a signed and inscribed first edition of North of Boston, 1914, estimated at $2,000 to $3,000 and $1,800 to $2,500, apiece. Toni Morrison signed first editions of The Bluest Eye, 1970, and Sula, 1974, are present at $3,000 to $4,000 and $700 to $1,000, respectively. A first edition of Charles Bukowski’s The Genius of the Crowd, 1966, illustrated with five linoleum cuts by Paula Marie Savarino, is available—the scarce copy was printed by d.a. levy and the Asphodel Bookshop proprietor, Jim Lowell, and carries an estimate of $5,000 to $7,500. Also by Bukowski is a signed and inscribed first edition of his first book, Flower, Fist and Bestial Wail, at $4,000 to $6,000.

Children’s literature includes a selection of Tasha Tudor picture books with a complete group of the Calico series featuring her first title Pumpkin Moonshine, 1938 ($3,000-4,000), as well as signed first editions of A is for Annabelle, 1954, inscribed in the publication year with an original ink drawing ($400-600), and The Dolls’ Christmas, 1950 ($500-750). Also of note is a first edition mixed issue of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900, by L. Frank Baum ($5,000-7,500).

Exhibition opening in New York City on October 5. The complete catalogue and bidding information is available at swanngalleries.com and on the Swann Galleries App.

Dallas – A powerful photograph of one of the most famous military images in American history is expected to be one of the items in highest demand at Heritage Auctions’ Photographs Auction Oct. 4 in New York.

Joe Rosenthal’s Raising the Flag on Mt. Surbachi, Iwo Jima, 1945 (estimate: $15,000-25,000) captures Marines as they raised an American flag after American forces captured Mount Surbachi, a dormant volcanic cone on the island of Iwo Jima, a small island halfway between the American long-range bombers on the Mariana Islands and the Japanese Mainland. The island was a strategic landmark, because it was part of the Japanese warning system, so claiming it became a priority for American forces who spent three days fighting for it.

There were two flag raisings on Mount Surbachi Feb. 23, 1945. The first flag raised was deemed too small, and replaced by the one in this iconic photo, in which six flag-raisers have been identified: Ira Hayes, Michael Strank, Franklin Sousley, Rene Gagnon, John Bradley and Harlon Block. It was during the second flag raising that Rosenthal snapped his Pulitzer Prize-winning photo.

The photo is signed by Marines John Bradley, Rene Gagnon and Ira Hayes, the only three in the photo who survived the battle, as well as the by the photographer, Rosenthal. The Marines added their signatures when they were brought to Washington, D.C., so they could pose for sculptor Felix de Weldon, so he could sketch their faces for his Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) that now stands in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital. At least three copies of this image have turned up at auction signed by Bradley, Gagnon and Hayes, but this might be the only copy that also includes Rosenthal’s signature.

“The significance of this photo cannot be overstated,” Heritage Auctions Photographs Director Nigel Russell said. “The image captures one of the most iconic scenes in the history of the U.S. military, one that has been recreated in films, stamps, coins and in the memorial outside of Washington, D.C. By itself, the image is powerful, but to have it signed by three of the Marines who raised that flag, as well as by the photographer, makes this an undeniable rarity that can be the centerpiece of any historical or photographs collection.”

Chicago — Potter & Potter Auctions is pleased to announce its upcoming Books, Manuscripts, and Fine Art Sale to be held on Friday, October 18th, 2019 starting at 10am at the company's gallery, located at 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613. All lots from this can’t-miss sale are on display and available for public preview on Wednesday, October 16th and Thursday, October 17th from 10:00am to 5:00pm in the Potter & Potter facility.

Rare and outstanding pre-20th century books represent many of the top selections in this signature Potter & Potter event. Highlights include:

•    Lot #211, architect Charles Etienne Briseux’s L’Art de Batir des Maisons de Campagne, is estimated at $6,000-8,000. This remarkable two volume set, published in Paris by Prault Pere in 1743, is bound in contemporary full marbled calf and elaborately decorated with the arms of Le Chancelier Henri Francois D’Auguesseau of France (1668 – 1751), gilt, and marbled endpapers. It is illustrated with 261 plates; its text documents French Rococo architecture, interiors, decoration, and formulae for various varnishes and painterly treatments. This first edition is from the library of Henri Francois d’Aguesseau, the Chancellor of France (1717-1750), whom Voltaire described to be “the most learned magistrate France ever possessed.”

•    Lot #230, Francesco Lana Terzi’s Magisterium naturae, et artis. Opus physico-mathematicum, is estimated at $4,000-6,000. This breathtaking, three volume set - published in the 1684-1692 time frame - is an encyclopedic work of the physical sciences and natural philosophies. Terzi (Italian, 1631-1687) was a priest, mathematician, and founder of aeronautical sciences amongst other transformative contributions. This very rare publication – seldom including its third volume – retains its 18th century bookplates from the library of Thomae Vargas Macciucca.

•    Lot #154, William James’ The Principles of Psychology, is estimated at $3,000-5,000. This two volume, first edition set was published in New York by Henry Holt in 1890. This astonishing offering includes a three page, hand written and signed note dated Dec. 16, 1890 from James (American, 1842 –1910) to the set’s previous owner, James G. Croswell. In it, James responds to Crosswell’s favorable review of this work. William James is considered the founder of modern American psychology because of his monumental work that influenced experimental psychology and introduced the term and concept of “stream of consciousness.”

Additional book highlights reflect the best of legacy authors and artists from the United States. Lot #236,  a 1938 copy of Roland Clark’s Etchings, is estimated at $3,500-4,500. Published in New York by the Derrydale Press and bound by Jas. Macdonald, this example is number 29 of 50 of a deluxe edition.  This handsome publication is signed by the author, and includes two original, signed etchings titled “Bluebird Weather” and “The Morning Flight.” Clark (1874–1957) was an artist and author best known for his wildlife and hunting works. Lot #50, a first edition of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, is estimated at $2,000-3,000. This modern rarity, published in New York by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1970, includes its original, unclipped first state jacket. And lot #74, a first edition, first printing of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, is estimated at $800-1,200. This very attractive copy was published in New York in 1939 by Viking Press. This copy includes its original pictorial oatmeal cloth and later unclipped dust jacket displaying the book’s debut price of $2.75.   

Letters, manuscripts, and documents in the hand of authors, performers, artists, and witnesses to history are well represented in this sale. These original records offer front row insight and perspective to remarkable happenings from years gone by. Lot #483, an autographed letter by composer Franz Liszt (Hungarian, 1811–1886) is estimated at $2,000-3,000. This three page, undated note is written in French.  Lot #488, a boldly signed musical quotation by composer Giacomo Puccini (Italian, 1858-1924), is estimated at $1,500-2,500. This elegantly framed presentation includes a bar of music from La Boheme on an off-white partial postcard with the signature housed between a halftone portrait of Puccini and an engraved plaque labeling the piece.  Lot #469, an autographed pair of full page, friendly letters from modernist painter Andrew Dasburg (American 1887–1979) to artist Ralph M. Pearson (American, 1883-1958), is estimated at $1,000-1,500. And lot #513, a Civil War-era diary from William Stewart of the PA 83rd Regiment, Union Army, is estimated at $400-600. This leather-bound pocket diary includes about 100 pages with entries, most dated 1865, some later. Its rear folder contains an 1880s sheet of stationery from Putnam & Dewey, furniture makers, with “particular attention paid to undertaking,” and an 1874 receipt signed by a D.A. Davis. This intimate and well written diary is worthy of further research and study.

This sale offers time-capsule quality ephemeral items, including postcards, photographs, posters, and advertising, that literally bring the past to life. Lot #473, an original gelatin silver print photograph of Native American artist Maria Martinez (1887-1980) by photographer Laura Gilpin (American, 1891–1979), is estimated at $2,000-3,000.  This c. 1940 photo is signed by Gilpin and features Maria, her son, Eleanor Brownell, and Alice Howland. This photo is included in a first edition copy of Susan Peterson’s The Living Tradition of Maria Martinez from 1977; this book is signed by Peterson, Anita Martinez, Maria Martinez (as “Maria Poveka”), Clara Montoya, Adam Martinez, and Santana Martinez. Lot #316, a Join the Army Air Service / Be An American Eagle! recruitment poster for the Army Air Service, is estimated at $900-1,300. Illustrated by Charles Livingston Bull (American, 1874-1932) this striking linen backed color lithograph personifies eagles as aerial combatants in World War I. And lot #580, a collection of 115 Josephine Baker (American, 1906-1975) European trade and tobacco cards from the 1920s/30s is estimated at $400-600. Baker, an entertainer, activist, and French Resistance agent, is well known for her iconic, and topless, banana costume.

Premier selections of fine and illustration art frame this exciting sale in the best possible way. Lot #531, Mad Magazine Issue No. 2 original ink illustration art by Harvey Kurtzman and Jack Davis, is estimated at $2,500-3,500. This 1952 rarity, which has its Bill Gaines copyright stamp on verso, is the final page of an 8-page story titled Hex which was written by Kurtzman and drawn by Davis.  Lot #560, Seth Arca Whipple’s 1893 painting, Lumber Boat on the Detroit River, is estimated at $3,000-5,000. This handsome and realistic work features a cargo vessel passing through the Detroit river, with Sandwich (now Windsor), Ontario on one side, and the city of Detroit on the other, and a steamer in the distance. Whipple (1855—1901), of Detroit, MI, painted Great Lakes sailing vessels in the era of transition from wind to steam power. And lot #553, Harry Wickey’s bronze bust of his father, is estimated at $1,200-2,000.  This c. 1941, life sized sculpture is signed by the artist and includes a cabinet photo of the subject and a studio photograph of sculptor. Wickey (American, 1892—1968) was a noted illustrator, etcher and sculptor. Starting in the mid-1930s, he found his artistic expression in sculpture. The recipient of multiple honors and prizes, his work can be found in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, The Whitney Museum of Modern Art, the National Academy of Design, and many others.  

This auction closes the loop with carefully curated selections of antiques, maps, images, and other rarities that defy traditional categories.  Lot #360, a c. 1790s/1800s Eglomise reverse painted silhouette portrait bust of George Washington on glass, is estimated at $5,000-7,000. This very fine profile example, backed on period paper, is from the collection of Violet Virginia Jirousek (1902-1996), a well-known antique dealer from Chicago. Lot #349, a rare, 1860s pre-Great Chicago Fire original tinted lithograph of downtown - featuring a view from the corner of Madison St. and Michigan Ave. - is estimated at $2,000-3,000. This framed and matted example originates from Whitfield’s Views of Chicago and was printed by Charles Shober. And lot #285, an 1846 map of the US and Mexico, Including Oregon, Texas and the Californias, is estimated at $800-1,200. This hand-colored promotional map, printed in New York by Haven & Emerson, shows the “Route of Oregon Emigrants” surrounded by an ornamental border, and includes 30 official state seal with two columns of statistical information regarding each state.

According to Gabe Fajuri, President at Potter & Potter Auctions, "I'm pleased with the work our team has done to bring together such a diverse offering -- from the ridiculous original artwork of MAD Magazine to the heady philosophical textbooks of yesteryear. As an avid book collector myself and someone who appreciates mid-century design, I am particularly fond of our selection of modern first editions, many in the original attractive dust jackets."

Westport, CT – A letter handwritten and signed by George Washington, a Walt Disney twice-signed stock certificate, JFK’s official schedule from the day of his assassination in 1963, a document signed by Russian czar Peter I, and a large Apollo 11 lunar landing photo signed by Neil Armstrong are just a few highlight lots in University Archives’ October 2nd online auction.

The auction will begin at 10:30 am Eastern time. Live bidding has already been posted online and bidding is available via LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. The auction is packed with an important selection of autographed documents, manuscripts, books and photos – 240 lots in all. Folks can visit the website and browse at www.UniversityArchives.com.

Categories include Americana (including presidents, Declaration and Constitution signers, Rev. War and Civil War), foreign leaders and royalty (featuring such luminaries as Napoleon, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Lady Diana, Benito Mussolini, Nelson Mandela, Catherine II, Wilhelm II and Ferdinand & Isabella), business and finance, aviation and space, art, literature, music and crime.

“We have a massive amount of material relating to foreign leaders, particularly Russian,” said John Reznikoff, president and owner of University Archives. “There’s a long list of items signed by Romanov emperors and empresses. The sale is also strong in the history of American business and finance, with lots of documents that pertain to tycoons, bankers and speculators.”
 
In the early American history category, the sale features Civil War battlefield maps and materials relating to United States presidents and their wives. Aviation and space has items pertaining to Charles Lindbergh, Orville Wright and Robert E. Peary. Collectors of literary, artistic, and musical figures, as well as sports, entertainment and crime memorabilia, are almost certain to find what they’re looking for.

The letter penned and signed by then-General George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, dated Jan. 28, 1781 and addressed “to the Officer Commanding the Jersey Troops at Pompton”, is historically important because he writes that his troops “have crossed the Delaware” – a reference to one of the key moments in American history (est. $50,000-$60,000).

The Walt Disney twice-signed, pre-IPO stock certificate for Walt Disney Incorporated, one of only six such certificates in existence, is expected to climb to $26,000-$28,000 (it previously sold at auction in 2002 for $26,800). The certificate, in the amount of 142 ½ shares of “Wed Enterprises, Inc.” (formerly Walt Disney, Inc.) is from 1955, the year that Disneyland opened.

The color photo inscribed and signed by Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong is 13 ¾ inches by 10 ¾ inches (less frame) and shows fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the moon, standing near the lunar module’s landing gear. Armstrong writes, “To Elton, With sincere thanks for being both one step ahead of us and one step behind us throughout ‘GIANT STEP’”. (est. $5,000-$6,000).

JFK’s official three-page “Schedule of the President, Texas, Nov. 21-22”, dated Nov. 20, 1963, was issued by the Office of the White House Press Secretary and shows changes in red pencil. A second copy, with no red pencil notes, is also included (est. $10,000-$12,000). The schedule is mounted on gray construction paper. It gives a full two-day itinerary for JFK and Mrs. Kennedy.

The two-page letter with five handwritten lines and the signature of Peter the Great (Tsar Peter I of Russia, 1672-1725) is expected to fetch $15,000-$20,000. The letter is in Russian. In it, Peter (or “Piotr”, as he signed it) discusses naval artillery. It was issued from St. Petersburg, Peter’s newly constructed capital, in 1715. The lot includes three vintage portrait engravings of Peter.

Another noteworthy George Washington lot is a letter written by the then-General on June 11, 1783, to Jonathan Trumbull, explaining his request for half pay for life for Revolutionary War officers. It has a pre-sale estimate of $14,000-$15,000. Also, a manuscript document signed by John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, from 1773. Witherspoon was the then-President of the college that would later become Princeton University (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Another Declaration signer – Joseph Hewes, one of three delegates from North Carolina – is represented in the sale with a one-page signed document from 1765, boasting a perfect, elegant signature (est. $5,000-$6,000). The same estimate has been assigned to a Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville (Va.) set of maps, showing the battlefield situation at 7:30 pm on May 2, 1863, after Stonewall Jackson’s bold flank assault, drawn by the Union surgeon Augustus C. Hamlin.

A single-page autograph letter signed on White House letterhead by Franklin D. Roosevelt, to Norman Davis, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, in which he writes to help his longtime mistress Lucy Mercer’s daughter, boldly signed “FDR”, should reach $8,000-$9,000. Also, a black and white photo of the renowned American architect frank Lloyd Wright, signed and inscribed “To Arthur” by Wright and dated “Aug 12/52”, should sell for $4,000-$5,000.

University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers.

“We can offer up to a 100 percent cash advance and a highly competitive commission structure,” Reznikoff said. “We’re only able to do this owing to our position in the industry as the premier auction house for signed historical documents, letters and manuscripts. Our reputation is rock-solid worldwide and has been earned over a period of four decades. People respect us globally.”

Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call Mr. Reznikoff at 203-454-0111, or email him at john@universityarchives.com.

University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by Mr. Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies.
 
For more information about University Archives and the Wednesday, October 2nd Internet-only auction, please visit www.universityarchives.com. For phone bidding, please call 203-454-0111.