London — Rare association and inscribed books linked to Jack the Ripper, Marlon Brando and Alan Turing are among the highlights of Peter Harrington’s new Summer Catalogue – a 203-item selection featuring the latest acquisitions to the London rare book dealer’s shelves across an eclectic range of topics, from economics to erotica, politics, photography, private press and poetry, botanical and gardening guides, crime, art and design, feminism, natural history, music, astronomy and adventure expeditions.

The catalogue includes a fine selection of rare first editions of popular works of literature by Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf and Kenneth Grahame and several noteworthy presentation copies, such as the Mysteries of Police and Crime, a sensational account of English crime inscribed to Sir Robert Anderson, Assistant Commissioner in the Jack the Ripper case, by the author – a well-regarded prison governor and penologist, Major Arthur Griffiths.
A presentation copy of Das Unbehagen in der Kultur inscribed by Sigmund Freud to fellow psychologist and pioneer in the psychoanalysis of sexuality, Havelock Ellis, is another highlight of the collection.

Collectors will find some superb association copies such as Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire inscribed by almost the entire cast of the 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, including Marlon Brando, as well as a copy of Ascent of Everest signed by an unusually full gathering of significant signatories on the expedition, including Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in both Roman and Nepali characters.

“Our annual summer miscellany catalogue is always very popular. This year in particular we have had an unusually busy cataloguing season that has enabled us to unearth and present some truly rare books that would find pride of place on any collector’s shelf. We also have several storied books starting from just a few hundred pounds that would make wonderfully personal gifts or early purchases for rare book enthusiasts starting out on their collector journeys,” says Pom Harrington.

Catalogue highlights:

•    Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire - First edition, a remarkable copy, unusually inscribed by almost the entire Broadway cast of the 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, including Marlon Brando – £15,000.
•    Mysteries of Police and Crime, inscribed to Sir Robert Anderson, Assistant Commissioner (CID) in the Jack the Ripper case by the author, a well-regarded prison governor and penologist, Major Arthur Griffiths - £3,750.
•    The complete writings of Winston Churchill – first British editions of all of Churchill’s major works, a rare set in matching bindings, finely executed by Bayntun of Bath – £37,500.
•    Manchester University Computer - Inaugural Conference - July 1951 by Alan Turing – the first edition of the brochure marking the official inauguration of the Ferranti Mark I computer, Britain’s (and arguably the world’s) first commercially manufactured computer – £5,500.
•    Love and Safety - An early edition of this exceptionally rare and remarkably obscene women’s guide from the late 1800s to all matters pertaining to sexual pleasure, the avoidance of pregnancy, and the simulation of virginity. £1,350.
•    First edition of Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes story A Study in Scarlet in book form - £25,000.
•    Speaking my Mind - Signed limited edition of Ronald Reagan’s selected speeches – from his days as an actor to this farewell address upon leaving office, presented as issued in a striking oak box emblazoned with the Presidential Seal - £3,250.
•    Mrs. Dalloway – first edition of Virginia Woolf’s mould-breaking masterpiece, in the very scarce Vanessa Bell-designed jacket. Only 2,000 copies of the first printing were produced, and the dust jacket is one of the finest Bell ever designed and rare in collectable condition – £27,500.
•    Scotland's Gift. Golf. Reminiscences 1872-1927 - first edition, one of only 260 signed by the author Charles Blair Macdonald. This is one of the most highly valued books on American golf history and is scarce in good condition with the map intact, as here. Macdonald was an influential champion of golf in the United States and laid out several well-known courses, including the National Gold Links of America, The Creek Club, Piping Rock Club, Greenbrier Hotel course, and the Yale University golf club - £5,500.
•    Signed limited edition of Wind in the Willows, signed by both author Kenneth Grahame and illustrator Ernest H. Shepard.  Shepard’s classic illustrations of anthropomorphized animals render this the most popular version of the book even today - £12,500.
•    First edition of Humphry Repton’s first book Sketches and Hints on Landscape Gardening - the work in which he laid out “his claim to the position of a national authority” on landscape gardening. £19,500.
•    Ascent of Everest by John Hunt – First edition, this copy signed by Hunt, Edmund Hillary, and significantly by Tenzing Norgay in both Roman characters and Nepali, together with nine other members of the team. It is extremely unusual to find a copy signed by so many of the members of the team - £5,750.
•    True first edition of Athanasius Kircher’s highly influential work on China, considered by many to be the most popular and influential seventeenth-century book on China - £8,500.
•    A superb presentation copy of Das Unbehagen in der Kultur inscribed by Sigmund Freud to a fellow psychologist, who pioneered the psychoanalysis of sexuality: “To Havelock Ellis with affectionate regards Freud 1929/30” – £22,500.

Brooklyn, NY — Marvin Getman of Getman’s Virtual Book & Paper Fairs has taken his popular rare book fairs all online since the pandemic hit the United States; and he has done so with tremendous success. More than 200 vendors are expected to participate in the popular Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair which will take place online September 11–13 from noon on the 11th to 6pm on the 13th.

Getman’s proprietary software has enabled him to organize three online book fairs since May and others have begun licensing his platform which is now the gold standard in the industry. This unique platform will benefit the thousands expected to participate in the Brooklyn show in September and enable dealers and individuals to participate in the show and buy, sell and learn from each other.

As always, collectors will be able to peruse the booths of every exhibitor in the fair one by one, or quickly visit their favorite dealers, hosted in an easy-to-navigate virtual version of the traditional book fair booth. A built-in search feature also allows visitors to quickly browse by category, price range, or any search term to find specific items of interest. And to keep the online shows fresh and intriguing the exhibitors feature only items not available on any other book selling site.  Many items will be available at under $50—perfect for first-time collectors—and range into the thousands of dollars so there is something for everyone.

Similar to last year’s in-person show, the event will include several unique webinars and art exhibitions. One highlight is a virtual exhibition titled “Appeal to the Great Spirit: Designing the Beach Boys,” curated by Brian Chidester and Domenic Priore, which focuses on the fashion and visual artifacts of America's most famous rock 'n' roll band. There will also be a live guest interview with Michael Horse, aka Deputy Hawk, from the cult television series “Twin Peaks.” Horse will discuss not only his performance in “Twin Peaks,” but also his visual contribution to the show's hieroglyphic maps, as well as his own ledger art paintings, which feature an alternate history of America and include many references to Star People and other enigmatic figures in American Indian lore. New York’s own WQXR radio host Elliott Forrest will interview Horse at 4:30 pm on Saturday, September 12th.
 
There will also be an exciting line-up of virtual webinars: 
 
·       A Family's Secret Spells by fourth generation magic practitioner Veronica Varlow – 9/12, 3PM EST
·       Portraying Mystic Visions in Art by painter/visionary Matt Marello – 9/13, 12 PM EST
·       Freak Show Banners: A Visual History by artist Howard Lerner – 9/13, 3PM EST
·       Alchemy and Dreams: The Lunar Realm by author/mystic Brian Cotnoir –9/12, 1:30 PM EST
·       Gay Visions: Mysticism and the LGBT Community by bookseller Bryn Hoffman – 9/13,  1:30 PM EST
·       A History of Channeled Art and Literature by art historian Alessandro Keegan-9/12, 12PM EST
 
An exciting addition to the webinar lineup this year is a live panel titled “Emerging Trends in Library Collections” moderated by Diane Dias De Fazio, member at large, of the Rare Book and Manuscript Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries. This discussion will take place online at www.brooklynbookfair.com on September 11th at 11:00am.

For more information on the Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair, visit www.brooklynbookfair.com/

To receive notices of upcoming fair dates and additional information on exhibitors, visit www.getmansvirtual.com For information on becoming an exhibitor, send an email to info@bookandpaperfairs.com or call  781-862-4039.

London — If we think that eating healthily and economically are modern preoccupations, we should perhaps think again. A stunning, and historically important, collection of antiquarian cookery books and manuscripts, to be sold at Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale in London on Wednesday 19th August, shows our forebears were just as concerned as we are about their diets and how to manage on a budget.

The collection was put together over many years by Ruth Watson, who with her husband David, ran Hintlesham Hall in Suffolk for many years and is now the owner of the newly opened Watson and Walpole restaurant in Framlingham. Ruth is also well-known for presenting the television programmes, The Hotel Inspector and Country House Rescue.

In an introduction to the sale, Ruth recalls the appeal of old cookery books. “I already owned several hundred modern cookery books, but I think it was the time I was spending in antique shops, buying paintings and furniture, that was the catalyst to collecting antiquarian volumes. I grew to love the feel of a worn calf-bound volume with its tobacco-dry pages and happily wondered about the authors of the myriad inscriptions and amendments.”

Bonhams senior book specialist Simon Roberts said, “Time and again while I was cataloguing this wonderful historic collection, I was struck by the number of refences to economy, frugality and health and the parallels with our own times. The role of food, not only in keeping well but also in warding off disease and aiding recovery, is a constant theme. Some of the suggestions may strike us as outlandish, but others are a good deal more sensible than the fad diets of today.”

In addition to copies of works by well-known writers such as Mrs Beaton and Eliza Acton, and early books on Indian and Chinese cuisine, the many highlights include:
 
    •    A handwritten recipe and household book kept by the Croft family of Stillington Hall, North Yorkshire, from the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries written in several hands, including French and Indian recipes. The Crofts were part of the famous wine-shipping dynasty and the book contains some wonderful recipes including "Mrs Haslers receipt for a thick cream cheese" ("...take the mornings milk of 7 cows & the night’s cream of 7 cows...")  which would not sit well with the government’s anti-obesity campaign, and a recipe for raisin wine that involves a hundred weight of Raisins, twenty gallons of Water and one gallon of French Brandy. No wonder someone wrote ‘excellent!’ in the margins. The novelist and local vicar Laurence Sterne was a good friend of the Crofts and often dined with them, sampling perhaps some of the dishes in the recipe book. Thomas Croft is widely recognised as having saved the manuscript of Sterne’s masterpiece, Tristram Shandy from certain destruction. After a fine dinner at Stillington, Sterne read an early draft of his novel to the assembled company. Replete with food and wine, the audience started to fall asleep and Sterne – never the most even tempered of men -- threw the manuscript on the fire from which it was rescued for posterity by the quick-witted Thomas Croft. Estimate: £2,000-3,000.
 
    •    The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt. Published in 1677, the book by Sir Kenelm Digby contains instructions on cooking methods, making alcoholic drinks and a warning against leaving tea to stand too long. 'The water is to remain upon it no longer than whiles you can say the Miserere Psalm very leisurely.' Estimate: £500-700.
 
    •    The Farmer's Wife; or the Complete Country Housewife attributed to Richard Harvey.  This scarce manual of husbandry, brewing, beekeeping and cookery belonged to the famous English poet William Cowper (1731-1800) who revolutionised the poetry of his time by writing about everyday scenes of English country life.  Estimate: £400-600
 
    •    The Castell of Health, Corrected, and in Some Places Augmented by the First Author thereof, by Thomas Elyot.  This 1595 edition of  Elyot's Castel of Helth, first published in 1539, completed the trilogy of his major works, providing advice as to the uses and effects of different foods and diets "so that English men and women may understand and regulate their health accordingly.’ Estimate: £2,000-3,000
 
    •    An 18th century collection of handwritten recipes including advice on making Everton toffee, making a strong broth when in haste – the stock cube of its day  -  and, at the end of the book some pages devoted to medicinal recipes, including  "Powder for the teeth to fasten them and make them white", and a concoction of herbs and spices, mithridate, treacle and aquavita, - "...good against the common plague, but also against the sweating sickness, the small pox, measles and surfeits.” Estimate: £1,000-2,000.
 
    •    Professed Cookery by the aptly named Ann Cook. The author devotes the 78-page preface to a vitriolic attack on The Art of Cookery by her great rival Hannah Glasse’s, demonstrating that spats between celebrity chefs are nothing new.  Estimate: £400-600.
 
A link to the online catalogue to the book sale can be found here: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26014/

A pdf of the catalogue can be downloaded here: https://images1.bonhams.com/original?src=Images/live/2020-07/24/S-26014-0-1.pdf

New York — Swann Galleries’ sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on Thursday, July 30 boasted high prices across categories with early printed books leading the sale, two records being recorded for literature, and autograph material from world leaders garnering attention.

A strong offering of special early printed books and manuscripts led the sale by value. Senior Specialist Devon Eastland, who joined Swann early in 2020, noted, “First editions of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and Johnson's Dictionary, illuminated Books of Hours, incunabula, and other book collecting classics are still toplining today's market in early books, but new areas of collecting also yield competitive bidding and high hammer prices.” Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, 1776, descended from William Alexander and bearing his inscription, brought $125,000, besting a $70,000 to $90,000 estimate. Other strong results include a fifteenth-century illuminated Book of Hours in Flemish earning $23,750, and Gerrit de Veer's 1598 illustrated journal of ill-fated Arctic adventures with $27,500.

“The association copy of Kenelm Digby's Mathematical Magick did an impressive auction room trick, selling for $5,000 on a $600 to $800 estimate range. What may have persuaded bidders to keep their paddles in the air was a Shakespearean association. Manuscripts appeal to collectors and dealers alike for their beauty, the importance of content, and uniqueness,” concluded Eastland of the selection.

The literature portion of the sale proved successful with a 1938 sketchbook for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, signed by Walt Disney with 12 tipped-in color plates. The classic children’s tale brought a record for the issue at $22,500. A deluxe limited edition of Jack Kerouac’s Doctor Sax, 1959, brought a record for one of the 26 lettered signed copies at $9,100. Also of note was a copy of Ulysses, 1922, by James Joyce, number 708 of 750 copies on handmade paper, which sold for $13,750.

Art books saw impressive results with the deluxe issue of Salvador Dalí’s 1969 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll with a signed frontispiece and the extra suite of plates atop the offering, at $16,250. Further works of note included Robert Rey’s Estampes, a 1950 portfolio with complete text and 12 color wood engravings and the decomposition color proof of the Laurencin, with $14,300, and Otto Czeschka’s 1907 Kabarett Fledermaus, which included four color plates designed by Oskar Kokoschka, Berthold Löffler, and two by Fritz Zeyman, with $10,000.

Autograph highlights featured political figures, including over 50 autographs by Napoléon I and member of his family in a copy of Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, 1885, by Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne, which brought $27,500; a 1788 letter signed by John Adams to Theophilus Parsons, requesting that he not be selected as candidate for Senator saw $10,000; and an 1835 letter signed by Andrew Jackson, as President, to Thomas K. Gordon justifying self-defense against censure by Congress earned $11,875. Additional autographs of note included a photograph signed and inscribed by George Gershwin with an autograph musical quotation from An American in Paris, at $10,000, and a copy of Lady and the Tramp, 1953, by Ward Green, signed by Walt Disney, at $7,250.

For the house’s most up-to-date auction schedule please visit swanngalleries.com.

Surrey, England — A rare surviving Carry On film poster that sparked a court case with Hollywood studio giant Twentieth Century Fox is coming to auction at Ewbank’s in Surrey on August 21.

One of two examples displayed as evidence in the court case itself, the Tom Chantrell design for Carry On Cleo (1964), starring Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Amanda Barrie, set out to parody the Hollywood epic Cleopatra of the year before, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, just as Carry On Cleo itself was a spoof of the Hollywood film.

Fox took exception to the design and brought a copyright infringement case against Anglo Amalgamated, arguing that it was based on their own promotional poster for Cleopatra. Chantrell countered that as a parody, his design was permissible under the law, but his side lost the case and the poster was ordered to be withdrawn and destroyed. Ironically, one of the two posters actually used as evidence in the case survived and was acquired by the current owner in a direct line from those involved in the case. As a rare and historic document, as well as being much sought after by collectors, is offered here with an estimate of £3,000-5,000.

As a further irony, costumes and sets intended for the original filming of Cleopatra, which were discarded when filming moved to Rome, ended up being used for Carry On Cleo instead.

With other highlights in the sale including an original 1942 poster for the Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca – expected to sell for up to £9,500 – and another from the original James Bond film Dr No from 1962 (£6,000), this is just the latest selection from Ewbank’s, who have racked up hundreds of thousands of pounds over the past couple of years selling landmark movie poster collections.

Among the August 21 sale’s other highlights are:
–        Casablanca (1942). A US one-sheet linen-backed poster. Estimate £8,500 - £9,500.
–        James Bond Dr No (1962). A British Quad film. Estimate: £4,000 - £6,000.
–        James Bond Thunderball (1965). A British Quad film poster. Estimate: £2,000 - £4,000.
–        Revenge of the Creature (1955). A US one-sheet linen-backed poster for the 3-D sequel to the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Estimate: £1,000 - £1,500.
–        Star Wars (1977). A British Quad film poster, rare pre-Academy Awards version. Estimate £1,000 - £1,500.
–        Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). A US one-sheet. Estimate: £300 - £500.
–        The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night (1964. A US one-sheet poster, with the fab four in their first movie. Estimate: £300 - £500.
–        Bitter Springs (1950). A British Quad film poster for Ealing Studios. Estimate: £300 - £500.
–        The Seventh Seal (1957). A British Quad film poster for the Ingmar Bergman classic. Estimate: £250 - £350
–        The Seven Year Itch (R-1966), a German film poster starring Marilyn Monroe. Estimate: £150 - £250.
–        Breakfast At Tiffany’s (2001). A BFI Anniversary Release British Quad film poster. Estimate: £100 - £150.

“This is one of our largest standalone movie poster auctions of the year with over 350 lots. There is a poster in the auction for every budget and collection,” said specialist Alastair McCrea.

Southhampton, PA – It’s far out, man. Stephenson’s August 14 auction of rock concert posters from the Estate of Perry Pfeffer will take you on a trip back in time to the days of peace, love, incense and sitars. The mind-blowing 339-piece collection was amassed by Pfeffer for his own personal enjoyment. However, Pfeffer later ventured into the commercial side of concert posters with the 2001 launch of a successful online business, Postercade, which he operated until his passing in February of this year.

“Perry Pfeffer was a pioneer collector of concert posters,” said Cindy Stephenson, owner of Stephenson’s Auction in suburban Philadelphia. “He bought his first posters on New Year’s Day in 1972 after wandering into show promoter Bill Graham’s store in San Francisco. On his website he wrote that the date was ‘cemented’ in his mind because it was the day after he attended his first Grateful Dead concert, a New Year’s Eve show at Winterland. He said the posters displayed in Graham’s store were ‘eye-opening’ and ‘life-changing’ for him. Once he became immersed in the concert poster world, he never lost his passion for it.”

The collection includes many rare first printings of posters for bands and solo artists who were mainstays of the San Francisco music scene during the 1960s and ’70s. Some of the musicians achieved legendary status, while others developed cult followings and became more widely appreciated as time went on. The same could be said for the talented poster artists whose psychedelic images so vividly recall the “flower power” era.

One of the premier entries in the sale is an original first printing of a Bill Graham Presents The Doors/Yardbirds Fillmore Auditorium concert poster from July 25-30, 1967. It is signed by its creator, poster artist Bonnie MacLean (American, 1939-2020), who also was Graham’s wife at the time. This particular poster is significant because it promotes one of the Yardbirds’ last shows with both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck on guitar. Beck quit the band shortly after the California gigs. Additionally, the Doors’ career-defining single “Light My Fire” rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the very week these shows took place. The poster is estimated at $3,500-$4,500.

A second Doors poster, also an original first printing, advertises the LA band’s Feb. 5-6, 1970 concert at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. It is signed by the artist, Randy Tuten, and is estimated at $1,000-$1,500.

In addition to operating the Fillmore West, Bill Graham promoted shows at his original Fillmore venue in New York City. The top-estimated lot in the auction is an original pre-concert first printing of a lithographed poster touting two back-to-back shows by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, May 10, 1968 at the Fillmore East. David Byrd’s dazzling pink and yellow op-art design features the faces of Hendrix and bandmates Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. Below the date and show times it says “Fantasy Unlimited 1968, Bill Graham, NY. No 7.” Estimate: $6,000-$9,000

Posters promoting Bob Dylan’s early performances are rare and in great demand. Perhaps the most sought after of all Dylan posters is the historically important example publicizing a Nov. 3, 1963 show sponsored by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). The afternoon event took place at University Regent Theater in Syracuse, New York. “This poster is significant because it is one of only a few items that tie Dylan to the Civil Rights movement,” Cindy Stephenson noted. The pre-auction estimate is $3,000-$5,000.

During the British Invasion of the late 1960s/early 1970s, the Rolling Stones took America by storm with their charismatic stage presence and blues-based rock repertoire. The auction features two rare West Coast posters from that seminal period of their career. The first was produced for a Nov. 10-11, 1969 show at the San Diego International Sports Arena. An original rare version with Bill Graham’s copyright, the poster is signed by its designer, Randy Tuten, and is estimated at $1,000-$1,500. An original first printing of a Winterland Ballroom concert poster with art by David Singer is emblazoned “Bill Graham Presents’ Rolling Stones ‘Tumblin’ Dice” and announces two shows at the Winterland Ballroom, June 6 and 8, 1972. Its estimate is $600-$1,000.

An original first printing of a poster for blues forefather Howlin Wolf’s September 23-24, 1966 appearance at the Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, was designed by Alton Kelley (1940-2008) and Stanley Mouse. It is hand-signed ‘S. Mouse’ with a mouse doodle added in pencil. Estimate: $1,000-$1,500

Every poster in the collection is a gem, so highlights are too numerous to mention in their entirety, but among them are: Alton Kelley’s Jefferson Airplane/Grateful Dead “Sore Thumb” poster for March 15-17, 1968 show at Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco $1,500-$2,000; an original first printing of Big Brother and the Holding Company’s “Heart and Torch” Fillmore West concert poster, Sept. 12-14, 1968, with artwork by Rick Griffin, $600-$1,000; and an original first printing of the Grateful Dead’s “Aoxomoxoa” Avalon Ballroom concert poster, Jan. 24-26, 1969, designed by Rick Griffin (1944-1991), $1,000-$2,000.

Stephenson’s Aug. 14 auction of the Perry Pfeffer Estate Collection of Rock Concert Posters will be held live at the company’s Southampton (suburban Philadelphia) gallery, with absentee and Internet live bidding available through LiveAuctioneers. Start time: 1 p.m. ET. In-gallery inspection on Aug. 14 from 11 a.m. till start of auction. For additional information on any lot in the sale, call Cindy Stephenson at 215-322-6182 or e-mail info@stephensonsauction.com. Visit Stephenson’s Auction online at www.stephensonsauction.com.

New York – Poster Auctions International’s (PAI) second sale of the year, on July 21st, finished at $1.3 million in sales. Auction LXXXI proved an ongoing passion for posters.

Jack Rennert, President of PAI, said, “This auction was anything but typical. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic, and this was also our first auction in 35 years to not feature our traditional and highly regarded printed catalogue. Despite this, we received a strong showing of support, which both surprised us and gratified us. We were also pleased with the ongoing response to Art Nouveau works, which have proven to captivate both new and seasoned collectors.”

The great mythologizer of Montmartre, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, maintained his appeal to bidders. His 1894 Eldorado / Aristide Bruant, originally denigrated by the venue’s management, reached its highest sales price in our auction history: $78,000 (all prices include premiums). Similarly, his triumphant 1896 La Chaîne Simpson—at auction for the first time in nine years—soared to a record-breaking $72,000. Another design for the famed cabaret star, Aristide Bruant Dans Son Cabaret, from 1893, claimed $43,200.

The zest for Art Nouveau works continued with Alphonse Mucha, whose ornate designs remain a staple for collectors. Two sets of his revered decorative panels for the four seasons claimed top sales: the 1896 set of The Seasons was won for $43,200; a rare variant with the imprint of L. Brancher, from 1900, reached $45,600. His seductive Moët & Chandon, from 1899, was claimed for $31,200. His radiant 1896 Job, estimated at $15,000-$20,000, soared to new heights with a winning bid of $29,520.

Concurrent with Art Nouveau, Spanish Modernisme heralded the revival of Catalan art and culture. One of the era’s masters, Alejandro de Riquer, spurred impressive bids; his 1900 The Four Seasons, estimated at $7,000-$9,000, garnered $12,000; the 1896 Ayuniamiento de Barcelona exceeded its estimate of $3,000-$4,000 for a total of $9,600. Back in France, another top work of the era, Auguste Roubille’s ca. 1909 Spratt’s Patent Ltd., was won for $10,800.

For the Art Deco era, Leonetto Cappiello retained his throne. The ebullient ca. 1907 Cognac Gautier Frères achieved its highest sale to date of $9,600.  His wonderfully exaggerative Lane Borgosesia, from 1927, reached a winning bid of $5,040. The standout lot, however, was his dynamic design from 1928 for Porto Pitters which has not been available at auction in 30 years. Collectors clamored for the opportunity: estimated at $8,000-$10,000, it topped out at $21,600.

Charles Loupot also maintained his dominance in the field of Art Deco. His energetic 1925 Huile Raoul Citroën—last offered in 1995—was claimed for $16,800. And a full-scale maquette, recovered from the artist’s studio, a 1947 preliminary design for St. Raphaël, garnered $43,200.

Rarely seen posters continued to excite poster lovers. Henry Bellery-Desfontaine’s 1905 Automobiles Georges Richard was offered with the complete text for the first time; its estimate of $12,000-$14,000 was swiftly surpassed for a win of $19,200. Edward Penfield’s statuesque The Northampton Cycle Co., from 1900, made its first appearance since 1990; it achieved a winning bid of $10,800. Leon Hingre’s robustly detailed Fards Dorin, from ca. 1898, was new to our auctions; it was claimed for $4,560, against an estimated $2,000-$2,500. Another never-before-seen poster from the same year, Hippo-Dup’s Alcazar d'Eté / Miss Foy, surpassed its estimate of $2,500-$3,000 for a $6,600 win. From Privat Livemont, a small-scale but incredibly detailed maquette for J. C. Boldoot from 1899 was won for $4,080, though estimated at $1,400-$1,700. And A. Molusson’s ca. 1937 Trouville / La Piscine, last available in 1998, made $4,080.

Poster Auctions International’s next sale will be held in New York on November 15th, 2020. Consignments are accepted until September 1st. Poster Auctions International is located at 26 W. 17th Street, New York, NY  10011. To reach them by phone, call 212-787-400; or, send an email to info@posterauctions.com. To learn more, please visit www.posterauctions.com.

Westport, CT – A United States flag flown aboard the Apollo XIII space mission in 1970 with a NASA certificate signed by all three astronaut crew members, a manuscript document for the sale of G. Westinghouse & Company from George Westinghouse, Sr. to his son in 1871, and an albumen photograph of Abraham Lincoln taken in 1864 and signed by Lincoln, are all part of University Archives’ next online auction on Wednesday, August 19th, at 10:30 am Eastern time.

The auction is being billed as the largest and most diverse in the company’s history. The full catalog, showing a whopping 351 lots, is up and online for bidding and viewing now, at the newly revamped University Archives website (www.UniversityArchives.com), as well as the platforms LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

“This sale is packed with rare, significant and highly collectible items from multiple specialty categories,” said John Reznikoff, president and owner of University Archives. “These include Civil War, aviation and space, the U.S. Supreme Court, Civil Rights, political pinback buttons, presidential and literary, plus more items from the Forbes collection and Jack Kerouac estate.”

Aviation and space collectors will be over the moon with a marquee selection of 25 lots, led by the American flag flown aboard the Apollo XIII mission affixed to a NASA certificate signed by Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, from the estate of Jack Swigert. The flag is 5 ½ inches by 4 inches; the certificate is 10 inches by 11 ¾ inches. The lot should sell for $18,000-$20,000.

Other highlights include an Apollo XI photograph depicting the Lunar Module “Eagle” signed by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, as well as material relating to iconic figures Amelia Earhart, Charles A. Lindbergh, and Yuri Gagarin. PSA/DNA slabbed and graded official NASA red number photographs and colorful embroidered badges will round out this category.

The one-page document making official the sale of G. Westinghouse & Company by its founder, George Westinghouse, Sr., to his son, George Westinghouse, Jr., signed by both men, is one of the most important financial documents in American history (est. $9,000-$10,000). The selling price of the company was $25,000 – payable in three installments. The younger Westinghouse promoted alternating current technology. It revolutionized the world’s light and power industries.

A full 40 Civil War-related lots will be offered, among them the Brady Studio albumen photo of Abraham Lincoln, of unusual imperial size (8 ¼ inches by 6 ½ inches), and with an affixed full signature as “Abraham Lincoln” (est. 8,000-$9,000); and a war-dated military commission appointing a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, signed by Lincoln and countersigned by Navy Secretary Gideon Welles, without the usual folds affecting a clean and bold presidential signature (est. $6,000-$7,000).

A one-page autograph letter signed by the President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis, and addressed to Secretary of War James A. Seddon in August 1864, is estimated to fetch $6,000-$7,000. The letter came at a significant time for the Confederacy. Davis writes, “What influences so demoralized the troops we may have, when it only remains to mourn the evil effect thus entailed on our cause in this critical hour,” foreshadowing the catastrophic end of the Civil War.

Civil Rights history is showcased in 25 lots relating to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Eldridge Cleaver and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. An archive relating to the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where Martin Luther King, Jr. preached and was headquartered during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, is of interest.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s copy of a printed appeal, often called “the Second Emancipation Proclamation”, submitted to President John F. Kennedy in May 1962, from the collection of Maude Ballou, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s first secretary, has an estimate of $1,000-$1,200. In the 58-page, soft-wrap appeal, Dr. King calls for “national re-dedication to the principles of the Emancipation Proclamation, and for an executive order prohibiting segregation” in the U.S.

Presidential collectors will likely get into a fierce bidding war for the original anesthetic instruments used by emergency room physician Dr. M.T. Pepper Jenkins, who attempted to resuscitate JFK at Dallas’s Parkland Memorial Hospital on November 22, 1963. The instruments were immediately removed from Trauma Room #1 after the president’s death. Accompanying them is an archive assembled by Dr. Jenkins, including his impressions from that day (est. $5,000-$6,000).

Nearly 2,000 pieces of political campaign memorabilia will be offered in 23 large dealers’ lots, documenting a century of American political history. Included are rare and unusual jugates, coattails, and flashers from the presidential campaigns of FDR, JFK, LBJ, Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and others, from 1896-1996. There are many gems waiting to be discovered within this completely unpicked collection of a Greenwich, Connecticut gentleman.

Literary collectors will be interested in two unusual guns previously owned by author Ernest Hemingway. One of them is a circa mid-19th century North African brass-decorated Kabyle musket measuring over 5 feet in length, obtained during Hemingway’s ill-fated 1953-1954 trip to Africa when Hemingway and his wife survived two near-fatal plane crashes (est. $3,000-$4,000). The guns are from the collection of A. E. Hotchner, Hemingway’s close friend and biographer.

The music and lyrics written in Art Garfunkel’s hand for the 1958 song That’s My Story, when he and Paul Simon sang as “Tom and Jerry”, and Simon’s original hand-written music and lyrics for the 1958 song True or False, released under Simon’s stage name “True Taylor” – plus the rare and actual 45 rpm records of the songs themselves – will be sold as one lot (est. $6,000-$7,000).

Nearly 30 lots relating to the history of the U.S. Supreme Court, ranging from its inception in the 18th century to modern jurisprudence, will come up for bid. The expected top lot is a one-page early autograph letter signed by future 4th Chief Justice John Marshall, with interesting legal content, dated July 2, 1789 (est. $2,400-$2,600). In the letter, Marshall, as a practicing lawyer, addresses a client identified as Mr. John Hatley Norton, “concerning your father’s debtors.”

An original color photograph of Ronald Reagan and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, of the two men wearing Western hats in an outdoor setting, signed by both, 14 inches by 11 inches, has an estimate of $3,500-$4,000; while a gelatin silver print photograph of Teddy Roosevelt, signed while he was President and inscribed with over 15 words in his own hand to “Mr. C.H. Sherrill”, dated “Oct 28th, 1904”, 4 inches by 5 ½ inches (less mount), should command $2,000-$2,400.

A spectacular drawing rendered by Dr. Seuss in colored pencils, with ink titles, depicting a colorful pair of winged griffins, each carrying a suitcase in their talons, with an autograph letter signed by Dr. Seuss on verso, is expected to realize $3,500-$4,500. Also, a rare letter written and signed by Richard J. Gatling (1818-1903), the inventor of the Gatling machine gun, penned on Gatling Gun letterhead, addressed to the Colt Arms Company, has an estimate of $3,500-$4,000.

Nearly 30 lots from the Jack Kerouac estate will be offered, ranging from the legendary Beat Generation writer’s personally owned books and papers, to original artwork and other treasured possessions. One of two original pencil drawings by Kerouac is titled The Vision of Dipankara, depicting one of the foundational semi-mythical stories of Buddhism (est. $4,000-$5,000). Kerouac has added daubs of oil paint and signed the abstract work “Jean-Louis Kerouac."

Kerouac’s personally read copy of Alan W. Watts’s classic text The Way of Zen, signed and inscribed with his possibly unpublished haiku as “1961 / Autumn - old rivalries / are worse, old / Friendships are deeper / JK" is sure to intrigue collectors. Other highlights include Kerouac’s personally owned Leica camera, circa 1947-1951, from the On The Road-era, and a signed check made out to San Francisco’s City Lights Books, the West Coast hub of the Beatnik Movement.

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. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John 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 John 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, August 19th online-only Rare Books, Manuscripts & Relics Auction, including items from the Malcolm Forbes collection and the Jack Kerouac estate, please visit www.universityarchives.com. Updates are posted often.

Washington, D.C. — The Smithsonian, Library of Congress and the National Archives have launched #19SuffrageStories, a 19-day social media campaign that will share stories about the long fight for women’s voting rights in the U.S.

Every weekday from Aug. 3­ to Aug. 26, the three institutions will share one of 19 stories related to women’s suffrage, counting down to Women’s Equality Day Aug. 26. The institutions have also released a set of social media stickers and GIFs to encourage the public to join the conversation.

On Aug. 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was enacted, declaring that the right to vote shall not be denied on account of sex. However, for many women, especially women of color, the fight for the right to vote continued long after the amendment became law. The stories of the diverse communities and organizations that fought for equal voting rights are not shared widely today. To mark the centennial of the 19th Amendment, these three leading cultural institutions are joining forces to share lesser-known stories about the fight for women’s suffrage. Using items from their collections, they will share stories spanning from the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 through events in the 1960s to provide a broad look into the history of women and voting.

The countdown begins Aug. 3 with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which is held at the National Archives. The public is invited to examine this landmark document on Twitter and Instagram and consider its significance. New stories will be revealed every weekday, with the countdown closing Aug. 26. The public is invited to follow the countdown on social media and on the web:

    •    Using the hashtag #19SuffrageStories
    •    Following the Smithsonian on @Smithsonian Instagram and Twitter
    •    Following the Library of Congress @LibraryCongress on Instagram and Twitter
    •    Following the National Archives @USNatArchives on Instagram and Twitter
    •    Visiting Womenshistory.si.edu

Additional information about the stories shared each day will be available on the Library of Congress blog, the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative blog and the and National Archives blog.

To coincide with the campaign, the organizations are also releasing a set of 10 voting-inspired social media stickers and GIFs. Instagram users can add a historic sash sticker to their selfies or add the words of suffragists Ida B. Wells, Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin and Mabel Ping-Hua Lee to their posts. To add the stickers on Instagram, users can create an Instagram Story, click on the sticker icon and search for #19SuffrageStories. Animated GIFs of the stickers are also available through GIPHY for use on Twitter or other social media platforms. The full set of GIFs can be found online, and descriptions of the stickers can be found in this blog post about the #19SuffrageStories campaign.

The three institutions are also collaborating in August on a 19th Amendment virtual Wikipedia Edit-a-thon. The public is invited to make 19 edits to Wikipedia pages throughout the month of August to help expand the coverage of the women’s suffrage movement online. Virtual trainings will be held every Tuesday and Thursday in August, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. ET. The public can register for the trainings on Eventbrite, no experience required.

The Smithsonian, Library of Congress and the National Archives remain largely closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic (the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center reopened July 24). More information about the operating status of these organizations is available on their respective websites.

London — The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association is pleased to announce its annual flagship event Firsts – London’s Rare Book Fair will move to a brand new venue at Saatchi Gallery next year, with an expanded event schedule taking place from 20th-23rd May 2021. The UK’s most prestigious rare book fair expects to call the contemporary exhibition space home for the foreseeable future, part of an ongoing move from the ABA to invest long-term in the fair’s success and growth.

The decision to move to Saatchi Gallery follows overwhelming feedback from exhibitors and ABA members to secure a higher-profile location for the fair. The gallery’s museum-quality exhibition spaces and large cultural following will offer a superior platform for the fair to connect its exhibitors with its buyer base and raise its profile to a wider consumer audience. The association’s smaller autumn event, Chelsea Rare Book Fair has historically been held at Chelsea Old Town Hall and has had continued success with members and exhibitors throughout its 29 years. Welcoming Firsts London to the same area will align well with the ABA’s autumn fair in years to come and reinforce the association’s historical ties with the borough.

Commenting on the move to Saatchi Gallery, the ABA’s Fair Chairman, Pom Harrington says “We are thrilled to have been able to find a contemporary new home for Firsts London at Saatchi Gallery. The gallery’s facilities are world class and we are positive that the move will allow us to raise the profile of the fair even further – Firsts has historically been very successful in attracting exhibitors from across the world with dealers from more than 15 countries participating in previous editions. Its central location in Chelsea will furthermore reaffirm the association’s long-standing ties with the area and tap into its established arts and cultural community.”

Firsts, London’s Rare Book Fair will run from 21st-23rd May 2021 (Friday-Sunday) with the introduction of a ticketed preview night on Thursday 20th May.

The May fair at Saatchi Gallery will mark the culmination of a robust calendar of online fair- styled events due to take place through autumn and winter 2020 as well as spring 2021 under the banner of Firsts Online on the fair’s dedicated website www.firstslondon.com. The decision to host a series of online rare book fairs follows the inaugural virtual rare book fair hosted by the ABA in June this year that was widely hailed by exhibitors as a success, with over £800,000 in sales recorded and averaging a total of 150,000 page views throughout the week.