Auctions | March 9, 2015

Jewish, Antique, Nautical, Art at National Book Auctions

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

This catalog features rare, antique and decorative books as well as select additions of ephemera and artwork.  Impressive private collections include important scholarly works and multi-volume sets.  Among the ephemera lots is a large collection of antique sheet music, decorative billheads and Victorian chromolithograph items.

Antique and rare books in this catalog feature numerous titles.  Among the earliest examples are Stehelin's "Rabbinical Literature or the Traditions of the Jews," produced in two volumes in 1748, the 1718 first edition of Prior's "Poems on Several Occasions," and the 1648 printing of Warner's "The Devilish Conspiracy."   Other scarce titles include Drew's "The Northern Barrier of India - A Popular Account of Jummoo and Kashmir Territories," produced in 1877 with mounted photos, plates and fold-out maps, a first edition copy of Thornton's "Illustrations of the History and Practices of the Thugs," printed in 1837, and an 1871 first edition of Bret Harte's "East and West Poems," in a decorative binding and accompanied by a letter from the celebrated poet.  

Several pleasing collections will also be featured.  This auction includes our second session from a large personal library of titles relating to Jewish, Masonic and Mormon histories.  Highlights from this collection include titles such as Morse's "Sermon Exhibiting the Present Dangers and Consequent Duties of the Citizens of the United States," printed in 1799, and the 1852 first edition of Gunnison's "The Mormons or Latter-Day Saints in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake," and Guenee's "Lettres de Quelques Juifs Portugais, Allemands et Polonais a M. de Voltaire," printed in 1781 in two volumes and bound in decorative leather.  This large personal library also contains an exhaustive inventory of 19th and early 20th century titles focusing on Judaica, anti-semitic movements and Nazi-era history.  Additional collections include railroad-related, nautical, travel & exploration, author-signed, history of law & crime, modern literature, antique children's books, Americana, art history, and much more. 

Found throughout this catalog are interesting offerings of artwork and ephemera.  The art lots include an original mid-nineteenth century primitive folk art oil painting, antique engravings and lithographs, and prized limited edition prints.  The ephemera lots include early maps & cartography, signatures of literary & historical figures, antique magazines, chromolithographs, tobacciana, World's Fairs & Expos, sheet music, Cuban, stamps, travel, original antique correspondence, antique photographs, and other genres.

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