On Tuesday, September 17, Bonhams New York holds The Air and Space Sale, in 156 lots. Expected to lead the way is a rare vintage test model of the Sputnik-1 satellite, at $400,000–600,000.
A much quieter auction week coming up:
ALDE will sell 224 lots from the library of Jacques Attali on Tuesday, June 25. Some excellent philosophical and literary editions to be had, including Alain-Fournier's Le Grand Meaulnes (1913), estimated at €14,000–16,000, and Vercors' Le Silence de la mer (1942), estimated at €12,000–15,000.
London — A newly discovered banking ledger kept in person by Edward Backwell, whose banking business in the second half of the 17th century was the immediate forerunner to the Bank of England founded in 1694, leads Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale in London on Wednesday 26 June. It is estimated at £100,000-150,000.
Many people will recognize Desmond Morris as the author of The Naked Ape (1967). As a zoologist and the curator of mammals at the London Zoo, Morris popularized evolution for a mid-century audience. Still contentious at the time, his book became one of eleven titles named in a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case related to book banning and First Amendment rights, alongside Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five and Richard Wright’s Black Boy.
London — An historically important copy of the speech made by Wolfe Tone at his court martial – following his arrest during the 1798 Irish Rising – is to be offered at Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale in London on Wednesday 26 June. It is among a file of documents relating to the rebellion kept by George Hewitt, Adjutant-General of the British Army in Ireland 1791-99 and Commander-in-Chief of Ireland, 1813-16. The documents are estimated at £10,000-15,000.
New York – A fine first edition, early presentation copy of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection sold for $500,075, a world auction record for a presentation copy of Darwin's On the Origin of Species, at Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale in New York on June 13. It had been estimated at $200,000-300,000. The 302-lot sale achieved a total of $1,270,890 and was sold 85% by lot and 94% by value.
New York – Bonhams is pleased to present The Property of Nicole and William M. Keck II at Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale on June 13. The collection offers over 170 lots of first editions by authors Charles Dickens, J.R.R. Tolkien, William Faulkner, and also classic children’s books.
A brief overview of this week's auction offerings:
New York – On June 13, Bonhams sale of Fine Books and Manuscripts will be highlighted by a fine first edition, early presentation copy of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (estimate: $200,000-300,000).
