Auction Alert-Dr. Seuss

The January 7th auction at PBA Auctions in San Francisco is going to include 85 lots of Dr. Seuss material; books, original sketches and ephemera with many of the items signed.

Auction Price Realized- Darwin On the Origin of Species

From www.Artdaily.org

First Edition of Charles Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' Sells for $170,569


The book was recently rediscovered sitting on a bookcase in the guest bathroom of the vendor’s house. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2009.

LONDON.- A rediscovered first edition of Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection' sold today at Christie’s in London for £103,250 / $170,569 / €114,298 (estimate: £40,000 to £60,000). Recently rediscovered sitting on a bookcase in the guest bathroom of the vendor’s house, it had been bought for only a few shillings over 50 years ago. The book was sold 150 years to the day after this seminal work of scientific literature was first published (November 24, 1859). It was bought by an anonymous client bidding by telephone.

Margaret Ford, Director and Head of Books and Manuscripts, Christie’s London: “It is a very fitting occasion to have sold this rediscovered copy of Darwin’s 'Origin of Species' 150 years to the day after it was first published. One of the most important and influential scientific books ever written, the copy sold today was an unusual rediscovery having been found in the guest bathroom of the vendor’s house. We are thrilled to have seen so much interest for the book leading up to the auction where clients competed in the room and by telephone, with an anonymous telephone bidder winning the battle and acquiring it for £103,250.”

The vendor’s son-in-law was recently visiting an exhibition on Darwin when he noticed a first edition of the book on display. Seeing the distinctive green spine, he recognized it as a book on a bookcase in the guest bathroom of his father-in-law; he found there a fresh copy of a rare first edition of the book. It was this copy that sold today at Christie’s for £103,250 / $170,569 / €114,298.

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) is most recognized for his theory of evolution, which states that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors. His most notable publication was 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection' which was first published on November 24, 1859, and which became one of the most influential scientific books ever written. He was buried in Westminster Cathedral alongside Sir Isaac Newton, and is one of only 5 non-Royal Brits to be honored by a State Funeral, the others being Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington and two former Prime Ministers; Lord Palmerston and the Rt. Hon. William Gladstone.

Wizard of Oz Waddle Book-Auction Price Realized

PBA auction house in San Francisco auctioned this great copy of Baum's The Wizard of Oz Waddle Book complete with slotties for a most impressive $21,600.

[8], 211 pp. Illustrated with 8 color plates by W.W. Denslow with text on the versos; black & white illustrations in the text and some full page; how-to assemble directions for all 6 waddle toy die-cuts illustrated on the last 3 pages, perforated stubs present between pages 46/47, 94/95, 143/144 (Waddle sheets detached). 9x7, olive-green cloth, color pictorial cover label. First Edition, First State.
Includes the rare 6 die-cut "waddle toys," while the sheets containing the Waddles are detached from the binding the Waddles themselves are still in their flat cardboard panel state, never removed or assembled. Also with the folding yellow brick road, likewise unassembled and never used. The waddle toys are printed in colors on a thin stock cardboard and intended to be assembled with metal hip connectors, 10 of which are present in a small envelope as issued. Also included are the original instructional envelope which holds the die-cut parts for the ramp and a wrap-around band which proclaims: "Under this band in the large envelope, you will find an ingenious runway. It can be set up by any child and will form a perfect base on which to set the Waddle Characters. Just place them on this runway, tap them gently to side and off they will go, walking all by themselves, without the aid of any mechanical power...". Very rare to find a copy with all six of the Waddles present, exceedingly so to find them in the original unused state. This is the first state, with publisher's imprint at foot of spine. Hanff & Greene I, pp. 35-36, Plate 7.Condition: Wrap-around band clipped open at one end and with some chipping to fold at other end; envelope chipped at edges and with a large chip on rear (blank) side, several tears at edges of printed side; sheets holding Dorothy Waddle and Scarecrow Waddle each with a separation where the corner of the die-cuts come very close to the edge of the sheet, one tab on ramp bumped; light wear to volume edges, some faint soiling on rear cover, hinges cracked with mulling exposed, previous owner's name on front pastedown endpaper and 1937 gift inscription on verso of dedication leaf; volume about very good; Waddles near fine though Waddle sheets detached from binding.

Auction Price Realized- A WRINKLE IN TIME

A bit of old news now, but the following very hard to find Newbery was auctioned by PBA galleries in San Francisco in Aug and fetched a most respectable $10,800. "First Edition of of the 1963 Newberry Medal winner, the 1965 Sequoyah Book Award, and the 1965 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. The first in the author's series of novels for children of the Murry and O'Keefe families. Extremely rare in the first edition, According to ABPC no copies have appeared at auction in more than 15 years.

Condition:

Very minor wear to jacket, primarily at spine ends, light browning to jacket edges and folds, small stain at foot of rear jacket panel; light wear to cloth at spine ends, faint stain on rear board corresponding with stain on jacket; small spot of foxing on front free endpaper; overall near fine in a like jacket." Unconfirmed rumor sez that an bookseller had the winning bid....all I know is that it was not me :-(

Auction Watch

The PBA galleries auction on Aug 21st is auctioning some very interesting children's books, the highlight being a first edition in dust jacket of Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME.

Their auction estimate is $5,000-8,000 but I would not be surprised if it sold for quite a bit more. This is a very, very scarce title that (so far) I've only had once. About 8 years ago I handled a consigned copy in the second state dust jacket which I sold overnight to another dealer for $3,000.

Auction Price Realized- Harold's Trip to the Sky Crockett Johnson

I usually don't report on Ebay auctions but the auction of a possible first of one of the Purple Crayon books by Crockett Johnson fetched a most reportable $565.

Auction price realized Magna Carta

From the Washington Post:

Magna Carta sells in NY auction for $21.3 million

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A rare 710-year-old copy of the Magna Carta was sold at auction for $21.3 million by The Perot Foundation at Sotheby's in New York, the auction house said on Tuesday.

The Magna Carta established the rights of the English people and curbed the power of the king. The U.S. Constitution includes ideas and phrases taken almost directly from the charter, which rebellious barons forced their oppressive King John to sign in 1215.

Sotheby's said the Magna Carta was ratified and reissued with each monarch who succeeded John. It was enacted as law in 1297 by the British parliament when it was reissued by King Edward I. The copy sold on Tuesday is from 1297.

When it announced the auction in September, Sotheby's said the document was valued at up to $30 million.

The medieval vellum manuscript was bought at auction by the founder of a private equity firm, David Rubenstein, who plans to keep it where it has been on display at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington D.C.

Sotheby's said there are fewer than 20 copies of the Magna Carta and that this copy is one of only two held outside of Britain. The other copy, also from 1297, is owned by the Australian government.

The Perot Foundation, created by billionaire former U.S. presidential candidate Ross Perot to make philanthropic grants, will use the money for its charities. The Foundation bought the Magna Carta in 1984.

(1984 purchase price was 1.5 million, not a bad appreciation!)

Harry Potter Auction Price Realized

This in from the Oct 25th auction at Heritage Auction Galleries. A first English edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (a X-library copy!) fetched a very cool $33,460.

J.K. Rowling: The Rare True First Edition of the First Harry Potter Book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. ([London]: Bloomsbury, [1997]). First edition. Octavo (7.75" x 5"). 223 pages. Publisher's pictorial laminated boards, no dustwrapper was issued for the first edition. Ex-library copy, with ink stamp to copyright page that shows through to the title page, two blemishes to paper from staples to the preliminary pages, including title. Light bumping to corners, and general light rubbing, small scratch on the rear board, evidence of label removed from front free endpaper but barely noticeable. Altogether, a very good, handsome copy, with the covers and text block remarkably clean and tight. The book shows very well. Very scarce indeed. Reputedly only 300 hardcover copies were printed, nearly all of these went to schools and libraries. This particular copy was once the property of the Portsmouth City Library, evidenced by the library stamp on the title page, which reads "Portsmouth City Council Library Service". Both first issue points present on the copyright page: "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" and "Copyright © Text Joanne Rowling 1997".

Eloise Auction Price Realized

From the 10/25/07 auction at PBA Galleries this signed first edition of Eloise by Kay Thompson fetched $3737 after buyers premium.

Where the Wild Things Are Auction Price Realized

From the July 12th auction at the PBA Galleries, this copy of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are had fetched $6900. (This is less than I thought, I know of copies that have reached the $10,000 range.)

The Little House Auction Price Realized

The July 12th auction at the PBA Galleries not only had a first in dust jacket of Curious George but also this beautiful first edition in dust jacket of Virgina Lee Burton's The Little House. The auction price realized was $9775.00. (I specialize in children's books and have been a full time dealer since 1994 and have never seen a first edition of this book.)

Curious George Auction Price Realized

If you ever doubt the importance of a dust jacket to the value of children's books:

On July 12, 2007 PBA Galleries of San Francisco auctioned this first edition with dust jacket of H. A. Rey's Curious George for an astonishing (to me anyway!) $21,850.