Friday, December 05, 2014

A chained binding and important historical documents by Jefferson & Washington join rare works in sale

A chained binding and important historical documents by Jefferson & Washington join rare works in the sale of Printed Books and Manuscripts at Bloomsbury Auctions


The working library of one of the most distinguished and influential garden designers of the 20th Century, the late Rosemary Verey (1918-2001), opens Bloomsbury Auctions' Printed Books and Manuscripts sale on Wednesday 17th December. Joining the stunning, 84 lot collection of horticultural and gardening books will be a small topical collection of World War One literature, travel literature and other important pieces.

Rupert Powell, Deputy Chairman at Bloomsbury Auctions commented; "This auction highlights the diversity of works in the book sales at Bloomsbury Auctions. Our expertise, in this auction alone, encompasses the oldest historical manuscripts, topography, art and travel books, and the comparatively infant, but booming, field of Modern First Editions. With the Printed Books and Manuscripts sale we reaffirm our place as market leaders in this field and the wider collecting world."

bloomsburyChained Binding – Antoninus Florentinus
De Censuris. De Sponsalibus et matrimonio, 1480
Contemporary blind-stamped calf by Antonius Master II of Lübeck with 17th century chain.
Estimate £7,000-10,000 [Lot 256]

Joseph Cartwright
Selections of the Costume of Albania and Greece, 1822
Very rare; only 2 copies sold at auction in the last 40 years and the most recent was lacking the title. Cartwright was Paymaster-General of the British forces in Corfu from 1816-20 and published views in the Ionian Islands in 1821 and this work on his return to Britain. He is known primarily for his marine paintings.
Estimate £25,000-35,000 [Lot 154]

Nicolas Sanson
A significant composite atlas, late 17th-early 18th century
Comprising 73 double-plate and folding maps including Moll's famous "Beaver Map"
Estimate £25,000-35,000 [Lot 135]

Letter signed by Jefferson to General Lafayette discussing preparation for an attack on Portsmouth, which had been taken by Benedict Arnold, and numbers of militia from various districts. 28th March 1781.
Jefferson was governor of Virginia, 1779-81. "Lacking effective constitutional powers, he failed to resist a British expeditionary force led by turncoat Benedict Arnold when it invaded the state in 1780, driving the state government out of Richmond, and Jefferson from his home in Charlottesville. Although suggestions that he was personally responsible for this débâcle were eventually refuted by the legislature, the embittered Jefferson left office under a cloud." – Oxford DNB.
Estimate £10,000-12,000 [Lot 297]

Autograph letter signed 'G Washington' to Rev. William Gordon thanking Gordon for supplying him with a Boston newspaper and relating his travel plans to visit land he had been granted in the Ohio valley, 10th August 1784.
Estimate £8,000-12,000 [Lot 298]

Siegfried Sassoon
Memoirs of an Infantry Officer Number 14 of 320 copied signed by the author & illustrator, Barnett Freedman.
Estimate £600-800 [Lot 363]

This work precedes a small group of World War One Literature in the sale.

The sale of Printed Books and Manuscripts will be held at Bloomsbury Auctions' Mayfair saleroom in London on Wednesday 17th December. The full catalogue is available to view and download.



Rare Books, Maps & Manuscripts 16 December: Stockholms Auktionsverk


Explore the 'manor library' at Biby, a collection which was built up by the owners, the diplomat brothers Gustaf Celsing (1723–1789) and Ulric Celsing (1731–1805), during the 1700s. The books that Stockholms Auktionsverk has been given the honour of selling cover large sections of this famous library and include works on a wide variety of subjects. The areas of emphasis in the collection include history, economics and – for obvious reasons – diplomacy.

Of particular interest is an impressive work about the Westphalian Peace, Acta Pacis Westphalicae publica from 1734, as well as Dumont's Corps universel diplomatique du droit des gens printed in Haag-Amsterdam in 1726, and a splendid volume about the Herculaneum excavations, Le antichita di Ercolano eposte, which was published in Naples in the 1750s. Most of the books are in very good condition, still in their original beautiful bindings. There are also three editions of Pufendorf's richly illustrated exploits of King Charles X Gustav, as well as classics such as Erik Dahlberg's Suecia, Antiqua et Hodierna in a beautiful presentation binding.

One of the highlights of the second part of the catalogue is the impressive and richly illustrated 17th century work devoted to Dutch towns and cities, written by the famous cartographers Willem and Joan Blaeu. The lots include an early work about Leon Bakst, one of the leading figures in Russian Ballet, interesting and comprehensive books about Islamic art, as well as an etching by Käthe Kollwitz that is included in Die graphischen Künste. The catalogue also features numerous works from the library of the late antiquarian book seller Björn Löwendahl, several unusual works about India, Vietnam, Java and even Russia, such as a first edition of de Argensolas – about the Maluku Islands.

The first edition of the noted adventurer James Cook's famous second expedition A voyage towards the South Pole, including maps of the world by both Ortelius and Blaeu, Hondius' map of the world from 1630 showing the 'four continents' together with several excellent large-format maps by Jailliot. Amongst the manuscripts, there are some Arabic manuscripts and a beautiful Swedish law manuscript from the 1500s.

Viewing 12-15 December
Auction 16 December 1pm

For more information:
Katharina Fahlstedt +46 8 453 67 49, katharina.fahlstedt@auktionsverket.se
Hans Larsson +46 8 453 67 47, hans.larsson@auktionsverket.se

To view the catalogue click here

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