A World Record Price Set for an item in the Books, Manuscripts, Maps and Ephemera Category
- by Bruce E. McKinney
The U.S. Constitution
World records are born to die and Bill Gates’ purchase of Leonardo da Vinci’s Leicester Codex for $30.8 has been the gold standard in the category of books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera since 1994. Recently a new world record price for any item within these categories was recently bid for what is believed to be one of the only copies of the first printing of the U. S. Constitution in private hands. The new world record is $43,173,000. Twelve other copies of this 1777 imprint are known.
Such a monumental outcome of course is certainly going to prompt inventory searches elsewhere and “what if” discussions among institutions that own one, possibly leading to decisions to convert their masterpieces into a budget to reimagine their library in the digital world. The American constitution was an act of pure genius and I suspect the founding fathers would come down on the side of the future.
About the sale, Sotheby’s did a masterful job, enticing two or more bidders to throw away their budgets and ignore its thin auction history. The interested parties simply had to dream a dream. A group of cryptocurrency enthusiasts organized themselves as ConstitutionDAO to bid while winning bidder, Kenneth Griffin, a wealthy capitalist and self-made man, simply had to say to himself “I’m in.” Sotheby’s estimate had the feel of inspiration: $15,000,000 to $20,000,000. Too many involved in the field over the recent decades simply had to watch to see what would happen and I think they must have been united in their hope that the lot would sell for a large number. And when it did, I think it’s accurate to describe the outcome as a major victory for the entire field. And why? The field has tens of thousands of important manuscript and printed documents that collectors and collecting institutions will well consider to buy or bid if they are offered. But, simply stated, the field has been compressed by resistance at the top for the past 10 years but if auction realizations continue to run higher, every segment of the field will be encouraged to get out their best stuff and strut the strut.
Over the past 20 years we have seen paintings soar to the moon while exceptional, collectible paper, has generally been stable subject to appeal, rarity and condition. Sotheby’s recent outcome suggests collectible paper may have a way to go.
For reference I include Sotheby’s now further updated Census of Copies:
1. Kenneth Griffin 2. Delaware Hall of Records 3. New Jersey State Library 4. Library of Congress, Manuscript Division (Edmund Pendleton copy) 5. Library of Congress, Manuscript Division (James Madison) 6. Independence National Historical Park (George Washington copy) 7. American Philosophical Society Library (Benjamin Franklin copy inscribed to the Rev. Mr. Lathrop) 8. Historical Society of Pennsylvania 9. Gilder Lehrman Collection, New-York Historical Society (Benjamin Franklin copy inscribed to Jonathan Williams, Sr.; pages 1–4 only) 10. Private American Collection 11. Public Records Office, London, England 12. Scheide Library, Princeton University 13. Huntington Library
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RareBookBuyer.com Specialized in Purchasing Institutional Collections & Deacccessioned Books
RareBookBuyer.com We Buy Librairies & Rare Books Nationwide ABAA Dealer
RareBookBuyer.com Specialized in Purchasing Institutional Collections & Deacccessioned Books
RareBookBuyer.com We Buy Librairies & Rare Books Nationwide ABAA Dealer
RareBookBuyer.com Specialized in Purchasing Institutional Collections & Deacccessioned Books
RareBookBuyer.com We Buy Librairies & Rare Books Nationwide ABAA Dealer
Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 11,135 USD
Sotheby’s: Edgar Allan Poe. The Raven and Other Poems, 1845. 33,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Leo Tolstoy, Clara Bow. War and Peace, 1886. 22,500 USD
Sotheby’s: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1902. 7,500 USD
Sotheby’s: F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, and Others, 1920-1941. 24,180 USD
Freeman’s | Hindman Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana November 14
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: LEROUX, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. FIRST AM. ED, FIRST ISSUE IN THE VERY RARE DUST JACKET. 1911. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds. L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: ORWELL, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Lon., 1949. FIRST EDITION IN A VERY FINE DUST JACKET. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans. L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:The Federalist. NY, 1788. FIRST EDITION, THICK PAPER COPY. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: SELBY. Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology. Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: APRES DE MANNEVILLETTE Le Neptune Oriental
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSAS Eaux fortes de la Sicile et quelques vues d’Espagne
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSINI DE THURY Carte générale et particulière de la France.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: JOUY; GARNERAY Vues des côtes de France dans l'Océan et dans la Méditerranée
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LA PÉROUSE Voyage autour du monde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISIERE Voyage dans les Mers de l’Inde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LICENT Hoang Ho, Pai Ho, Loan Ho, Leao Ho. Itinéraires suivis dans le bassin du golfe du Pei Tcheuly
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: FRENCH SCHOOL FROM THE 19th CENTURY Panorama d’Athènes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PEETERS Description des principales villes, havres et isles du golfe de Venise
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PÉRON; FREYCINET Voyage de découverte aux terres australes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: STACKELBERG La Grèce : vues pittoresques et topographiques.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: VALENTINER Atlas des Sonnensystems.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). The Thirteen Problems, first edition, The Crime Club, 1932. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Dumb Witness, first edition, 1937. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Cards on the Table, first edition, The Crime Club, 1936. £2,000 to £3,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Carr (John Dickson)], "Carter Dickson" and John Rhode. Drop to his Death, first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Berkeley (Anthony). Jumping Jenny, first edition, Hodder and Stoughton, 1933. £800 to £1,200.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Marsh (Ngaio). Overture to Death, first edition, The Crime Club, 1939. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] "Nicholas Blake". The Beast Must Die, first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Brand (Christianna). Green for Danger, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, John Lane the Bodley Head, 1945. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Murder is Easy, first edition, signed by the author, 1939. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Sayers (Dorothy L.) Lord Peter Views the Body, first edition, Gollancz, 1928. £6,000 to £8,000.