• One of a Kind Auctions
    Art, Literature, Royalty & Exploration
    Special No Reserve Auction!
    November 18, 2026
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 1 – Claude Monet ALS in Purple Ink from Giverny, with Original Envelope
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 5 – Camille Pissarro ALS from Eragny, 1894
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 340 – Space Shuttle Challenger 51-L Crew Photograph, Signed by All Seven
    One of a Kind Auctions
    Art, Literature, Royalty & Exploration
    Special No Reserve Auction!
    November 18, 2026
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 54 – Henry Fielding Signed Legal Affidavit as Magistrate, 1750
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 55 – Henry David Thoreau Autograph Manuscript Leaf, 1906 Manuscript Edition
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 56 – O. Henry ALS Signed “Sydney Porter,” Three Pages
    One of a Kind Auctions
    Art, Literature, Royalty & Exploration
    Special No Reserve Auction!
    November 18, 2026
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 57 – J.R.R. Tolkien from Oxford, 1964, with Original Mailing Envelope
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 254 – Ho Chi Minh Inscribed to a French Minister, with His Seal, 1955
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 286 – Fidel Castro, Che Guevara & Raúl Castro — Cuban Revolution Album, 1959
    One of a Kind Auctions
    Art, Literature, Royalty & Exploration
    Special No Reserve Auction!
    November 18, 2026
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 288 – Toussaint Louverture Safe Passage from the Liberator of Haiti, 1799
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 300 – Georges Picquart, the Officer Who Unmasked the Traitor — Inscribed 1900
    One of a Kind, Nov. 18: Lot 317 – William Clark Signed Receipt as U.S. Agent for Indian Affairs, 1810
  • Arader Galleries
    Extraordinary Works of Art & World History
    December 5, 2026
    Arader, Dec. 5: Audubon Havell aquatint, Brown Pelican Standing, Plate 251 – State Bird of Louisiana. $100,000 to $150,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Bateman’s Orchids of Mexico and Guatelamal – The John Roland Abbey Example. $120,000 to $150,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: A beautifully detailed manuscript Book of Hours – Use of Rome, published in Barcelona c. 1490. $100,000 to $150,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Braun & Hogenburg – The first atlas of the cities of the world with splendid original Renaissance color. $400,000 to $600,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Brookshaw’s Pomona Britannica – “One of the finest colour-plate books in existence.” $70,000 to $100,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Mark Catesby’s 2nd edition of the Natural History of Carolina… “The most famous colorplate book of American plant and animal life.” $150,000 to $200,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Gould’s Birds of Europe – The beginning of the great project. $80,000 to $120,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Joinville’s History of Louis IX – Bound for Marie de’ Medici, Queen Regent of France. $35,000 to $55,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Moran’s The Yellowstone National Park, framed in 15 parts – The foundational document of the National Park Service. $250,000 to $350,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum – From the father of modern atlas-making – The Martelli Example. $175,000 to $250,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: The Foljambe Set of Pennant’s Zoology, with the maximum complement of plates. $50,000 to $70,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Ptolemy’s Geography 1511 edition, the first atlas with maps printed in red and black ink. $120,000 to $180,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Redoute Lillies wwith the plates bound alphabetically by genus in emulation of the rare large paper issue. $400,000 to $500,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Roberts’ Holy Land – “The finest illustrated travel book of the 19th century” – The apotheosis of the tinted lithograph. $90,000 to $120,000.
    Arader, Dec. 5: Vesalius’ De Humani Corporis – The renaissance of anatomy, the anatomy of the Renaissance. $350,000 to $450,000.
  • Heritage, Nov. 18: Orson Welles. Signed Third Revised Final Draft for Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941). July 16, 1940.
    Heritage, Nov. 18: Bob Dylan. Autograph manuscript working lyrics to "Man on the Street."
    Heritage, Nov. 18: Ernest Hemingway. Death in the Afternoon. Inscribed by the author to the daughter of the Spanish Ambassador.
    Heritage, Nov. 18: Jack London. The Call of the Wild. Inscribed by the author.
    Heritage, Nov. 18: John Steinbeck. East of Eden. Inscribed by 27 members of the movie cast and crew, including James Dean and Elia Kazan.
  • Pandolfini
    Books, Manuscripts and Autographs
    19 November 2026
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: [da Capoferro, Ridolfo]. Scherma. Secolo XVII. Fascinating 17th-century fencing manuscript, richly illustrated. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Lilio, Zaccaria. Orbis breviarium. Napoli, Ayolfus de Cantono, 1496. An important collection of ancient texts. €8,000 to €10,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Tolomeo. Geographia universalis. Basilea, Heinrich Petri,1540. A sought-after first Latin edition of Münster’s Geographia. €27,000 to €30,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Coronelli, Vincenzo. I palazzi di Venezia. [Venezia, presso l’autore, 1709]. Wide-margined copy of the rare first and only edition. €8,000 to €10,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Homann, Johann Baptist. Grosser atlas über die ganze Welt. Norimberga, Homann, circa 1720-30. Important 18th-century atlas. €20,000 to €25,000.
    Pandolfini
    Books, Manuscripts and Autographs
    19 November 2026
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Pigafetta, Antonio. Primo viaggio intorno al globo terracqueo ossia Ragguaglio della navigazione alle Indie orientali per la via d’occidente. Milano, 1800. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Libro di Esther. 5491 [1730-31]. Rare example of a Megillah from the early 18th century. €3,000 to €4,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Manifattura Davide Berti e Fratelli. Mazzo di carte. Bologna, Al Mondo, [seconda metà del secolo XVIII]. A rare complete set of Bolognese cards. €5,000 to €7,000.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Allan, David. The opening of the Carnival at Rome. Paul Sandby, 1780. A complete set of four splendid engravings depicting the Roman Carnival.
    Pandolfini, Nov. 19: Borges, Jorge Luis e Arnaldo Pomodoro. Siete Poemas Sajones. Seven Saxon Poems. Verona, Plain Wrapper Press, 1974. A bibliographical masterpiece born from the meeting of Borges’s universe and Pomodoro’s art. €3,000 to €5,000.

Rare Book Monthly

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Articles - October - 2024 Issue

Four Book Collectors and Sellers Share Their Passion for Collecting

- by Michael Stillman

Everyone is a Collector.

Everyone is a Collector.

The world is filled with readers who love books and who are sort-of collectors in that they place the books they have read on their shelves and keep them there, perhaps forever. Still, they may not think of themselves as book collectors despite the love that makes it hard to part with those treasures. Maybe it's time to become a true collector rather than a de facto one. This is a field where there are knowledgeable people willing to help you share their passion.

 

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the American Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABAA), AbeBooks, the world's largest online book selling website, has put together a group of four short interviews with book people. They will give you a feel for the excitement of intentionally collecting books rather than just accidentally so. One of the great things about book collecting is that everyone can pick their own particular niche in the field. There is no one size fits all. In fact, it isn't limited to official “books,” as many people collect other forms of paper as well, documents, manuscripts, letters, posters, maps, etc.

 

The four booksellers and collectors who share their stories are Lisbet Tellefsen, Rebecca Romney, Obediah Baird, and Walter Reuben. Lisbet Tellefsen is an Oakland-based collector and community archivist. She has been collecting virtually her whole life, with the focus shifting from pop culture to posters, Afro-Cuban culture, and black LGBTQ culture. Rebecca Romney has been involved in the book trade most of her adult life, now as a co-founder of Type Punch Matrix. You may have seen her as the book expert on TV's Pawn Stars. Obadiah Baird is one of the co-owners of The Book Bin. His specialty is science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Walter Reuben, logically, is the proprietor of Walter Reuben, Inc. His specialty is films and old Hollywood ephemera.

 

You can hear their messages and better experience the excitement of book and paper collecting for yourself by visiting AbeBooks.com. Click here.

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Posted On: 2024-10-01 04:39
User Name: keeline

I would say "Everyone CAN BE a Collector."

Not all are. Probably in terms of percentages, fewer members of the post-Baby Boom generations are collectors now.

When I managed The Prince and the Pauper Collectible Children's Books from 1988 to 2000, we had many who came in and claimed emphatically that they were "not a collector." There is one view of a collector that is a person who spends large sums on their books or other items.

But when these non-collectors are looking for something and it has to be a particular format or artist for illustrations, and it is not readily available, they have quietly swerved into the collector classification, even if they are not willing to admit it.

And when a non-collector is trying to find something that admitted-collectors are also looking for, they have to compete with them or accept that they probably won't get what they are looking for unless they have the kind of luck that wins the lottery once every year or two.

The same applies to condition. When the non-collector wants nice copies of books from decades before that are no longer in print, this is also part of the realm of the collector.

We often joke that if you have more than five of some class of something or have spent more than double the price of a new copy available now, you are a collector.

But many are just readers and use libraries and library apps to read what they want. They don't try to keep that which they read because of expense and space considerations. I see others who claim they buy books, read them, and sell or give them away. It seems too expensive to be believed but I have to take them at their word on a claim like this.

Thee are some groupings of books that are accumulations and others that are collections which are curated to achieve a level of completeness from some aspect and upgrade over time.

When universities have book collection contests among students, there is usually both a descriptive bibliography requirement as well as an essay on what ties the components of the collection together.

One of the interesting things about acknowledging that one is a collector is the realization that one is not alone. Suddenly you discover communities and realize that you are not the only one who likes a certain kind of book. These can be the people from whom you can learn but will also compete with when it comes to obtaining the more scarce items.

Sometimes we think about collecting things. But I am also interested in collecting both information and the acquaintances and friendships along the way. These can be from fellow collectors and booksellers. This weekend I'll be in Sleepy Hollow for the Nancy Drew Sleuths convention where about 150 fans of that and similar series will gather for presentations, activities, and books.

As much as I like book fairs and have some conversations with booksellers I know or ones that seem to be handling my field, it is hard to converse with the fellow shoppers. Part of this is that they are busy shopping for the rare find. But another part is that it is considered bad form to converse in someone's retail space lest you take business from the person who paid for that space. There are not as many receptions for collectors to meet. That is where bibliophile societies and book clubs can offer opportunities.

James D. Keeline

Rare Book Monthly

  • Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: The ‘Saxe-Meiningen Psalter’, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [northern France or adjacent southern Netherlands, second half of the thirteenth century]. £30,000 - £50,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Crescenzi (Bartolomeo). Nautica mediterranea, 2 parts in 1, second edition, with rare engraved folding map, Rome, Bartolomeo Bonfadino, 1607. £15,000 - £20,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Aristotle. [The Works], 10 vol.,, translated by Thomas Taylor, Printed for the Translator... by Robert Wilks, 1807-12. £6,000-8,000
    Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: Turing (Alan).- Alan Turing's Slide Rule, engraved initials "A.M.T. Noli Hoc Furari", alongside other ephemera, housed in early 20th-century letter box, [mid.1920s-40s]. £6,000-8,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Vitruvius Pollio (Marcus). I Dieci Libri dell'Architettura, translated by Daniele Barbaro, Venice, Francesco Marcolini, 1556. £7,000-10,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first edition, hardback issue, first printing, Bloomsbury, 1997. £50,000-70,000
    Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, later impressions, each vol. signed by the author, London, George Allen & Unwin, 1957-58. £15,000-20,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Gould (John). The Birds of Great Britain, 5 vol., first edition, [1862]-73; plus a presentation copy of Gould's Introduction to the Birds of Great Britain (6). £35,000-45,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Galilei (Galileo). Istoria e Dimostrazioni intorno alle Macchie Solari e loro accidenti, comprese in tre lettere scritte all’illustrissimo signor Marco Velseri Linceo, first edition, Rome, 1613. £15,000-20,000
    Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: Gersdorff (Hans von). Feldtbuch der Wund-Arzney, enlarged edition, Strassburg, Hans Schotten, 1540. £20,000-30,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Kitchin (Thomas). A New Universal Atlas, first edition with maps in full original hand-colouring, Printed and Published by Robert Laurie and James Whittle, 1796. £8,000-12,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Cassas (Louis François). Voyage Pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phenicie, de la Palestine, et de la Basse Egypte, 2 vol., first edition, [Paris], 1799. £10,000-15,000
  • Heritage, Dec. 9: Philip K. Dick. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? First edition, author Brian Aldiss’ copy.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Robert A. Heinlein. Assignment in Eternity. First edition, inscribed by Heinlein to author “Doc” Smith.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Frank Herbert. Dune. First edition, inscribed by Herbert to his literary agent.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: J. R. R. Tolkien. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. First edition, first impression, in an unrestored dust jacket.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Jules Verne. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. Exceedingly rare, perhaps unique variant, English sheets bound in an American Osgood binding.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Isaac Asimov. The Naked Sun. First edition, inscribed by Asimov to Alex Berman, founder of Phantasia Press.
  • Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: L. Feininger, Collection of autograph letters to Alois J. Schardt, 1920-1955. Est: € 150,000-250,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: Flemish book of hours, Ghent-Bruges School around 1480-1500. Est: € 40,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: F. de Wit, Atlas maior, around 1700. Est: € 50,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: A. Stieglitz, Camera Work, 48 volumes, 1903-1914. Est: € 60,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. Merian & M. Zeiller, Sämtliche Topographien, 21 volumes, 1642-1736. Est: € 50,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: R. Indiana and R. Creely, Numbers, 1968. Est: € 4,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: Salerno Breviarium, Latin manuscript on vellum, North Italy around 1470-1476. Est: € 40,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. S. Merian, Surinaamsche (&) europische Insecten, 1730. Est: € 30,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. Beckmann, Jahrmarkt, Portfolio of 10 signed etchings, 1922. Est: € 25,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: Justinianus, Infortiatum, 1475. Est: € 10,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: B. Besler, Hortus Eystettensis, around 1750. Est: € 28,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: J. Gris and P. Reverdy, Au soleil du plafond, 1955. Est: € 3,000
  • Sotheby’s
    Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
    The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
    November 18, 2026
    Sotheby’s
    Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
    The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
    November 18, 2026
    Sotheby’s
    Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
    The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
    November 18, 2026
  • ALDE, Nov. 25: BERTIUS (PETRUS). Tabularum geographicarum contractarum libri septem. Amsterdam, Jodocus Hondius, 1618. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: BLAEU (WILHEM ET JOHAN). Toonneel des aerdrycx, oft Nieuwe Atlas. Tweede deel. [Amsterdam, Blaeu, vers 1650]. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: VAN NOORT (OLIVIER). Description du pénible voyage faict entour de l'Univers ou globe terrestre. Amsterdam, Cornelis de Claesz, 1602. €15,000 to €20,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: STUART (JAMES) ET NICHOLAS REVETT. The Antiquities of Athens. Londres, John Haberkorn [puis John Nichols, et J. Taylor], 1762-1816. 4 vol. €5,000 to €6,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: Description de l’Égypte, ou recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française. Paris, 1820-1830. €4,000 to €5,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: [MANUSCRIT ALCHIMIQUE]. AL-JALDAKI (‘IZZ AL-DĪN ‘ALĪ IBN MUḤAMMAD AYDAMIR). Kitab al-Misbah fi ‘Ilm al-Miftah [Le Livre de la Lampe sur les secrets de la Science des Clés]. 1717. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: NICOLAY (NICOLAS DE). Le Navigationi et viaggi, fatti nella Turchia. Venise, Francesco Ziletti, 1580. €4,000 to €5,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: [PÉROU]. Colleción de yaravíes peruanos [Collection de yaravís péruviens]. Manuscrit daté de Lima le 8 février 1854. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: BROWN (PETER). New illustrations of zoology... Londres, Benjamin White, 1776. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: BULLIARD (PIERRE). Herbier de la France, ou collection complète des plantes indigènes de ce royaume. Paris, A. J. Dugour & Durand, 1780-[1793]. €4,000 to €5,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: [DEZALLIER D'ARGENVILLE (ANTOINE-JOSEPH)]. L'Histoire naturelle éclaircie dans une de ses parties principales, la Conchyliologie… Paris, De Bure l'aîné, 1757. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Nov. 25: RIEDEL (GOTTLIEB FRIEDRICH). [Tabulæ regni animalis].: Augsbourg, Negot. Academia Cæs. Franc. s.d. [1780]. €2,000 to €3,000.

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