The Landmark David R. Godine Rare Book Collection to be Sold at Bonhams

BONHAMS TO OFFER THE LANDMARK RARE BOOK COLLECTION OF RENOWNED INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER DAVID R. GODINE

An exceptional copy of the 1896 Kelmscott Chaucer, estimated at $60,000 – 90,000.

New York – Printing and Process: the David Godine Collection, an extraordinary assemblage of printed books, from one the country’s renowned independent printers, David R. Godine, will be presented by Bonhams across a series of three sales spanning this spring and fall in New York.

Over the course of his fifty years leading the Godine Press, the independent New England-based publisher renowned for its eclectic, meticulously assembled and beautifully designed books, Godine developed a deep appreciation for the craft of bookmaking – from the physical and technical artistry of typography and illustrated book production to the underlying mechanics of how books are constructed. The resulting collection is rich in early printed books, including notable Venetian and Florentine imprints, fine bindings with distinguished provenance, and other exceptional examples.

“David Godine is by far one of the most important figures in American independent publishing, and his collection reflects a lifetime spent engaging deeply with the history and craft of the book,” commented Ian Ehling, Director of Fine Books & Manuscripts, North America, Bonhams. “From early incunabula to landmark achievements in typography and printing, these works speak to Godine’s unique understanding of books as both intellectual and physical objects. Bonhams is deeply honored to bring this exceptional collection to market, offering those a rare chance to encounter pivotal works in the history of the printed word.”

On his collection coming to sale David R. Godine commented: “Collecting books is closely related to publishing them; though each title brings its own challenges, it also reveals new possibilities. I’ve always been as interested in how I selected the books in my collection as I have been in the information they contained, and am drawn particularly to how materials, structure, and craft ultimately determine whether a book endures across centuries. This collection reflects this very lifelong fascination of mine, and it is my fondest hope that those who encounter these volumes will find as much pleasure and satisfaction in owning and studying these enduring examples of printing and process as I have had.”

Le diverse et artificiose machine, by Agostino Ramelli (1531–1590), estimated at $15,000 – 25,000.

Printing and Process: the David Godine Collection Part I, a live sale of major highlights from the collection, will take place on May 5 with 125 lots. At the helm of the inaugural sale is Godine’s prized exceptional copy of the 1896 Kelmscott Chaucer, long recognized as “the finest book since the Gutenberg Bible.” Estimated at $60,000 – 90,000 and one of only 425 copies, this defining achievement of William Morris’ Kelmscott Press, celebrated for its sublime interplay of typography, illustration, and ornament, is bound in a superb binding by Birdsall. Also of note is an exceptionally well‑preserved first‑edition copy of Italian engineer Agostino Ramelli’s (1531–1590) Le diverse et artificiose machine. Estimated at $15,000 – 25,000, the seminal 1588 treatise is celebrated as one of the most elegantly produced technological works of the Renaissance, documenting Ramelli’s visionary mechanical inventions with remarkable clarity and artistic ambition.

Additional standouts offered in the live sale include a superb 1496 first edition of Italian printer and humanist Aldus Manutius’s (1449–1515) Thesaurus Cornucopiae & Horti Adonidis, a foundational Greek incunable from the earliest years of the Aldine press, estimated at $15,000 – 25,000; a limited edition, one of 500 sets, of the Doves Press’ The English Bible, the magnum opus of the celebrated private press, estimated at $10,000–15,000; as well as French mathematician, cartographer, and illustrator Oronce Finé’s (1494–1555) important 1544 scientific treatise Quadratura circuli, a beautifully printed Renaissance exploration of the classical problem of squaring the circle, estimated at $4,000 – 6,000.

Running in tandem with the live sale, Printing and Process: The David Godine Collection, Part II, will be offered online from April 27–May 6, featuring material from 15th to the 17th centuries that showcase key innovations in printing, illustration, typography, and book design all the while further underscoring the extraordinary scope of Godine’s collecting vision. For more information on the collection and forthcoming offerings, visit Bonhams.com.

-ENDS-

Sale Overview:

Printing and Process: the David Godine Collection Part I

May 5 | Live, New York

Printing and Process: the David Godine Collection Part II

April 27 – May 6 | Online, New York

Printing and Process: the David Godine Collection Part III

October 2026 | Online, New York

For further information, email press@bonhams.com

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The Landmark David R. Godine Rare Book Collection to be Sold at Bonhams

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The Landmark David R. Godine Rare Book Collection to be Sold at Bonhams

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