Rare Book Hub recently was asked about a book that a recent correspondent felt it should logically be in our Transactions+ database of 16 million auction records.
The book? Americanism by Hubert Groves Beckwith, was registered at the Library of Congress in 1924. Mr. Beckwith wrote many books (6). None of them appear in Transactions+ on our site. Did we ignore him or systematically remove records relating to him? Nope.
Our database is built on auction records. Printed material posted at auction will be added to Transactions+. Did it have to sell? No, because from our perspective, an unsold lot reflects a market’s judgement.
The absence of Mr. Beckwith’s records simply reflects that no auction house we have covered, have posted any of his 6 titles.
This said, we have scoured the market for this title, Americanism. There is a copy! It’s posted on eBay. It’s being offered by our correspondent.
Perhaps you’ll be the buyer!
It still won’t show up in our Transactions+ because this will be a negotiated transaction. We cover auctions.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Euclid. Praeclarissimus Liber Elementorum in Artem Geometrie, Venice, Ratdolt, 25 May 1482, first edition of the first substantial mathematical work to appear in print, Durazzo copy.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Galilei, Galileo. Sidereus nuncius …, Venice, 1610, first edition of the foundation of modern astronomy.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Kepler, Johannes. Astronomia nova aitiologitos …, Prague or Heidelberg, 1609, first edition, contemporary vellum, the Chasles copy.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Cellarius, Andreas. Harmonia macrocosmica seu atlas universalis et novus ..., Amsterdam, Jan Jansson, 1661, brilliantly handcolored.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Fine restoration binding in the style of the Queen’s binders.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Magnus Hundt, the elder. First edition of one of the earliest printed books with anatomical illustrations.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Agatha Christie. Cards on the Table. First edition.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Beautiful and Damned. First edition, first printing.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. First edition, presentation copy.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Geneva-Tomson-Junius. London: Robert Barker, [colophon 1612]/1611.
Gonnelli: Auction 72 Books, Autographs & Manuscripts October 6th-8th 2026
