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Christies: Valuable Books and Manuscripts

Auction Reports


Auction Name	Valuable Books and Manuscripts	Total Sales (GBP)	4,500,468.00
Auction Date	December 11, 2024 - December 11, 2024	Low Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP)	2,922,500.00
Sale Number	#22693	High Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP)	4,238,500.00
Total Lots	170
Sold Lots	136	Low Estimate of All Lots (GBP)	3,636,000.00
% of Lots Sold	80.00%	High Estimate of All Lots (GBP)	5,282,500.00
Unsold Lots	34	Total Sales as a % of High Est.	85.20%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Lot Number	Author Name	Book Title	Year Published	Estimate	Actual Price
114		BIBLE, in German. Translated by Martin LUTHER (1483-1546). Biblia, das ist, die gantze Heilige Schrifft Deudsch.	1534	GBP 200,000.00 - 300,000.00	GBP 604,800.00
94	Albert Einstein (1879-1955)	Series of 43 autograph letters signed ('Albert Einstein' (4), 'Albert' (23), the later letters with variations on the pet-name 'Johannzel', two letters lacking signature) to his first wife, Mileva Maric,	1898 - 1903	GBP 700,000.00 - 1,000,000.00	GBP 441,000.00
133	Major General William Thomas Eden (1768-1851), youngest son of Sir Robert Eden, 1st Baronet, of Maryland	A panoramic view of Calcutta, 1812		GBP 120,000.00 - 150,000.00	GBP 327,600.00
7	The Psalter of Count Ludwig the Younger of Oettingen	Psalter, in German with Latin incipits, illuminated manuscript on vellum, Swabia, 1418	1418	GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00	GBP 151,200.00
67	Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)	Autograph manuscript signed (at end, 'Igor Stravinsky'),The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu), Suite for small orchestra ('Instrumente pour petit orchestre'), the last 14 bars of the 'Berceuse' and the complete 'Final',	1915-03-31	GBP 70,000.00 - 100,000.00	GBP 126,000.00
8	Ovid (43BC - 17 or 18 AD)	The Gladstone Metamorphoses, in Latin, manuscript on paper	first half 15th century	GBP 50,000.00 - 80,000.00	GBP 119,700.00
72	Richard Wagner (1813-1883)	Autograph manuscript signed (at end, 'Richard Wagner'), the first poetical draft of the libretto for Tannhauser, here titled 'Das Venusberg / Romantische Oper in 3 Acten', Dresden, 29 January -- 22 March 1843	29 January -- 22 March 1843	GBP 80,000.00 - 120,000.00	GBP 119,700.00
132	FLINDERS, Matthew (1774-1814)	A Voyage to Terra Australis; undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country, and prosecuted in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803, in his Majesty's Ship the Investigator.	1814	GBP 60,000.00 - 80,000.00	GBP 119,700.00
9	Virgil (70-19 BC)	The Gladstone Aeneid, in Latin, decorated manuscript on paper	first half 15th century	GBP 60,000.00 - 90,000.00	GBP 113,400.00
29	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)	Autograph sketch leaf for the string quartet in C, op. 59 no.3, the second movement,	1806	GBP 100,000.00 - 150,000.00	GBP 113,400.00
110	HOMER (c. 8th century BCE)	Opera, in Greek. Bound with:]QUINTUS Smyrnaeus (fl. 4th century). Posthomerica:] Derelictorum ab Homero libri quatuordecim, in Greek. - TRYPHIODORUS (3rd or 4th century). De Trojae excidio, in Greek. - COLLUTHUS. De raptu Helenae, in Greek.	1504, c.1505	GBP 70,000.00 - 100,000.00	GBP 113,400.00
149	EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955)	Uber die von der molekularkinetischen Theorie der Warme geforderte Bewegung von in ruhenden Flussigkeiten suspendierten Teilchen.' Offprint from: Annalen der Physik, 4th Series, vol. 17.	1905	GBP 70,000.00 - 100,000.00	GBP 113,400.00
10		Book of Hours, use of Rome, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum	c.1440s	GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00	GBP 88,200.00
123	GALILEI, Galileo (1564-1642)	Dialogo ... sopre i due massimi sistemi del mondo Tolemaico, e Copernicano.	1632	GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00	GBP 88,200.00
129	VANCOUVER, George (1757-1798)	A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World; in which the coast of North-west America has been carefully examined and accurately surveyed ... and performed in the years 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, and 1795.	1798	GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00	GBP 88,200.00
135	[AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817).]	Pride and Prejudice.	1813	GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00	GBP 81,900.00
150	EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955)	'Ist die Tragheit eines Korpers von seinem Energieinhalt abhangig?' Offprint from: Annalen der Physik, 4th Series, vol. 18.	1905	GBP 70,000.00 - 100,000.00	GBP 81,900.00
6	Morigenes the Astrologer, Pseudo-Aristotle, Geber and others	A compendium of alchemical texts, in Latin, manuscript on vellum	c.1400	GBP 12,000.00 - 18,000.00	GBP 75,600.00
18	Manuel Chrysoloras (c.1350-1415)	Erotemata, in Greek, decorated manuscript on paper	final quarter 15th century	GBP 15,000.00 - 20,000.00	GBP 60,480.00
3	John of Freiburg (c.1250-1314)	Summa confessorum, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum	first quarter 14th century	GBP 30,000.00 - 50,000.00	GBP 50,400.00
112	Homer (c. 8th century BCE)	Commentary on the Iliad:] Homeri interpres pervetustus, in Greek, edited by Janus Lascaris (1445-1535).	1517	GBP 50,000.00 - 80,000.00	GBP 50,400.00
103	HERMES TRISMEGISTUS (ascribed to)	De potestate et sapientia Dei [Pimander], translated by Marsilius Ficinus (1433-1499).	18 December 1471	GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00	GBP 44,100.00
20		Book of Hours, use of Nevers, in French and Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum	c.1495-1500	GBP 30,000.00 - 50,000.00	GBP 40,320.00
145	GOULD, John (1804-1881)	The Birds of Great Britain.	1862-1873	GBP 30,000.00 - 50,000.00	GBP 40,320.00
109	SOPHOCLES (c. 496-406 BCE)	Tragaediae Septem cum commentariis, in Greek.	August 1502	GBP 8,000.00 - 12,000.00	GBP 37,800.00

High Bids Win
Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
and Machine Manuals
December 24 to January 9

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Ellis Smith Prints unsigned. 20” by 16”.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: United typothetae of America presidents. Pictures of 37 UTA presidents 46th annual convention United typothetae of America Cincinnati 1932.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec signed Paper Impressionism Art Prints. MayMilton 9 1/2” by 13” Reine de Joie 9 1/2” by 13”.

High Bids Win
Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
and Machine Manuals
December 24 to January 9

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Aberle’ Ballet editions. 108th triumph, American season spring and summer 1944.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Puss ‘n Boots. 1994 Charles Perrult All four are signed by Andreas Deja

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Specimen book of type faces. Job composition department, Philadelphia gazette publishing company .

High Bids Win
Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
and Machine Manuals
December 24 to January 9

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: An exhibit of printed books, Bridwell library.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur Court By Mark Twain 1889.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 1963 Philadelphia Eagles official program.

High Bids Win
Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
and Machine Manuals
December 24 to January 9

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 8 - Esquire the magazine for men 1954.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: The American printer, July 1910.

High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Leaves of grass 1855 by Walt Whitman.
Sotheby's
Fine Books, Manuscripts & More
Available for Immediate Purchase

Sotheby’s: William Shakespeare.
The Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare, 1960. 7,210 USD

Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens.
A Christmas Carol, First Edition, 1843. 17,500 USD

Sotheby’s: William Golding.
Lord of the Flies, First Edition, 1954. 5,400 USD

Sotheby's
Fine Books, Manuscripts & More
Available for Immediate Purchase

Sotheby’s: Lewis Carroll.
Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, Inscribed First Edition, 1872. 25,000 USD

Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Hobbit, First Edition, 1937. 12,000 USD

Sotheby’s: John Milton.
Paradise Lost, 1759. 5,400 USD