Source : Harmsworth

Source Title The Harmsworth Trust Library (auctioned in portions)
Description Beginning in 1939 and continuing into 1953, the extraordinary library of Sir. R. Leicester Harmsworth was sold by Sotheby's of London. Sir Leicester (1870 - 1937), who lived during the golden age of valuable and important book acquisition, was a man born to meet the challenge of investing in materials of breathtaking scope. More than sixty-five years after his death a Google search still brings up pages of references to this wealthy and gifted man who pursued with total passion an extraordinary collection of printed materials.
Scope of Text In the this database there are records from a portion of the Harmsworth Library. But consider this. When the Americana portion of the library came to the block for the first time in 1948 the first catalogue (but number 15 of all his books auctioned) was entirely manuscripts. Americana would be sold in 19 parts divided by alphebetic letter. The second Americana sale was simply those items whose author or subject began with the letter B. Pity the poor man who wanted to buy a book by Zarate. For such a book you had to wait until the final Americana sale in 1953.
Total Records in AED 5068
  • <b><center>Sotheby's<br>Fine Books, Manuscripts & More<br>Available for Immediate Purchase</center></b> <b>Sotheby’s:</b> William Shakespeare.<br><i>The Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare,</i> 1960. 7,210 USD <b>Sotheby’s:</b> Charles Dickens.<br><i>A Christmas Carol,</i> First Edition, 1843. 17,500 USD <b>Sotheby’s:</b> William Golding.<br><i>Lord of the Flies,</i> First Edition, 1954. 5,400 USD <b><center>Sotheby's<br>Fine Books, Manuscripts & More<br>Available for Immediate Purchase</center></b> <b>Sotheby’s:</b> Lewis Carroll.<br><i>Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There,</i> Inscribed First Edition, 1872. 25,000 USD <b>Sotheby’s:</b> J.R.R. Tolkien.<br><i>The Hobbit,</i> First Edition, 1937. 12,000 USD <b>Sotheby’s:</b> John Milton.<br><i>Paradise Lost,</i> 1759. 5,400 USD
    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
  • <b><center>High Bids Win<br>Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines<br>and Machine Manuals<br>December 24 to January 9</b> <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> Ellis Smith Prints unsigned. 20” by 16”. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> United typothetae of America presidents. Pictures of 37 UTA presidents 46th annual convention United typothetae of America Cincinnati 1932. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec signed Paper Impressionism Art Prints. MayMilton 9 1/2” by 13” Reine de Joie 9 1/2” by 13”. <b><center>High Bids Win<br>Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines<br>and Machine Manuals<br>December 24 to January 9</b> <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> Aberle’ Ballet editions. 108th triumph, American season spring and summer 1944. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> Puss ‘n Boots. 1994 Charles Perrult All four are signed by Andreas Deja <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> Specimen book of type faces. Job composition department, Philadelphia gazette publishing company . <b><center>High Bids Win<br>Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines<br>and Machine Manuals<br>December 24 to January 9</b> <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> An exhibit of printed books, Bridwell library. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur Court By Mark Twain 1889. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> 1963 Philadelphia Eagles official program. <b><center>High Bids Win<br>Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines<br>and Machine Manuals<br>December 24 to January 9</b> <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> 8 - Esquire the magazine for men 1954. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> The American printer, July 1910. <b>High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9:</b> Leaves of grass 1855 by Walt Whitman.
    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.