Source : Freemans

Source Title Samuel T. Freeman Co.
Description On November 26, 1805, Tristram Bamfylde Freeman established his auction house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A fairly recent immigrant, having arrived from London at the age of 32 ten years earlier, Freeman specialized in selling wholesale goods that had arrived on the docks. Operating under the name T.M. Freeman, he soon expanded to real estate auctions as well.

By the later days of the 19th century, the auction business of Freeman's covered a wider range of goods. At that time, the name was changed to its current official moniker, Samuel T. Freeman & Co., though it often goes simply by the name "Freeman's." Today, Freeman's handles numerous categories, including art, furniture, books, prints, rugs, and jewelry. They produce around 30 auctions per year, including 3 put on by its Department of Rare Books, Manuscripts and Ephemera.

In 2005, Freeman's celebrated their 200th anniversary with an official proclamation from the city. It is believed to be America's oldest auction house, and amazingly enough, it is still run by Freemans, the family now in its seventh generation. It is considered a major regional auction house, and its location in Philadelphia assures a regular flow of important Americana. The firm has sold such items as an original (Dunlap) printing of the Declaration of Independence and the first public printing of the U.S. Constitution as it appeared in the Pennsylvania Packet.
Scope of Text
Total Records in AED 29808
  • Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: The "Hatfield" Apple-1 Computer in working condition, signed by Steve Wozniak with a letter signed by Steve Jobs. Estimate: $500,000-800,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: REICHARDT, JASIA; curator. Cybernetic Serendipity: The computer and the Arts. Portfolio and Catalogue. Estimate: $5,000-8,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: An Apple Lisa 1 Microcomputer. Estimate: $50,000-70,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: A rare Apple Paladin "All-In-One" computer prototype. Estimate: $40,000-60,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: 30th Anniversary "White OC" Edition Asus ROG Nvidia Astral Gegorce RTX 5090 signed by Jensen Huang. Estimate: $10,000-15,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: A clear plastic prototype Apple Macintosh Portable. Estimate: $10,000-15,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: An Apple Jolly Roger pirate flag. Estimate: $4,000-6,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: An Apple Newton messagepad engineering development notebook. Estimate: $4,000-6,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: A rare 1839 Jacquard-woven silk portrait of Joseph-Marie Jacquard. Estimate: $4,000-6,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: A clear plastic prototype Apple Macintosh Powerbook Duo dock with an Apple Powerbook Duo 280. Estimate: $3,000-4,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: A clear plastic prototype Macintosh 'Apollo' Classic II. Estimate: $3,000-5,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: WEIZENBAUM. Computer Power and Human Reason. 1976. Estimate: $1,500-2,500
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 14: An Apple Newton Messagepad with marketing display. Estimate: $1,000 - 1,500
  • Sotheby’s
    Reason and Revolution:
    Extraordinary Works from a Distinguished Private Collection
    Part I
    Live Sale 20 October
    Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Copernicus, Nicolaus. De revolutionibus orbium colestium, Nuremberg, 1543, first edition.
    Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Newton, Isaac, Sir. Autograph manuscript worksheet, Cambridge, probably May 1694.
    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.
  • Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
    October 24-25, 2026
    Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
    October 24-25, 2026
  • Gonnelli: Auction 72 Books, Autographs & Manuscripts October 6th-8th 2026
    Gonnelli: Document bearing Napoleon's autograph signature. 1797. Starting bid € 900
    Gonnelli: Manuscript Libro de giustitiati nella città di Ferrara. 1441-1717. Starting bid € 9.000
    Gonnelli: Anonymous Jewish Siddur in Hebrew. Germany, 15th century. Starting bid € 1.200
    Gonnelli: Auction 72 Books, Autographs & Manuscripts October 6th-8th 2026
    Gonnelli: Chagall, Drawings for the Bible. 1960 Starting bid € 1.200
    Gonnelli: Duchamp, Le Surrealisme en 1947. Starting bid € 2.600
    Gonnelli: Valturio, [De re militari]. 1483. Important provenance. Starting bid € 15.000
    Gonnelli: Auction 72 Books, Autographs & Manuscripts October 6th-8th 2026
    Gonnelli: Ketham, Fasciculus medicine. 1500. Starting bid € 10.000
    Gonnelli: Ketham, Fasciculus medicie. 1522. Starting bid € 10.000
    Gonnelli: Kepler, Harmonices mundi libri V. 1619. Starting bid € 15.000
    Gonnelli: Auction 72 Books, Autographs & Manuscripts October 6th-8th 2026
    Gonnelli: Kepler, Tabulae Rudolphinae. 1627. Starting bid € 8.000
    Gonnelli: Kondakov, ISTORIYA I PAMYATNIKI VIZANTIISKOI EMALI. [Histoire et monuments des emaux byzantins]. 1892. Starting price € 5.000
    Gonnelli: Strada, Imperatorum Romanorum. 1559. Starting bid € 12.000
  • Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: TASSO. La Gerusalemme Liberata. 1745. Estimate: $15,000-25,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: SAVAGE. Practical Hints on Decorative Printing... 1822. Estimate: $8,000-12,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: BEWICK. The Works... [1805-]1822. Estimate: $8.000-12,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: RÖSEL VON ROSENHOF. De natuurlyke historie der insecten... [1765–1788]. Estimate: $8.000-12,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: BOYS. Picturesque Architecture in Paris, Ghent, Antwerp, Rouen, etc. [1839]. Estimate: $8,000-12,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: HOLBEIN. Imitations of Original Drawings by Hans Holbein... 1792[-1800]. Estimate: $8.000-12,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: CRANACH PRESS. — SHAKESPEARE. Hamlet. 1928. Estimate: $7,000-10,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: SGRILLI. Descrizione della regia vila... 1742. Estimate: $6,000-9,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: The Coronation of King Louis XV. Le Sacre de Louis XV... 1731. Estimate: $6,000-9,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: NONESUCH PRESS. — DICKENS. The Works. 1937-8. Estimate: $6,000-9,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: CRAIG. Gordon Craig's Book of Penny Toys. 1899. Estimate: $5,000-8,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: FOULIS PRESS. — HOMER. The Iliad & The Odyssey. 1756-8. Estimate: $5,000-7,000
    Bonhams, Now thru Oct. 15: LA FONTAINE. Fables choises... 1755-1759. Estimate: $5,000-7,000