Books & Manuscripts
Christie's holds the world auction record price for any book, $8.8 million for Audubon's Birds of America (March 2000) and for any manuscript, for Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Hammer ($30.8 million; October 1994). In fact, Christie's holds the world auction record in virtually every collecting category of books and manuscripts, including those for incunabula, literature, illuminated manuscripts, children's books, natural history, and a library. Over the past five years, a Christie's team of highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable specialists has secured more than half of the global book auction market by value.
Upcoming Sales from this department
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Oct 2009 1 2pm
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Nov 2009 19 10:30am & 2pm
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Nov 2009 24 2pm
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Nov 2009 27 3pm
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Dec 2009 3 10:30am
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Dec 2009 4 10am
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Dec 2009 4 2pm
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Dec 2009 10 2pm
Department Contact Info
Specialist Profiles
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Francis Wahlgren
International Department Head
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London
Margaret FordDepartment Head
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Rupert Neelands
Senior Specialist and Auctioneer
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Kay Sutton
Senior Specialist, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts
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Thomas Venning
Specialist and Director, Autographs, Manuscripts and Archives
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Sven Becker
Specialist, Associate Director
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Susannah Morris
Specialist
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Julian Wilson
Specialist
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Jane Flower
International Specialist Consultant
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Catherine Reynolds
International Specialist Consultant
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Dr. Moshe Brown
International Specialist, Judaica and Hebraica
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Nicolas Martineau
Specialist
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New York
Thomas LeckySpecialist Head
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Chris Coover
Senior Specialist, Manuscripts and Americana
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Ian Ehling
Senior Specialist
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Melanie Halloran
Specialist
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Patrick Mcgrath
Specialist
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Paris
Christoph AuvermannDepartment Head
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Patricia de Fougerolle
Senior Specialist
London Contacts
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Francis Wahlgren
International Department Head -
Margaret Ford
Department Head -
Rupert Neelands
Senior Specialist and Auctioneer -
Kay Sutton
Senior Specialist, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts -
Thomas Venning
Specialist and Director, Autographs, Manuscripts and Archives -
Sven Becker
Specialist, Associate Director -
Julian Wilson
Specialist -
Annegret Pettigrew
Specialist -
Nicholas Martineau
Specialist -
Stephanie Guerit
General Inquiriessguerit@christies.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7389 2153
Fax: +44 (0)20 7976 2832
Susannah Morris
SpecialistMilan Contacts
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Francis Wahlgren
International Department Head
New York Contacts
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Francis Wahlgren
International Department Head -
Thomas Lecky
Specialist Head -
Chris Coover
Senior Specialist, Manuscripts and Americana -
Ian Ehling
Senior Specialist -
Patrick McGrath
Specialist -
Melanie Halloran
Specialist -
General Inquiries
Tel: +1 212 636 2665
Fax: +1 212 636 4928
Paris Contacts
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Francis Wahlgren
International Department Head -
Christoph Auvermann
Department Head -
Patricia de Fougerolle
Specialist -
Philippine Lhermitte
Specialist -
General Inquiries
Tel: +33 (0)1 40 76 85 99
Fax: +33 (0)1 40 76 86 04
Zürich Contacts
Exceptional Prices
Gerard David, Ghent or Bruges
The Rothschild Prayerbook
Book of Hours, use of Rome, c. 1505
Price realized: £8,580,000
July 1999, London, King Street
World auction record for an illuminated manuscript
The Rothschild Prayerbook
Book of Hours, use of Rome, c. 1505
Price realized: £8,580,000
July 1999, London, King Street
World auction record for an illuminated manuscript
John James Audubon (1785-1851)
The Birds of America; from Original Drawings, London: 1827-1838
Price realized: $8,802,500
March 2000, New York
World auction record for a printed book
The Birds of America; from Original Drawings, London: 1827-1838
Price realized: $8,802,500
March 2000, New York
World auction record for a printed book
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Comedies, Tragedies & Histories
London: Printed by Isaac Jaggard and Ed. Blount, 1623
The First Folio Edition of Shakespeare's plays
Price realized: $6,166,000
October 2001, New York
World auction record for a 17th century book
Comedies, Tragedies & Histories
London: Printed by Isaac Jaggard and Ed. Blount, 1623
The First Folio Edition of Shakespeare's plays
Price realized: $6,166,000
October 2001, New York
World auction record for a 17th century book
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Codex Hammer
Price realized: $30,802,500
October 1994, New York
World auction record for a manuscript
Codex Hammer
Price realized: $30,802,500
October 1994, New York
World auction record for a manuscript
Geoffrey Chaucer (1345-1400)
The Canterbury Tales, 1476 or 1477
Price realized: £4,621,500
July 1998, London, King Street
World auction record for an incunable
The Canterbury Tales, 1476 or 1477
Price realized: £4,621,500
July 1998, London, King Street
World auction record for an incunable
The Gutenberg Bible, Mainz
Price realized: $5,390,000
October 1987, New York
World auction record for a bible
Price realized: $5,390,000
October 1987, New York
World auction record for a bible
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
Autograph manuscript of his last public speech, 11 April 1865 Spelling out his reconstruction policy and containing the first public endorsement by any President of voting rights for African Americans
Price realized: $3,086,000
March 2002, New York
World auction record for any American historical document
Autograph manuscript of his last public speech, 11 April 1865 Spelling out his reconstruction policy and containing the first public endorsement by any President of voting rights for African Americans
Price realized: $3,086,000
March 2002, New York
World auction record for any American historical document
Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564)
Charles V's colored Vesalius
De humani corporis fabrica libri septem, 1543
Price realized: $1,652,500
March 1998, New York
World auction record for a medical book
Charles V's colored Vesalius
De humani corporis fabrica libri septem, 1543
Price realized: $1,652,500
March 1998, New York
World auction record for a medical book
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, ("Lewis Carrol") (1832-1898)
1865 suppressed Alice in Wonderland
Price realized: $1,542,500
March 1998, New York
World auction record for a children's book
1865 suppressed Alice in Wonderland
Price realized: $1,542,500
March 1998, New York
World auction record for a children's book
Marcel Proust (1871-1922)
A la recherche du temps perdu: Du côté de chez Swann
Fifty-two extensively revised first gallery proof sheets, 1913
Price realized: £663,750
July 2000, London, King Street
World auction record for a French literary manuscript
A la recherche du temps perdu: Du côté de chez Swann
Fifty-two extensively revised first gallery proof sheets, 1913
Price realized: £663,750
July 2000, London, King Street
World auction record for a French literary manuscript
Abraham Lincoln and Matthew Brady, publisher
Oval portrait photograph of Lincoln and his son "Tad," signed by Lincoln, taken by Anthony Berger on 9 February 1864
Price realized: $358,000
March 2002, New York
World auction record for a signed photograph
Oval portrait photograph of Lincoln and his son "Tad," signed by Lincoln, taken by Anthony Berger on 9 February 1864
Price realized: $358,000
March 2002, New York
World auction record for a signed photograph
Dundee Shipbuilders Company
29 proposals, linens and blueprints for the National Antarctic Exploring Vessel Discovery
Price realized: £163,000
September 2000, London, King Street
29 proposals, linens and blueprints for the National Antarctic Exploring Vessel Discovery
Price realized: £163,000
September 2000, London, King Street
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