Chris Coover, Senior Specialist of the Books and Manuscripts department, said: “This 150-lot auction featured items from the private collection of noted philanthropist Albert H. Small. The results confirmed that buyers are astute and selective, but willing to bid aggressively for items of significance and rarity. This trend was best shown by the record prices realized for original landscape designs by Humphry Repton (1752-1818). Repton’s so-called “Red Book” of original watercolor renderings for Gaines Hall in Huntington, 1798, more than doubled its pre-sale estimate and sold for $200,500. A fine copy of the 1663 edition of William Shakespeare works, known as the third folio, made a strong $374,500. A series of American presidential letters and documents sold well, including a memoranda of John F. Kennedy on Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which brought $25,000; a letter of George Washington as President to James Madison, 1789, sold for $86,500.”
Important Books & Americana from The Albert H. Small Collection
New York – Friday, May 18, 2012
Sale no: 2655 – Top Ten
[All sold prices include buyer’s premium]
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Sold:
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$2,963,750
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£1,867,162
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€2,341,362
|
|
Lots Sold: 111
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Lots Offered: 150
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Sold by Lot: 74%
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Sold by $: 76%
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|
Exchange Rate: £0.63 = $1/ €0.79 = $1
|
|
Lot
|
Description
|
Estimate ($)
|
Purchase Price
|
Buyer
|
|
56
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William Shakespeare, Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. Published according to the true Original Copies. Unto which is added, Seven Plays, never before Printed in Folio, London, 1664
|
350,000 - 500,000
|
$374,500
£235,935
€295,855
|
US Trade
|
|
6
|
John James Audubon and Rev. John Bachman, The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, New York, 1845
|
200,000 - 300,000
|
$362,500
£228,375
€286,375
|
US Trade
|
|
53
|
David Roberts and George Croly, The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia, London, 1842-1849
|
200,000 - 300,000
|
$242,500
£152,775
€191,575
|
US Private
|
|
44
|
Humphry Repton, "Red Book" for "Gaines-Hall in Huntingtonsre: a Seat of James Duberley Esqr.", 1798
|
50,000 - 70,000
|
$200,500
£126,315
€158,395
|
UK Private
|
|
137
|
Paul Revere, The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King Street, Boston, on March 5th 1770, by Party of the 29th Regt., Boston, March 1770
|
120,000 - 180,000
|
$146,500
£92,295
€115,735
|
US Trade
|
|
31
|
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Hammersmith, 8 May 1896
|
120,000 - 180,000
|
$140,500
£88,515
€110,995
|
US Trade
|
|
74
|
Alexander GARDNER, Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the War, Washington, 1865-1866
|
100,000 - 150,000
|
$122,500
£77,175
€96,775
|
US Trade
|
|
|
40
|
Humphry Repton, "Red Books" for "Mogenhanger in Bedfordshire a Seat of Godfrey Thornton Esq.", 1792
|
50,000 - 70,000
|
$116,500
£73,395
€92,035
|
UK Private
|
|
38
|
Humphry Repton, "Red Books" for "Sunning Hill, Berkshire the Seat of Ias [James] Sibbald Esqr.", 1790
|
30,000 - 50,000
|
$104,500
£65,835
€82,555
|
UK Private
|
|
129
|
Pennsylvania-Maryland Boundary Dispute, In Chancery. [...] Upon a Bill [...] for setling the Boundarys of the Province of Pensilvania, the Three Lower Countys, and the Province of Maryland, London, circa 1743
|
50,000 - 70,000
|
$86,500
£54,495
€68,335
|
US Trade
|
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*Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price - see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are reported net of applicable fees.