Rare $15,000 Harry Potter Defeats Dante’s Inferno In London
From Paul Frazer Collectibles - a great resource for all things collectible:
Dark forces were at work at Bloomsbury’s auction, featuring works by Dante and J K Rowling
Bloomsbury's sale of rare books last Thursday May 13 (English & Continental Literature, History and other Antiquarian Books; Modern First Editions) took on a surprisingly dark side with witchcraft and hell showing a hold over the sale.
Or at least that might be the interpretation of some, as the two books which proved most covetable to the assembled audience, separated by several centuries and much else, were first editions of a work by Dante and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
The best performer of the sale was certainly the first edition, first issue of the small format version of DivinaCommedia, Le Terze Rime (The Inferno). The issue was bound with 18th century vellum over boards, spine with blind-stamped compartments and a dark green gilt leather label, lightly soiled.
Dante's Divine Comedy
The copy includes the error of displaying Dante's second name as 'Alaghieri' (rather than Alighieri) on the verso of sub-title. It was previously the property of Joseph Smith, British Consul at Venice (1744-1760) who had a great passion for collecting rare books and manuscripts and printed lavish, limited edition books himself.
Estimated at £3,000-4,000, the work sold for £9,760.
The top lot for the sale however was a rare hard cover edition of J K Rowling's classic Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Only a few hundred of these were ever released and, as these were intended for libraries, most are in a somewhat dilapidated condition.
Not only does the copy sold at Bloomsbury not have any but the most trivial wear-and-tear marks, but it also escaped the usual library markings, pocketing and stamps. It was given a guide price of £12,000-18,000, and sold for £14,640 to a delighted collector.
Potter fans may wish to know that a first edition of The Philosopher's Stone, signed by J K Rowling, is currently available, as is a rare, unpublished work by her.
Mount Vernon Returns Copy Of Rare Book Borrowed By George Washington In 1789 To The New York Society Library
A small missing piece of American history came home on May 19 after 221 years: a copy of a book borrowed by the first President of the United States was returned to the library from which he borrowed it in New York City.
In October 1789, The New York Society Library, New York City's oldest library, shared a building with the federal government in Federal Hall, at Wall and Broad Streets in lower Manhattan. The Library's collection was used by Members of Congress, the Cabinet and the President himself. According to the Library's meticulous borrowing records or what is called a "charging ledger," President Washington took out The Law of Nations by Emer de Vattel on October 5, 1789. The book was not returned, nor any overdue book fine paid.
Earlier this year the New York Society Library completed restoration of its 1789-1792 charging ledger, which will be available to the public in a digital version on its website in the fall of 2010. The ledger features the borrowing history of Washington, John Adams, John Jay, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, George Clinton, James Duane, and over 450 other New Yorkers. The Library also conducted an inventory of books mentioned in the ledger and confirmed that the book checked out by President Washington was still missing.
Although this was a well-kept secret at the Library for years, it became public recently in an article in The New York Daily News. A few days after learning of the situation, staff at Washington's home in Virginia, Mount Vernon, offered to replace Vattel's Law of Nations with another copy of the same edition. To observe this auspicious occasion, the Library hosted a ceremony on May 19 at 11 a.m. at which Mount Vernon's President, James C. Rees, and Librarian, Joan Stahl, presented the errant volume to Charles G. Berry, Chairman of the Library's Board of Trustees and Mark Bartlett, Head Librarian. The event took place in the Members' Room at the building the Library has occupied since 1937.
Mount Vernon's kind gesture shows their appreciation for maintaining a library's collection for posterity. They are in the process of establishing a library of their own: as the nation's first and only center for amassing and disseminating knowledge about Washington, the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington will safeguard Washington's books and manuscripts, serve as a scholarly retreat, create educational outreach programs on Washington, and provide seminars and training programs with a special focus on Washington's leadership. Construction of the 45,000 square foot facility is expected to begin in early 2011, with a completion date in 2012.
The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation has pledged $38 million to Mount Vernon for the creation of this library. As the longtime chairman of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, Fred W. Smith has championed a number of projects related to George Washington. The Foundation's gift is the largest in the history of Mount Vernon, which ranks as the oldest and most visited national preservation project in America.
Rare Book Dealers To Become Rarer Still
Rosemary Sorensen From: The Australian May 22, 2010 12:00AM
THOSE who love books as beautiful objects of cultural history should not be afraid of e-books but embrace the impending change to digital publishing as a good thing.
"There are already too many books," rare book dealer Rick Gekoski said yesterday at the Sydney Writers' Festival.
"If half of them die, that's good."
Mr Gekoski, an American who has a tiny bookshop in London, has bought and sold inscribed first editions of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, James Joyce's Ulysses and "everything by Graham Greene".
He spoke at the festival yesterday with Australia's pre-eminent rare book dealer, Nicholas Pounder, and both agreed the e-reader was an unpleasant way to read a book, but "very practical" for temporarily storing books you did not want to keep.
"It will become harder and harder for the big publishing companies to publish quality things for niche audiences," Mr Gekoski said. "But people are already hiving off and starting up small independent presses, which will start to create quality books for niche markets."
Mr Gekoski said it took Joyce 17 years to find a mainstream publisher, after the publication of his first book by a small press in 1907.
Those editions, which now sell for many thousands of dollars, were "just books", Mr Gekoski said. "Once a book is beautifully produced, it's almost a sign no one wants them. I'm interested in a big book, with a big cultural moment and a big narrative behind it."
Collectors of first editions of important books tended to be middle-aged men, Mr Gekoski said, and he was concerned that collectors would disappear.
"I am very concerned that 20-year-olds, who are used to e-books and reading on iPhones, do not have a communal reading life," he said.
[Top]Decades Later, ‘Boy of the Border’ Gets Its Due - Newly Published Langston Hughes
Entertainment Weekly - El Paso
By Dan Lambert
Poet and prose writer Langston Hughes, who died in 1967, is having a new, “Boy of the Border,” published from a manuscript that sat for nearly three quarters of a century among his papers at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
How did it get unearthed and published by El Paso’s Sweet Earth Flying Press?
The book is a collaboration between Arna Bontemps and Langston Hughes – both prolific black writers and good friends.
Hughes, born in 1902, is famous for his part in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. The duo teamed up to do a number of children’s books during the first half of the 20th century. Part of “Boy of the Border” had seen the light of day in July of 1956 in Jack and Jill magazine as a 10-page, condensed “Broncos over the Border.”
Sweet Earth Flying Press is co-owned by writers Sondra Banfield Dailey and Dr. Maceo Dailey. She is the publisher; he is the editor.
Dr. Dailey – history professor, director of African American Studies at UTEP, and Sondra’s husband – was going over letters exchanged between Hughes and Bontemps, one in particular from an August 1955 letter in which Bontemps was reminding Hughes of the “Boy of the Border” manuscript, which never got published.
“My husband contacted Dr. Arnold Rampersad, the principal biographer of Langston Hughes, who confirmed that the unpublished manuscript was among the Langston Hughes papers at Yale,” Sondra Dailey says.
Why wasn’t this book by two famous authors published all those years ago? Sondra Dailey explains that there is not much documented evidence to answer the question, but “given the traditions and trends of the 1930s, it is not a stretch to assume that publishers were not interested in a positive story about Mexicans.”
Hughes was introduced to Mexico while visiting his father there as a child. Hughes and Bontemps wrote two books featuring Mexican characters: “The Pasteboard Bandit,” published posthumously in 1997, and “Boy of the Border.” They wrote books for children – children of color in particular – that exposed them to the positive aspects of new lands and new peoples.
“I think that it is significant to note that during the early 20th century, when American society was so segregated, you had two brilliant black writers whose vision for children’s literature was so universal, not limited to the American black community,” Sondra Dailey says.
So what was it like coming face to face with this long-in-hiding manuscript?
Sondra Dailey, on her first of two research trips to Yale, was given a box of Langston Hughes papers, which she had to dig through to find the manuscript.
“Finding and holding the manuscript was thrilling, like uncovering a treasure,” she says. “It was typed, but it was exciting to see the actual handwritten notes by the two authors in the margins.”
She says many revered these two writers, including her parents, who introduced her to their work when she was a young girl.
Two well-known El Paso artists worked on the book, the father/son team of Antonio Castro L., who did the illustrations, and his son Antonio Castro H., a UTEP graphics design professor. Through sepia-toned drawings and a period-looking layout, you feel like you’re holding a treasure from the 1930s.
The first printing of 2,500 copies of Boy of the Border is almost depleted, and the publisher will be scheduling a second run soon, Dailey says
READ MORE
[Top]Building Your Custom Library - Now I HAVE Seen It All
Juniper Books Custom Collections provides a unique offering to property owners and interior designers. We assemble complete book collections for your home library - from dozens to thousands of volumes - fully customized based upon the interests, design preference, and budget of each client.
Juniper Books Custom Collections provides a unique offering to property owners and interior designers. We assemble complete book collections for your home library - from dozens to thousands of volumes - fully customized based upon the interests, design preference, and budget of each client.
Whether you want to build a collection of leather bound literary classics, a wall of books in a particular color and/or binding style, or just a few shelves with good quality histories and biographies, Juniper Books can design a home library for you. Our knowledge of literature, history and art is broad, our sources for new, out-of-print and antique books are diverse, and our creativity and understanding of the aesthetic possibilities of books are boundless.
Need to fill your shelves quickly? Rush orders are no problem. We ship books everywhere in the world. Our clients include homeowners, yachts, interior designers, architects, model home designers, restaurants, hotels, spas, luxury apartment buildings and retail stores.
To request a quote please e-mail thatcher@juniperbooks.com or call 303-946-1494.
While these folks design with the erhmmmm Designer in mind, they are apparently able to assemble an actual collection based on type of literature you prefer as one of their images showed Persian Poetry.
[Top]What Do Vanity Fine Press Editions Mean To Book Collectors
Small Press Offers a New and Unique Publishing Service
The following Press Release is about an "vanity fine press book publisher" that prints "on demand" limited edition books of all types. What about it folks? Will these books become collectible? Will that depend solely on the author, publisher, production number and popularity of or topic of the book? Will it be a "step-child" of the collectible world? You tell me... Here is the Press Rlease:
In its relatively short existence, unique vanity publisher Family Editions is attracting a lot of attention.
Launched Easter 2006, Family Editions Publishing offers vanity self-publishing with a unique twist. The new imprint is the first and only service specializing in creating one-of-a-kind private keepsakes, heirlooms, and mementoes for its clients.
These cherished heirlooms come in the form of exclusive, books that are professionally printed and bound. The company offers many styles and colour formats with this service in order to provide a finished product that is right for any client. The printing is done on demand through parent company Open Book Press. The company offers many affordable packages and deals grouping basic book packages with extra services in order to offer clients the most out of their unique publishing experience.
The attention generated by this service is because of the distinctive adaptable features available making each and every book unique and one-of-a-kind. Most vanity publishers target would-be writers looking to launch a writing career, and create a book that can be mass produced and sold to retail outlets. Family Editions takes a different approach. Instead of creating a product to be sold as a retail commercial venture, Family Editions takes the clients own photos, thoughts, memories, art, writing and creates a unique and personal book. The book produced is of equal quality to any retail book, but kept as a personal family heirloom and keepsake, unique to that client.
The idea stems from a book written by company co-owner Mike Gagnon, as a tribute to his grandfather. Originally meant as a service to create memorials or books in tribute of loved ones, the idea has caught on with artists looking to create a unique portfolio, Newlyweds looking for a one-of-a-kind wedding album, and others who want to immortalize loved ones and special occasions. Response to Family Editions has created a new niche service in the publishing industry that so far, only Family Editions fills.
Anyone can create their own custom, limited edition book collecting their own thoughts and memories for as little as $149.99 U.S. or $209.95 Canadian. Service will also be available to the UK, with appropriate pricing soon to come. For more details and pricing packages see the new Web site recently launched at www.familyeditions.com or call Family Editions Publishing at 519-396-6145
[Top]Frank Frazetta Dies At 82; Renowned Fantasy Illustrator
His covers for "Conan" paperbacks and others in the 1960s set the standard for sword-and-sorcery-genre artwork.
Frank Frazetta, the fantasy painter and illustrator whose images of sinewy warriors and lush vixens graced paperback novels, album covers and comic books for decades and became something close to the contemporary visual definition of the sword-and-sorcery genres, died Monday after suffering a stroke the night before. He was 82.
Frazetta had gone out to dinner with his daughters Sunday and then had a stroke at his home in Boca Grande, Fla. He died at Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Fla., his manager Rob Pistella told the Associated Press.
"He's going to be remembered as the most renowned fantasy illustrator of the 20th century," Pistella said.
Frazetta's most famous works were in oil, but his canvases were rarely seen in museums; instead his legacy was defined by barbarians and warlocks who reached out to readers from book covers on dime-store spinner racks. But as comic books and fantasy entertainment gained a wider audience in the 1970s and '80s, Frazetta became a brand name and his original artwork became a sensation. Last November, one of his pieces, a berserk battlefield image that graced a "Conan the Conqueror" paperback, sold for $1 million to a private collector.
John Milius, the screenwriter whose credits include "Apocalypse Now," "Clear and Present Danger" and "Red Dawn," was the director and co-writer of "Conan the Barbarian," the 1982 film that was based on the warrior character created by pulp writer Robert E. Howard in 1932. Milius said Monday that it was Frazetta's muscular paintings of Conan that defined the character for him and modern generations of fans.
"Not that I could ever redo Frazetta on film — he created a world and a mood that are impossible to simulate — but my goal in 'Conan the Barbarian' was to tell a story that was shaped by Frazetta and Wagner," Milius said.
Frazetta was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 9, 1928. By age 8, he was studying at the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Art. One of his key influences was Hal Foster, the great comic-strip artist whose "Tarzan" became a compass point for Frazetta's own jungle scenes.
By 16, Frazetta was working in the booming field of illustration in New York. He toiled under Al Capp on "Li'l Abner" and on his own strip, "Johnny Comet," in the early 1950s. In comic books, he worked on "The Shining Knight" and a western hero called "Ghost Rider," but his fame would come with a paintbrush and in a more sensual sector when, in the 1960s, he began painting covers for paperbacks and magazines.
It was his covers for the "Conan" paperbacks of the 1960s, especially, that created a new overheated vision of fantasy realms. Later in life he told an interviewer that he didn't find his strange beasts, sullen warriors or buxom maidens in the text of the books he fronted with his art.
"I didn't read any of it," Frazetta said. "I drew him my way. It was really rugged. And it caught on. I didn't care about what people thought. People who bought the books never complained about it. They probably didn't read them."
Perhaps, but the readers of those Conan books — as well as the "Tarzan" and "John Carter Warlord of Mars" novels that Frazetta famously painted covers for — said they found the words and pictures melded with a resonant power.
Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-nominated co-writer of "Pan's Labyrinth," which he also directed along with the "Hellboy" films, said that Frazetta was nothing less than "an Olympian artist that defined fantasy art for the 20th century." The filmmaker, reached Monday in New Zealand where he is working on a two-film adaptation of " The Hobbit," said Frazetta's influence is difficult to explain to people outside the fantasy world, just as Norman Rockwell would be an elusive figure to define for someone unfamiliar with the U.S. heartland.
[Top]Watch as Picasso Painting Sets Record For Art Sold At Auction: $106.5 Million
Christie's New York sold Pablo Picasso's bold 1932 portrait of his lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust," for $106.5 million, making it the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction.
Picasso had originally picked up Marie-Thérèse Walter outside the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette when she was 17. When this painting was made, she was 22 and Picasso 50.
This series of the blond, athletic Walter tend to be bright, enthusiastic works full of foliage and energy.
The painting came from the estate of Frances Brody, the Los Angeles arts patron who died last year at age 93. Her husband Sidney, a real estate developer, died in 1983. The estate consigned this Picasso to Christie's along with some 80 other artworks. The most valuable pieces, including sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, went up for auction Tuesday night; the remainder are slated for Wednesday morning.
Ms Brody's primary heir appears to be the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, where she served on the board of overseers for 20 years.
The winning bid came from a telephone bidder whose name is unknown at this point. Bids for the artwork came from all over the world according to Christies.
As many of my regular readers know, I am of the firm belief that the worlds of art and book collecting are linked in market fluctuations. As the new season of auctions continues, it will be a strong indicator for the world of collectible books.
[Top]Collection Of Fruit Goes Down Well At Book Sale
From Paul Fraser Collectibles (an excellent source for news about all types of collectibles):
George Brookshaw's masterpiece, Pomona Britannica brought $65,000 at a New York sale
At Bloomsbury Auctions recent New York sale of Books and Manuscripts, most eyes were on the rare first edition of W B Yeats's first poem which brought $60,000. The issue of Mosada belonged to the Yeats family, providing a memorabilia factor to the collectible book.
However, for a few bidders this was not the most exciting text on offer, and indeed the top lot status went to another book.
George Brookshaw's Pomona Britannica (a collection of the most esteemed fruits at present cultivated in this country) was published in 1812, and a rare first edition was on offer in the sale.
In 1777, George Brookshaw began his career as a London cabinet-maker whose finest neo-classical pieces were adorned with painted landscapes, figural medallions and floral decoration.
Despite his great early success, Brookshaw's work declined, and he re-invented himself as a botanical artist. His masterpiece, the Pomona Britannica, wasissued in parts beginning in 1804, and the complete book was first published in 1812.
Described as the most important English work on fruit, Brookshaw's text contains 90 plates which depict over 250 varieties of cherries (7 plates), plums and apricots (10), peaches and nectarines (15), pineapples (5), grapes (17), melons (9), pears and apples (7).
These were found by Brookshaw in the Royal Gardens at Hampton Court and Kensington Gardens as well as other celebrated orchards and collections mentioned in the accompanying text.
A bidder paid $65,000 - close to the top estimate of $70,000 for the fine and valuable work.
[Top]Insure Your Collection - Before It Is Too Late!
After posting the news about the fire that destroyed the bookstore yesterday, I searched for "collectibles insurance" using quite a few different keywords and came up with very little. Then I remembered the folks at Collectibles Insurance Services, LLC and asked them for a summary of their services. What they sent is not targeted specifically for book collections but book collections are certainly among the things they cover. The information is good and whether you decide to contact them or try to find your own insurer, the information will be helpful. (I have no relationship with these folks - I make no "commission" if you use their services... I just wanted you to know they are out there and their services - or others like theirs if you can find them - are a very good idea for any collector). Not that money could possibly replace your collection but it would certainly help you to build another should fire, flood, robbery or natural disaster damage or destroy your collection... Here is the info they sent:
If you watch the news, you know unexpected tragedies like burglaries, fires and natural disasters happen every day. But what may be even more unexpected to some victims is finding out most homeowners insurance does not adequately cover their cherished collections.
Let’s take a closer look at the facts and identify the steps you need to take to keep yourself from becoming a victim twice.
Why homeowners insurance is not nearly enough
Designed to protect personal property, homeowners insurance is probably insufficient to safeguard your collection. Homeowners insurance usually limits three things:
1. Personal property coverage to a percentage of the residence value;
2. Personal property while it is away from your residence; and
3. The amount payable for theft of valuable items like silver, crystal, guns, and stamps.
Even if your collection is covered, you may not be able to make a claim unless you have your collection listed on a schedule. Claims settlement may be based on actual cash value rather than the replacement value of the collectible. Finally, losses caused by flood, hurricane and earthquake may not be covered under the terms of your homeowner’s policy.
If you are utilizing your homeowner’s policy to cover your collectibles, be sure to call your agent or insurance representative to discuss the coverage available under your policy. Put your understanding of the coverage in writing and request a written acknowledgment and comments.
What to look for in a policy
The best way to protect yourself is with a separate policy specifically designed to insure collectibles. Seven important areas to consider are:
1. Blanket coverage. Broader and more comprehensive than named peril insurance, blanket coverage provides for most causes of loss unless specifically excluded.
2. Thorough coverage. Some carriers break coverage for crime down into three types: burglary, theft and robbery. Be sure your policy provides coverage for all three types of crime. If you live in an area prone to natural disasters like earthquake, hurricanes or floods, consider a policy that covers these types of losses. In general, look for a policy that provides coverage for natural catastrophes when available.
3. Travel coverage. Sooner or later you will need to travel with your collectibles. Your collectible policy should allow you to travel with a portion of your collection.
4. Shipping and mailing coverage. Today more and more collectibles are being purchased on the Internet. Make sure your coverage is worldwide and allows use of shippers such as FedEx and UPS and the U.S. Postal Service registered or express mail.
5. Automatic increases. Some policies provide for additions to your collection or
increases in value by offering an automatic coverage increase provision. This is
especially important for active collectors or collectibles that appreciate rapidly.
6. Appraisal requirements. Your insurance carrier should not require an appraisal—which can be costly and burdensome—unless the collectibles are very unusual or valuable. You should estimate and record the value of your collectibles utilizing your original purchase records, and other services such as price guides and grading services.
7. Scheduling requirements. Look for a policy that only requires you to list individual items over a certain value. Although a schedule may not be required at time of purchase, you should keep an inventory of your collection including purchase records and pictures/video. (See “Preparing for a claim.”)
How to determine the value of your collection
Make sure your collectibles are not valued at cost or depreciated value; in most cases collectibles appreciate rather than depreciate in value. Collectibles should be valued for insurance purposes at replacement value, or the cost of acquiring similar quantities and quality of collectibles.
Not sure what your collection is worth?
There are a number of free and for-fee on line resources you can use as starting points, including Kovels.com, WhatsItWorthtoYou.com (also wiw2u.com), PriceMiner.com, and Prices4antiques.com.
Preparing for a claim
In the event that tragedy strikes, you can expedite matters and maximize your claim by taking a few simple steps:
1. Create and maintain an inventory of your collection. Having a current inventory helps you and the insurance carrier substantiate the value of the claim.
2. Take pictures or video of your collection and keep them with your inventory. When taking photos or video, be sure to capture any and all markings that will authenticate the piece.
3. Keep purchase records such as receipts and invoices. If possible, scan these records to a computer so you have electronic copies.
4. Keep a copy of your inventory, pictures/video and purchase records in a secure, secondary location from where your collection is housed, such as a safe deposit box or e-mail or save them to your work computer. Not sure how to get started inventorying your collection? Check out www.iTaggit.com or www.collectify.com for inventory services developed for collectors.
Understanding exclusions
Virtually all insurance policies feature common exclusions such as governmental seizure or destruction of property, war and nuclear. Other exclusions common to collectibles policies include gradual deterioration such as fading, creasing, denting; nesting, infestation or discharge or release of waste products or secretions by insects, rodents or other animals; dampness or dryness of atmosphere; changes in or extremes of temperature other than fire; fraudulent, dishonest or criminal acts; voluntary parting with covered property; loss or
damage while being worked on by you or others working on your behalf. Because exclusions vary by policy, it’s important to read your policy closely to understand what is covered and excluded.
You’ve spent years building your one-of-a-kind collection. Now take a few moments to protect it. Don’t take the chance of becoming a victim twice.
About Collectibles Insurance Services, LLC:
Since 1966, Collectibles Insurance Services has been “insuring today’s treasures from tomorrow’s tragedy” and offers specialized policies to cover most types of collections for a wide range of losses. For more information, call Collectibles Insurance toll-free at 888-837-9537 or visit www.collectinsure.com.
[Top]