Content retrieved from: https://www.auctionninja.com/waterbury-auction-gallery/sales/details/book-may-26-1407.html?sort=bids&name=&lotno=&view=20&show=#items.
Auction 1407 presents a diverse and richly curated selection of literary and historical artifacts, drawing attention to both major first editions and esoteric corners of publishing history. Among the highlights is a complete 1919 first edition of H. G. Wells’s Outline of History, a monumental attempt to narrate human history from a universal perspective. Its completeness and early printing make it a cornerstone for collectors of 20th-century thought and global historiography. Wells’s influence on popularizing science and history through accessible prose is well documented, and this edition exemplifies that mission.
The sale also includes standout examples from the fine press movement, notably an early Limited Editions Club printing of The Four Gospels, signed by designer Emil Rudolf Weiss. This piece, marked by its typographic elegance and restrained aesthetic, speaks to the craftsmanship of interwar European book arts and the LEC’s role in democratizing fine printing in America. The colophon, initialed by Weiss himself, confirms its place as a prized item for bibliophiles who value artistic collaboration in publishing.
A striking counterpoint to these canonical works is provided by John Davenport’s 1875 Curiositates Eroticae, one of the sale’s more provocative lots. This anthology of erotic and anthropological treatises exemplifies the 19th-century fascination with sexuality under the veneer of academic inquiry. Often printed in small runs and circulated discreetly, such books are valued today not only for their rarity but also for the insight they offer into the boundaries of Victorian discourse and censorship.
Finally, the auction includes vibrant ephemera such as hand-colored Victorian comic plates titled Silver Voice: A Fairy Tale. These humorous, visually engaging prints reflect the whimsy and moral playfulness of the period’s popular entertainment. Their survival in such condition is unusual, making them a highlight for collectors of children’s literature, illustration, and Victorian-era graphic arts.