USIANA.com is an independent, collector-focused platform for rare books, paper, ephemera, fine prints, and cultural objects, designed as a curated gateway to the auctions conducted by Waterbury Auction Gallery. While AuctionNinja handles bidding, registration, and logistics, USIANA provides the editorial and visual layer that highlights historically and artistically significant material for beginners and serious collectors.
The site is operated jointly by Donato “Dan” Gaeta, proprietor of John Bale Books, and Denis Gouey, bookbinder and researcher. Together, they combine deep trade experience with scholarly attention to detail, institutional and private collecting, and hands-on engagement with historical books and manuscripts.
Our philosophy is straightforward: books belong in collectors’ hands at realistic prices. For that reason, we deliberately start bidding at low opening prices. We do not inflate estimates or force outcomes — we let the market decide. This transparent, no-reserve approach encourages broad participation, genuine price discovery, and fair opportunity for all bidders.
The strength of this model is reflected in our community: over 70% of our bidders are repeat customers. Many return sale after sale, not only because of pricing, but because of trust — trust in accurate descriptions, honest presentation, and respectful engagement with both material and collectors.
USIANA mirrors and expands upon listings from Waterbury Auction Gallery by offering:
- Clear, collector-oriented presentation pages highlighting representative lots.
- Integrated links back to full catalogs on AuctionNinja.
- Curated photography, historical context, and descriptive insight that go beyond standard auction listings.
We also provide in-house shipping, an assurance of careful packaging and prompt fulfillment — a level of service that many regional houses do not offer.
Dan Gaeta brings decades of experience as a bookseller and dealer, with particular strengths in Americana, literature, and general antiquarian material. Through John Bale Books, he has worked extensively with collectors, libraries, and auction houses, emphasizing meticulous description and market knowledge.
Denis Gouey contributes a background rooted in bookbinding and historical research, with a long-standing interest in manuscripts, provenance, and the physical history of books. His work bridges scholarship and practice, combining archival research with an understanding of structure, binding, and production.
USIANA.com reflects this shared approach — practical, informed, and independent. It exists as both a resource and a venue for collectors, researchers, and anyone passionate about the survival, circulation, and continuing relevance of books and related material.