Category: Past auctions

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USIANA is pleased to announce its auction featuring an exceptional selection of rare books, historical maps, fine bindings, photography, and posters. This sale, centered on French culture and history, includes materials spanning the 17th to 20th centuries, offering significant literary, artistic, and historical pieces. Among the notable listings are a 1705 edition of Heures Nouvelles, a religious text with elaborate hand colored engravings, and an 1801 La Henriade by Voltaire, printed using Firmin Didot’s new stereotype method.

Additionally, the catalogue includes significant visual and artistic works, such as early copperplate engravings, fine book bindings, and hand-drawn illustrations also an important Alphonse Mucha print, Gismonda, for Sarah Bernhardt . Another noteworthy entry are two copperplate engravings of King Louis XIII from the mid-17th century and an oval miniature portrait of King Louis XVI signed Friedrich Jakob Hill . The auction also features historic maps and posters, including a large 1900 Panorama de Paris exposition map and a set of early 20th-century tourist maps published by the French government.

Photography also plays a prominent role in the collection, with a series of vintage Cannes Film Festival photographs taken by Mario Marquet in the 1950s. These images capture iconic figures such as Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Cary Grant, and Jean Cocteau, documenting a glamorous era in film history. Several images highlight festival moments, celebrity interactions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of cinematic history.

Lastly, the catalogue includes historical military documents, such as World War I and II requisition posters for mules and military personnel, along with a 1921 French military requisition order for vehicles. These artifacts provide insights into the logistical efforts of wartime France. Overall, the auction offers a diverse and valuable assortment of books, prints, photographs, and historical memorabilia that would appeal to collectors of fine art, literature, and history.

 

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Coming auction February 24th.

This auction presents a remarkably diverse collection of 159 lots, spanning nearly two centuries of printed material. The catalog reflects an eclectic mix of American and European publications, with particular strengths in art books, classical scholarly works, and Connecticut regional history.

Of particular note are several significant first editions and limited printings, including a scarce 1897 fire insurance history limited to just 30 copies (lot 57) and Rev. J.W. Loguen’s important 1859 slave narrative (lot 71). The sale features an impressive collection of art books, with comprehensive coverage of major American artists like John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, and Gilbert Stuart. A substantial section is devoted to furniture and design books, with special emphasis on American colonial and federal periods.

The auction includes some notable ephemera, such as a 1942 WWII women’s recruitment poster (lot 1) and a December 1975 Rolling Stone magazine featuring Jack Nicholson (lot 98). Classical scholars might be particularly interested in the selection of scholarly texts from a professor’s library, including several important editions of Latin and Greek works. The local history section is especially strong in Connecticut materials, featuring several rare volumes on Litchfield County and Hartford.

For collectors of fine bindings, the sale offers several noteworthy examples, including vellum-bound volumes, Franklin Library leather editions, and specialized book arts publications like multiple volumes of The Colophon. The overall character of the collection suggests it was assembled by one or more serious collectors with broad interests in American history, classical scholarship, and fine arts, with many volumes dating from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries.

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For a complete list of the items follow this link

This is our auction catalog for sale #1361, featuring a remarkable collection of rare books, religious texts, and historical documents primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries. The catalog contains 160 lots with a strong focus on religious, theological, and historical works.

A significant portion of the collection consists of early American religious and theological texts, including several important works from the late 1700s and early 1800s. Notable examples include a 1788 Quaker text by Joseph Phipps, Jonathan Edwards’ “History of Redemption” from 1793, and multiple Protestant theological treatises and sermon collections. The catalog also features several early Bible editions and religious commentaries, including some rare German-language religious texts.

Literary works are well represented, with some notable highlights including Edgar Allan Poe’s “Le Scarabe d’Or” (a French translation of “The Gold-Bug”) from 1892, works by Henry James, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” and various other 19th-century literary classics. There is also an interesting selection of historical works, including early American histories, accounts of Native American encounters, and Civil War-era publications.

The condition of items varies considerably, with many showing period-appropriate wear and aging. Many books feature interesting provenance, including ownership inscriptions and bookplates. A particularly noteworthy item is an extremely rare inscribed copy of “The Bells/Les Cloches” by Edgar Poe, numbered 2 of 25 copies, with a poignant connection to a French Resistance doctor murdered by the enemy together with most of his comrades during World War II.

The catalog also includes several notable examples from Les Maîtres de l’Affiche (Masters of the Poster), the prestigious late 19th-century publication of artistic posters. These include works by renowned artists such as Will Bradley (The Inland Printer, Christmas 1895), Louis Rhead (The Sun), Roedel (Salon National de la Mode), Dudley Hardy (To-Day magazine), and Charles Lucas (Le Journal). These lithographic prints, all bearing the distinctive publisher’s blind stamp from Imprimerie Chaix, represent some of the finest examples of Art Nouveau poster design and illustration. Each piece was carefully selected from the most artistic posters of the time, making them highly collectible items that showcase the golden age of poster art in the late 1800s.

The catalog represents a diverse collection that would appeal to collectors interested in early American religious history, 19th-century literature, fine art prints, and rare books in general.

 

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For a complete list of this catalog follow this link

Auction scheduled for Monday February 10th, featuring “Rare Books, Leather Bindings, First Editions, Ephemera & Collectibles.” The catalog contains 160 diverse lots primarily focused on antiquarian and vintage books, with some decorative objects and memorabilia.

The collection is particularly strong in several key areas:
– Victorian-era leather-bound volumes and gentleman’s library sets
– Maritime and naval history books from the 19th century
– Henry James works, including multiple volumes from the notable New York Edition with Coburn photogravures
– Literary first editions and fine press books
– Historical documents and ephemera
– Some interesting sporting memorabilia, including early golf trophies

Notable individual items include miniature Shakespeare books by Burgess, rare maritime texts from the 1850s-60s, first editions of works by authors like Jack London and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and some interesting early American sheet music. The catalog also features some decorative items like cast bronze elephants, vintage doorstops, and commemorative pieces.

Most lots include books or ephemera that would appeal to collectors of 19th and early 20th century literature, history, and Americana. Curated to please both serious collectors looking for specific rare books as well as dealers seeking interesting stock for resale. The mix of high-end literary items alongside more accessible collectibles makes this auction designed to appeal to various levels of buyers.

 

 

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This Auction presents a captivating array of collectible and historically significant items, meticulously curated to appeal to bibliophiles, historians, and art enthusiasts alike. Among the highlights are rare 19th-century works, including a leather-bound 1811 edition of Virgil’s *Georgicks* with engravings and a beautifully illustrated *Gazetteer of New York* (1861) in a stunning leather binding. Noteworthy modern items include vintage art books, such as a 1972 large-format Miro art book with original lithographs, and historical memorabilia like the 1922 German edition of Sigmund Freud’s *Über Psychoanalyse*, containing pivotal lectures that introduced psychoanalysis to the United States.

Additionally, the catalog features unique ephemera and thematic collections, such as Victorian fashion magazines with hand-colored plates, maritime history books from the 1960s, and early American political pamphlets, including Upton Sinclair’s socialist writings. Of special interest to genealogists is the *Daniel Shed Genealogy* (1921), complete with rare family ephemera, and a 1914 three-volume biography set on Pennsylvania. This eclectic mix of books, art, and historical documents underscores the depth and variety of this auction, providing bidders with exceptional opportunities to acquire pieces of cultural, literary, and historical significance.