Category: Past auctions

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This auction catalog from USIANA presents an extensive collection of rare, historical, and collectible books, along with related printed materials. The catalog spans a broad range of subjects, including literature, history, fine arts, cartography, ephemera, and vintage advertising. Notably, it includes first editions, illustrated works, signed books, and facsimile reprints, offering an eclectic selection for collectors and bibliophiles.

Among the highlights are historical and literary works such as Life of Charles H. Spurgeon (1892), Railway Property: A Treatise on the Construction and Management of Railways (1864), and A Treatise on the Diseases Incident to the Horse(1871). The catalog also features unique items like early Tel Aviv postcards, WWII-era air raid instructions, and early children’s books such as Mother Goose and Red Riding Hood (c. 1900). Several lots include illustrated works, such as a collection of 19th-century prints, and first editions with woodblock illustrations, adding visual and artistic appeal.

Additionally, the auction contains rare publications like an early missionary travel account of Tibet, Graham Greene’s In Search of a Character (limited to 600 copies), and an inscribed scientific work by botanist Merritt Lyndon Fernald and Alfred Kinsey before his transition to sexology. Other lots include vintage sheet music, private press books, and advertising tear sheets from the early 20th century.

Overall, this auction provides a diverse array of books and printed materials, appealing to collectors of historical documents, fine press books, and illustrated works. The mix of signed editions, first printings, and unique ephemera makes it a compelling sale for those interested in literature, history, and rare books.

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https://www.auctionninja.com/waterbury-auction-gallery/sales/details/book-march-3rd-1371.html?sort=bids&name=&lotno=&view=20&show=#items.

The Waterbury Auction Gallery for USIANA features an impressive and diverse collection of books spanning various historical periods, genres, and themes. The catalog includes rare and collectible books, limited editions, association copies, historical documents, and illustrated works, reflecting a wide range of subjects such as history, literature, travel, exploration, fine printing, and religious studies.

Among the highlights is Across the Gulf by Ralph Fletcher Seymour, a limited-edition travel narrative about Yucatán, signed by the author and featuring woodcut illustrations. The catalog also includes John and Thomas Seymour: Cabinetmakers in Boston, 1794-1816, a finely printed book on furniture design, as well as leather-bound volumes from the 19th century. A particularly intriguing entry is a 1761 Baskerville imprint featuring works on medals, though in a deteriorating binding.

For collectors of historical and geographical works, the auction offers early maps, including a selection of five maps from a 1904 British geographical journal and a detailed examination of Central Asian geography and Tibetan transportation routes. There are also items related to exploration, such as an 1804 American religious text, The Complete Duty of Manby Rev. H. Venn, and an early illustrated biography of Francis Bacon.

Other standout lots include The House of Mitford, a biography of the famous Mitford family, The Emperor of the United States and Other Magnificent British Eccentrics, and a first edition of An Undistinguished Life by Andrew Gibson Watt. The catalog also contains literature and fine press books, such as a slipcased three-volume set of Shakespeare, a 1926 edition of Enchantment Tales for Children illustrated by Margaret Evans Price, and a centennial edition of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass.

Additionally, the auction includes an assortment of Americana, religious texts, and works on philosophy, including an 1877 Bible Commentary on the Old & New Testaments and a 1799 edition of Hannah Adams’ A Summary History of New England, a landmark work by one of the earliest female American historians. There is also a unique selection of vintage magazines, including early Scientific American issues and wartime editions of Harper’s Weekly.

Overall, this auction provides an extensive range of historically and culturally significant books, making it an excellent opportunity for collectors, historians, and bibliophiles.

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https://www.auctionninja.com/waterbury-auction-gallery/sales/details/book-march-24-french-culture-1374.html?sort=bids&name=&lotno=&view=20&show=#items

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.