May 1, 2024 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
254
Frederick Hill Meserve Photographs of Abraham Lincoln
Estate / Collection: Property from the Rotondaro Collection
MESERVE, FREDERICK HILL
Photographs of Abraham Lincoln. New York: Privately Printed, 1911. Copy 81 of 102 (including two copies for copyright deposit), signed on the colophon by the author, "F. H. Meserve." Publisher's tan boards. 10 7/8 x 8 5/8 inches (27.75 x 22 cm); 111 pp., consisting of 74 pages of text plus over 100 tipped-in gelatin silver prints from the original glass plate negatives, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and ferrotypes in the Meserve Collection. The photographs are arranged by subject: "The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln" (100 images); "Lincoln at Gettysburg" (3); "Mrs. Lincoln and the Sons" (4); "Photographs of the Vice-Presidents, the Speakers, Members of the Cabinet and Others" (12); and "The Interment of Lincoln" (1). The boards with edgewear, rebacked with the original spine laid down, loss to the paper of the joints (the front joint exposed), trace of label removal to foot of spine, small chip to corner of frontispiece, internally very fresh indeed. John Wanamaker's copy, with a tipped-in presentation card "The Postmaster General" with Wanameker's signature (Wanamaker was subscriber no 81), with a typed letter signed by Wanamaker; Graham Nash's copy, with his bookplate.
The first major reference on the subject of Lincoln's photographic portraits, beautifully produced with unrivaled plates taken directly from the originals. The book is quite rare in commerce, and was printed on heavy hand-made paper.
Sold for $8,960
Estimated at $6,000 - $8,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Estate / Collection: Property from the Rotondaro Collection
MESERVE, FREDERICK HILL
Photographs of Abraham Lincoln. New York: Privately Printed, 1911. Copy 81 of 102 (including two copies for copyright deposit), signed on the colophon by the author, "F. H. Meserve." Publisher's tan boards. 10 7/8 x 8 5/8 inches (27.75 x 22 cm); 111 pp., consisting of 74 pages of text plus over 100 tipped-in gelatin silver prints from the original glass plate negatives, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and ferrotypes in the Meserve Collection. The photographs are arranged by subject: "The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln" (100 images); "Lincoln at Gettysburg" (3); "Mrs. Lincoln and the Sons" (4); "Photographs of the Vice-Presidents, the Speakers, Members of the Cabinet and Others" (12); and "The Interment of Lincoln" (1). The boards with edgewear, rebacked with the original spine laid down, loss to the paper of the joints (the front joint exposed), trace of label removal to foot of spine, small chip to corner of frontispiece, internally very fresh indeed. John Wanamaker's copy, with a tipped-in presentation card "The Postmaster General" with Wanameker's signature (Wanamaker was subscriber no 81), with a typed letter signed by Wanamaker; Graham Nash's copy, with his bookplate.
The first major reference on the subject of Lincoln's photographic portraits, beautifully produced with unrivaled plates taken directly from the originals. The book is quite rare in commerce, and was printed on heavy hand-made paper.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, May 1, 2024
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Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on May 1, 2024 Totals $1.2 Million
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A Medieval Manuscript Rules of St. Augustine Achieves $102k
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY -- Competitive bidding at Doyle’s May 1, 2024 auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps drove strong prices and a sale total that topped $1.2 million, surpassing expectations.
Featured in the sale was a fascinating selection of early manuscripts that achieved exceptional results. Highlighting the group was a 14th century manuscript of the Rules of St. Augustine from an English priory that soared over its $8,000-12,000 estimate to realize a stunning $102,100. The Rule of St. Augustine is among the earliest of all monastic rules, created about 400, and it was an influence on all that succeeded it. Other notable results included a 14th century Etymologiae of St. Isidore estimated at $5,000-8,000 that achieved $51,200 and a 15th century Prayer Book of Jehan Bernachier estimated at $10,000-15,000 that sold for $28,800.
A first edition of John James Audubon's octavo Birds of America sold for $41,600, far over its $25,000-35,000 estimate. Published in 1840-1844 in seven volumes, the first octavo edition was the final Birds of America publication overseen by Audubon in his lifetime.
The Fred Rotondaro Collection offered rare books and manuscripts on a range of subjects touching the African American experience in the United States over three centuries. A first edition copy of Frederick Douglass’ 1876 speech at the unveiling of the Freedman's Monument in Washington realized $12,800, far exceeding its $3,000-5,000 estimate. A first edition of the first issue of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin from 1852 also achieved $12,800.
Highlighting the range of offerings from the Ken Harte Collection of Natural History was a first edition Richard Bowdler Sharpe’s beautifully illustrated monograph of Kingfishers, 1868-71, that sold for $14,080, doubling its $6,000-8,000 estimate. It was accompanied by an inscribed copy of the rare unfinished chapter on the anatomy of the kingfisher by James Murie.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
For information, please contact Peter Costanzo at 212-427-4141 ext 248, Edward Ripley-Duggan at ext 234, or Noah Goldrach at ext 226, or email Books@Doyle.com
