Jun 25, 2026 10:00 EST
The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile
59
Memoir of the leading singer of spirituals during the Harlem Renaissance, in the rare Covarrubias dust jacket
Collection of a Florida Bibliophile
GORDON, TAYLOR
Born to Be. New York: Covici-Friede, 1929. Stated second printing in August 1929 (same month as first printing). Foreword by Carl Van Vechten and illustrations by Miguel Covarrubias. Publisher's cloth in the original dust jacket. 10 plates (the frontispiece in color, the others black and white), xvi, [2], 236 pages. Offset to p. 158/59 from a contemporary newspaper clipping laid-in, small bookseller label to rear pastedown with minor offset to facing endpaper, the jacket toned and darkened on spine with minor chips at tips and corners, light thumbsoiling, a good example of a scarce dust jacket.
A fine copy in the rare dust jacket of this rare memoir of the Harlem Renaissance by singer Emmanuel Taylor Gordon. The book features fine Art Deco plates after Covarrubias that track Gordon's journey from Montana to New York, where, upon meeting Carl Van Vechten, he found success as a singer of spirituals.
Sold for $480
Estimated at $200 - $300
Includes Buyer's Premium
Collection of a Florida Bibliophile
GORDON, TAYLOR
Born to Be. New York: Covici-Friede, 1929. Stated second printing in August 1929 (same month as first printing). Foreword by Carl Van Vechten and illustrations by Miguel Covarrubias. Publisher's cloth in the original dust jacket. 10 plates (the frontispiece in color, the others black and white), xvi, [2], 236 pages. Offset to p. 158/59 from a contemporary newspaper clipping laid-in, small bookseller label to rear pastedown with minor offset to facing endpaper, the jacket toned and darkened on spine with minor chips at tips and corners, light thumbsoiling, a good example of a scarce dust jacket.
A fine copy in the rare dust jacket of this rare memoir of the Harlem Renaissance by singer Emmanuel Taylor Gordon. The book features fine Art Deco plates after Covarrubias that track Gordon's journey from Montana to New York, where, upon meeting Carl Van Vechten, he found success as a singer of spirituals.
Auction: The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile, Jun 25, 2026
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Successful Auction of The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile on June 25, 2026 Tops $550k with 97% Sell-Through Rate
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Featuring a Wide Range of Americana and Military History Spanning the 18th through 20th Centuries
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle's highly-anticipated auction of The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile on June 25, 2026 delivered outstanding results, with trans-Atlantic bidding driving the sale total beyond expectations and an impressive 97% sell-through rate. Comprising more than 200 lots, this extensive and fascinating collection featured books, manuscripts, and original illustration art spanning centuries of antiquarian interest.
Signed Volume from Abraham Lincoln's Personal Library - Sold for $64,000
Books from Abraham Lincoln's personal library are among the great rarities of the American book trade. Leading the sale was an 1849 first edition of William W. Campbell's The Life and Writings of De Witt Clinton inscribed by Lincoln that achieved $64,000, more than doubling its $20,000-30,000 estimate. Lincoln signed the book on November 19, 1860, less than two weeks after his election to the presidency. In February 1861, he would depart Springfield by train for Washington, never returning to his hometown until his burial following his assassination.
A United States Senator, Mayor of New York City, and Governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton is best remembered for championing the Erie Canal, one of the great infrastructure projects of the 19th century. Lincoln admired Clinton's vision and leadership, looking to him as a model of a strong executive capable of undertaking and completing ambitious public works.
British Military & Naval Color Plate Books - Sold for $16,640
The wide selection of color plate books featured magnificent first editions of James Jenkins' celebrated The Martial Achievements of Great Britain from the Year 1799 to 1815 and The Naval Achievements of Great Britain from the Year 1793 to 1817. Amid trans-Atlantic bidding, this elegant two-volume set sailed its $7,000-10,000 estimate to realize $16,640. Among the finest military color plate books of the early 19th century, these large-paper editions, featuring over 100 hand-colored aquatint plates, were presented in their most desirable state, with coloring of exceptional quality and delicately tinted plate surrounds not found in the regular issue. Completing the lot was an original watercolor by William Heath, the leading British military watercolorist of the period, prepared for one of the plates in The Martial Achievements.
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