Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
60
The first biography of Beethoven, printed months after his death
Collection of Vanguard Records founder and Beethoven biographer Maynard Solomon
[BEETHOVEN]
Schlosser, Joh. Aloys. Ludwig van Beethoven. Eine Biographie desselben, verbunden mit Urtheilen über seine Werke. Prague: Buchler, Stephani, and Schlosser, 1828 (but 1827). First edition. Original printed wrappers, housed in a red cloth box. 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches (18.5 x 12 cm); xiv, 94, [4] pp.; portrait frontispiece and a lithograph facsimile of a letter from Beethoven to Abbé Maximilian Stadler. Binding rubbed, with a few small stains. Spine reinforced with Japanese paper. Early owner's signature on the front cover; old bookseller's mark on the rear cover. Textblock foxed and a bit rumpled. A few short marginal tears, not affecting the text; together with three reproduction prints of Beethoven's belles (two printed in color). Framed together as one.
The scarce first biography of Beethoven, published just months after his death. Though often maligned by subsequent biographers, Schlosser's was the only separate biography of Beethoven available until 1838. While some of Schlosser's claims have not stood the test of time, Barry Cooper notes that the biography has interest as "a reflection of what was generally known and believed about Beethoven at the time of his death." Interestingly, Schlosser published this edition to raise funds for a monument to Haydn, which never materialized. See Barry Cooper, editor. Beethoven: The First Biography. Portland, Amadeus Press, [1996].
Sold for $704
Estimated at $400 - $600
Includes Buyer's Premium
Collection of Vanguard Records founder and Beethoven biographer Maynard Solomon
[BEETHOVEN]
Schlosser, Joh. Aloys. Ludwig van Beethoven. Eine Biographie desselben, verbunden mit Urtheilen über seine Werke. Prague: Buchler, Stephani, and Schlosser, 1828 (but 1827). First edition. Original printed wrappers, housed in a red cloth box. 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches (18.5 x 12 cm); xiv, 94, [4] pp.; portrait frontispiece and a lithograph facsimile of a letter from Beethoven to Abbé Maximilian Stadler. Binding rubbed, with a few small stains. Spine reinforced with Japanese paper. Early owner's signature on the front cover; old bookseller's mark on the rear cover. Textblock foxed and a bit rumpled. A few short marginal tears, not affecting the text; together with three reproduction prints of Beethoven's belles (two printed in color). Framed together as one.
The scarce first biography of Beethoven, published just months after his death. Though often maligned by subsequent biographers, Schlosser's was the only separate biography of Beethoven available until 1838. While some of Schlosser's claims have not stood the test of time, Barry Cooper notes that the biography has interest as "a reflection of what was generally known and believed about Beethoven at the time of his death." Interestingly, Schlosser published this edition to raise funds for a monument to Haydn, which never materialized. See Barry Cooper, editor. Beethoven: The First Biography. Portland, Amadeus Press, [1996].
Music stand
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Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
