Fine Books 1700-1850
1732-1747 Natural History by Catesby
2007 SOLD for $ 660K by Sotheby's
A son of an English gentleman farmer, Mark Catesby was early interested in natural history. He moved to Virginia, then a British colony, in 1712. He made his name famous to British scientists and gardeners by sending pressed specimens of seeds and plants then unknown on that side of the Atlantic.
He visited the West Indies in 1714 and was commissioned in 1722 by some members of the Royal Society for a plant collecting expedition in Carolina. He extended his collecting interest to animals during that period.
Back to London in 1726, Catesby prepared from his own drawings the edition of his Natural History for sale by subscription. The first volume of that Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: Containing the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, Insects, and Plants ... Together with their Descriptions in English and French, was completed in 1732, followed by the second volume in 1743 and a supplement in 1747 from materials sent to him from America.
The whole set includes 220 plates in large size folio format 52 x 37 cm, most of them etched and hand colored by himself.
A complete copy in bright colors accompanied by its broadside prospectus was sold for $ 660K by Sotheby's on October 5, 2007, lot 13. It passed at Christie's on June 27, 2024, lot 121.
Catesby was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1733. Linnaeus used his scientific findings in his Systema Naturae from 1758. He had been one of the first to describe bird migration.
He visited the West Indies in 1714 and was commissioned in 1722 by some members of the Royal Society for a plant collecting expedition in Carolina. He extended his collecting interest to animals during that period.
Back to London in 1726, Catesby prepared from his own drawings the edition of his Natural History for sale by subscription. The first volume of that Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: Containing the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, Insects, and Plants ... Together with their Descriptions in English and French, was completed in 1732, followed by the second volume in 1743 and a supplement in 1747 from materials sent to him from America.
The whole set includes 220 plates in large size folio format 52 x 37 cm, most of them etched and hand colored by himself.
A complete copy in bright colors accompanied by its broadside prospectus was sold for $ 660K by Sotheby's on October 5, 2007, lot 13. It passed at Christie's on June 27, 2024, lot 121.
Catesby was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1733. Linnaeus used his scientific findings in his Systema Naturae from 1758. He had been one of the first to describe bird migration.
Our sale "Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts including Americana" is live! From Aldine editions to Bob Dylan but also natural history and literary classics: https://t.co/VwpIAVIVLI
— Christie's Books (@ChristiesBKS) June 3, 2024
Below, Mark Catesby's Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands pic.twitter.com/9FbUUTfRp1
1734-1765 Thesaurus by Seba
2017 SOLD for € 510K by Christie's
The harbor of Amsterdam is a hub of international trade. Expert in maritime affairs and thirteen times mayor, Nicolaes Witsen organizes the relations with Asia and Siberia. Thanks to him Amsterdam controls the coffee trade from Dutch Indies to South America. He also supports the scientific work of the explorer and naturalist Maria Sybilla Merian in Suriname.
In this context which was highly conducive to the natural sciences, Albertus Seba settled around 1700 as a pharmacist near the harbor. He requires the sailors to bring him back the exotic plants which will be used for his apothecary preparations and the animals, shells and minerals which will constitute his repository of curiosities.
In 1717 Tsar Peter the Great paid his second visit to Amsterdam. Twenty years earlier he had been introduced by Witsen to Ruysch who taught him how to catch butterflies. On the occasion of his new visit the Tsar buys in their entirety the natural history collections of Ruysch and Seba.
Seba's procurement process was inexhaustible. He constitutes after that sale a new collection even more important than the previous one and decides to establish and publish a catalog with the help of the best scientists and engravers. His classification by physical features will directly influence Linnaeus who visits him twice in 1735.
Seba died in 1736 whereas only the first two volumes of his Thesaurus had been published, in 1734 and 1735. The edition will be completed with the third and fourth volumes in 1758 and 1765. This natural history by Seba is a splendid large folio 50 x 34 cm and somehow the counterpart for animals of the masterpiece of botany, the Hortus Eystettensis published by Besler in 1613.
On November 28, 2017, Christie's sold for € 510K from a lower estimate of € 350K a complete copy of Seba's Thesaurus, lot 547. Its binding in the mosaic style is exceptional : the first two volumes were bound by the Dutch master Mandelgreen ; the two later volumes were bound in an identical style without loss of craftsmanship.
In this context which was highly conducive to the natural sciences, Albertus Seba settled around 1700 as a pharmacist near the harbor. He requires the sailors to bring him back the exotic plants which will be used for his apothecary preparations and the animals, shells and minerals which will constitute his repository of curiosities.
In 1717 Tsar Peter the Great paid his second visit to Amsterdam. Twenty years earlier he had been introduced by Witsen to Ruysch who taught him how to catch butterflies. On the occasion of his new visit the Tsar buys in their entirety the natural history collections of Ruysch and Seba.
Seba's procurement process was inexhaustible. He constitutes after that sale a new collection even more important than the previous one and decides to establish and publish a catalog with the help of the best scientists and engravers. His classification by physical features will directly influence Linnaeus who visits him twice in 1735.
Seba died in 1736 whereas only the first two volumes of his Thesaurus had been published, in 1734 and 1735. The edition will be completed with the third and fourth volumes in 1758 and 1765. This natural history by Seba is a splendid large folio 50 x 34 cm and somehow the counterpart for animals of the masterpiece of botany, the Hortus Eystettensis published by Besler in 1613.
On November 28, 2017, Christie's sold for € 510K from a lower estimate of € 350K a complete copy of Seba's Thesaurus, lot 547. Its binding in the mosaic style is exceptional : the first two volumes were bound by the Dutch master Mandelgreen ; the two later volumes were bound in an identical style without loss of craftsmanship.
A gorgeous copy of Seba's marvelous Natural History work, up for auction in Paris on 28 Nov: https://t.co/lxRo5z0RKy pic.twitter.com/TEysgzmEmF
— Christie's Books (@ChristiesBKS) November 8, 2017
1795-1808 Oriental Scenery
by Thomas and William DANIELL
1
2023 SOLD for € 600K by Christie's
England, then a colonial and military power, wanted to control the richest countries on Earth. This policy engendered the British love of travel and discoveries. The Cook expeditions contributed to have appreciated by everybody the beauty of the farther countries.
In 1784, Thomas Daniell had a great idea. Accompanied by his nephew William then aged 14, he traveled throughout India during nearly ten years to draw and sketch the most spectacular monuments.
The Mysore War took place appropriately during this period, fueling the curiosity of the aristocracy to this immense country. Back to London in 1795, the Daniells understood that their images could support one of the most beautiful books of their time.
Published by portfolios in a limited edition and completed in 1808, this work titled "Oriental Scenery" was a commercial success despite a very expensive selling price.
The Daniell's book consists of six parts in Elephant folio size 73 x 52 cm, including 144 hand-colored aquatints. Monuments are sumptuous, with some animation. The later work of the younger Daniell on British landscapes reinforces a possible comparison with their famous contemporary Turner.
The beautiful book of Thomas and William Daniell seems to have inspired the British architects. The quality of its views of monuments has certainly influenced the early travelers photographers of India, half a century later. The aquatint was the most suitable technique for this project at a time when lithography had just been invented.
Coming from a Rothschild collection with a period binding in three volumes with their arms and with the ex libris of Baron James de Rothschild, an example of the Oriental Scenery was sold for € 600K from a lower estimate of € 100K by Christie's on November 22, 2023, lot 82. This set does not have the in octavo text volumes nor the 8 plans.
In 1784, Thomas Daniell had a great idea. Accompanied by his nephew William then aged 14, he traveled throughout India during nearly ten years to draw and sketch the most spectacular monuments.
The Mysore War took place appropriately during this period, fueling the curiosity of the aristocracy to this immense country. Back to London in 1795, the Daniells understood that their images could support one of the most beautiful books of their time.
Published by portfolios in a limited edition and completed in 1808, this work titled "Oriental Scenery" was a commercial success despite a very expensive selling price.
The Daniell's book consists of six parts in Elephant folio size 73 x 52 cm, including 144 hand-colored aquatints. Monuments are sumptuous, with some animation. The later work of the younger Daniell on British landscapes reinforces a possible comparison with their famous contemporary Turner.
The beautiful book of Thomas and William Daniell seems to have inspired the British architects. The quality of its views of monuments has certainly influenced the early travelers photographers of India, half a century later. The aquatint was the most suitable technique for this project at a time when lithography had just been invented.
Coming from a Rothschild collection with a period binding in three volumes with their arms and with the ex libris of Baron James de Rothschild, an example of the Oriental Scenery was sold for € 600K from a lower estimate of € 100K by Christie's on November 22, 2023, lot 82. This set does not have the in octavo text volumes nor the 8 plans.
2
2013 SOLD for £ 340K by Sotheby's
A copy bound in three volumes of the "Oriental Scenery" was sold for £ 340K by Sotheby's on February 28, 2013. It is a very rare complete copy including the eight sepia engraved plans. Two views are illustrated in a pre sale review by LuxuryFacts.
A complete set including the original wrappers, the eight sepia plans dated 1803 and the six text volumes 23 x 14,5 cm was sold for £ 240K by Christie's on June 3, 2009, lot 243.
A complete set including the original wrappers, the eight sepia plans dated 1803 and the six text volumes 23 x 14,5 cm was sold for £ 240K by Christie's on June 3, 2009, lot 243.
1809-1828 La Description de l'Egypte
2011 SOLD for € 1.1M by Christie's
"Soldats, du haut de ces Pyramides quarante siècles vous contemplent" (Soldiers: from the top of these pyramids forty centuries look on you). In 1798, General Bonaparte, made famous by the campaign of Italy, had great ambitions. The expedition to Egypt had a low military value and led to a fiasco. But it had a significant social impact. For several years, the fashion named "Retour d'Egypte" (return from Egypt) is a new variant of the naive imitations of antiquity.
The many scholars who accompanied Napoleon in Egypt had reaped a lot of information, some of which were of very high importance. The Rosetta stone was rediscovered during the expedition.
In line with the work of the eighteenth century encyclopedists, Napoleon decreed that the multidisciplinary observations of his 160 scientists had to be gathered in one publishing project. He did make it by his official Imprimerie Impériale.
"La Description de l'Egypte" is a monumental work by its size and its quality. It includes 23 volumes, which were developed in parallel from 1809 to 1828. It contains 974 plates, some in colors, most of them involving several drawings.
A copy was sold for € 1.1M from a lower estimate of € 500K by Christie's on May 11, 2011. It has been bound by Jean-Joseph Tessier as recommended by the printer. It is preserved in its original mahogany display case. A photo showing the importance of this set in its furniture had been published in the pre sale release shared by AuctionPublicity.
The Description of Egypt had such prestige that its second French edition, by Panckoucke, was started in 1821 without waiting for the completion of the official edition.
The many scholars who accompanied Napoleon in Egypt had reaped a lot of information, some of which were of very high importance. The Rosetta stone was rediscovered during the expedition.
In line with the work of the eighteenth century encyclopedists, Napoleon decreed that the multidisciplinary observations of his 160 scientists had to be gathered in one publishing project. He did make it by his official Imprimerie Impériale.
"La Description de l'Egypte" is a monumental work by its size and its quality. It includes 23 volumes, which were developed in parallel from 1809 to 1828. It contains 974 plates, some in colors, most of them involving several drawings.
A copy was sold for € 1.1M from a lower estimate of € 500K by Christie's on May 11, 2011. It has been bound by Jean-Joseph Tessier as recommended by the printer. It is preserved in its original mahogany display case. A photo showing the importance of this set in its furniture had been published in the pre sale release shared by AuctionPublicity.
The Description of Egypt had such prestige that its second French edition, by Panckoucke, was started in 1821 without waiting for the completion of the official edition.
1827-1838 The Birds of America by AUDUBON
see dedicated page :
1830-1888 Bird Books by GOULD
1
2008 SOLD for £ 1.25M by Christie's
John Gould began his career by helping his father who was a foreman at the Royal Gardens of Windsor. He then specialized in taxidermy and in 1827 was appointed Preserver and Curator at the museum of the Zoological Society of London. He was in charge of receiving the very first giraffe to tread on the English soil.
At that time the nomenclature of Linnaeus' system was still very incomplete. Gould opens the sample boxes received by the ZSL. The collection of birds from the Himalayas includes superb unpublished species that awakens in 1830 his vocation as a publisher. He draws the sketches and his wife Elizabeth prepares the illustrations.
Gould continued this work until his death in 1881, successively publishing birds from Europe, Australia, Asia, Great Britain and New Guinea. America, treated independently by Audubon since 1827, was limited by Gould to partridges.
His scientific contribution to Australian zoology is outstanding. Dissatisfied with his edition in London in 1838-39, he traveled on the spot with his wife and repealed the copies already delivered to replace them with a more complete set based on his own discoveries. He also published three volumes on Australian mammals, the only ones of his books that do not involve birds. Elizabeth's untimely death does not change his working organization.
The last publication is made in 1888, seven years after his death, for a total of about 3,100 lithographs. This work has several characteristics in common with the Birds of America by Audubon : scientific correctness, distribution by subscription, hand colored images in large size : around 54 x 38 cm for Gould and 98 x 65 cm for Audubon.
Sets containing the 11 titles not canceled by Gould and their two supplements for Asia and hummingbirds are considered complete. Two of them came to auction, both in 43 volumes. One of them was sold for £ 1.25M from a lower estimate of £ 600K by Christie's on April 30, 2008, lot 18.
At that time the nomenclature of Linnaeus' system was still very incomplete. Gould opens the sample boxes received by the ZSL. The collection of birds from the Himalayas includes superb unpublished species that awakens in 1830 his vocation as a publisher. He draws the sketches and his wife Elizabeth prepares the illustrations.
Gould continued this work until his death in 1881, successively publishing birds from Europe, Australia, Asia, Great Britain and New Guinea. America, treated independently by Audubon since 1827, was limited by Gould to partridges.
His scientific contribution to Australian zoology is outstanding. Dissatisfied with his edition in London in 1838-39, he traveled on the spot with his wife and repealed the copies already delivered to replace them with a more complete set based on his own discoveries. He also published three volumes on Australian mammals, the only ones of his books that do not involve birds. Elizabeth's untimely death does not change his working organization.
The last publication is made in 1888, seven years after his death, for a total of about 3,100 lithographs. This work has several characteristics in common with the Birds of America by Audubon : scientific correctness, distribution by subscription, hand colored images in large size : around 54 x 38 cm for Gould and 98 x 65 cm for Audubon.
Sets containing the 11 titles not canceled by Gould and their two supplements for Asia and hummingbirds are considered complete. Two of them came to auction, both in 43 volumes. One of them was sold for £ 1.25M from a lower estimate of £ 600K by Christie's on April 30, 2008, lot 18.
2
1997 SOLD for £ 510K by Christie's
The other complete set was sold for £ 510K by Christie's on April 30, 1997, lot 21A. In the same sale a highly rare surviving copy of the recalled edition on Australia was sold for £ 17.2K. The tweet below by Sotheby's was issued before it passed on May 15, 2018, lot 412.
Flying into the weekend with the colourful creations of a celebrated 19th century naturalist, John Gould. On view in our New Bond Street galleries from 11 May. Discover more: https://t.co/Nu4addV5xc#SothebysBooks pic.twitter.com/4kHm9kn8HB
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) April 13, 2018
1839-1841 Prince Maximilian's Travels in North America
2023 SOLD for $ 530K by Christie's (unpaid)
Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied, the second son of the titular prince of a very small state in Rhineland, retired from the army in 1815 to immediately fulfill his motivation for natural sciences. Inspired by von Humboldt he was also interested in ethnology. For three years he explored the south of Brazil. His album Reise nach Brasilien brings to the Europeans the first reliable informations and images on the then wild tribes of Brazil and their artefacts.
In North America the west of the United States is still largely unexplored. Wied-Neuwied manages to visit the tribes of the border to compare them to the Brazilian natives. Accompanied by the young Swiss artist Karl Bodmer, he travels along the Missouri River in a 4,400 km long journey in the 1833 spring and spends the following winter in Dakota.
Wied-Neuwied and Bodmer devote the next years to the preparation of the publication of their North American works in German, French and English. From 1839 to 1841 Bodmer now living in Paris prepares 81 watercolors divided into 48 large format tableaux and 33 vignettes which are printed under his supervision by Bougeard.
The publication in fascicles of Reise in das innere Nord-America in den Jahren 1832 bis 1834 is carried out from 1839 to 1841. This work was offered by its publishers in uncolored, partially colored, or fully colored versions. From a total run of less than 200 copies, 46 subscribers were listed for the fully colored.
A copy of the fully colored issue was sold for $ 530K by Christie's on June 16, 2023, lot 20. It is made of two large-paper quarto text volumes 357 x 264 mm, the oblong broadside folio atlas of tableaux 447 x 603mm and the oblong folio atlas of vignettes 291 x 420 mm.
The tableaux atlas is made of 48 hand-colored aquatint and engraved plates. The vignette atlas has 33 aquatint and engraved plates. All these plates are in early states including 74 of these 81 in the first state. All bear the artist's blindstamp. An original front wrapper has been preserved.
Remaining after the sale in the property of Christie's, it passed on June 26, 2024, lot 158.
The publication by Arthus Bertrand in Paris of the Voyage dans l'intérieur de l'Amérique du Nord effectué pendant les années 1832, 1833 et 1834 extends from 1840 to 1843.
That French version is made up of three volumes of texts and an atlas volume containing the 81 aquatints in oblong folio. 206 copies are made. Only 6 examples have all their images hand-colored. For 30 examples the coloring is limited to the plates that provide the best ethnographic content. The rest of the publication is left in black and white.
On June 13, 2017, Sotheby's sold a copy of the Voyage for $ 420K, lot 75. Its atlas is complete in the format used by Bougeard. 19 tableaus and 7 vignettes are colored without alteration from the original hand-coloring.
A fully colored atlas pre-dating the French volumes was sold for $ 300K by Doyle on November 3, 1999. Most plates carry Bodmer's blind stamp and their titles are trilingual.
In North America the west of the United States is still largely unexplored. Wied-Neuwied manages to visit the tribes of the border to compare them to the Brazilian natives. Accompanied by the young Swiss artist Karl Bodmer, he travels along the Missouri River in a 4,400 km long journey in the 1833 spring and spends the following winter in Dakota.
Wied-Neuwied and Bodmer devote the next years to the preparation of the publication of their North American works in German, French and English. From 1839 to 1841 Bodmer now living in Paris prepares 81 watercolors divided into 48 large format tableaux and 33 vignettes which are printed under his supervision by Bougeard.
The publication in fascicles of Reise in das innere Nord-America in den Jahren 1832 bis 1834 is carried out from 1839 to 1841. This work was offered by its publishers in uncolored, partially colored, or fully colored versions. From a total run of less than 200 copies, 46 subscribers were listed for the fully colored.
A copy of the fully colored issue was sold for $ 530K by Christie's on June 16, 2023, lot 20. It is made of two large-paper quarto text volumes 357 x 264 mm, the oblong broadside folio atlas of tableaux 447 x 603mm and the oblong folio atlas of vignettes 291 x 420 mm.
The tableaux atlas is made of 48 hand-colored aquatint and engraved plates. The vignette atlas has 33 aquatint and engraved plates. All these plates are in early states including 74 of these 81 in the first state. All bear the artist's blindstamp. An original front wrapper has been preserved.
Remaining after the sale in the property of Christie's, it passed on June 26, 2024, lot 158.
The publication by Arthus Bertrand in Paris of the Voyage dans l'intérieur de l'Amérique du Nord effectué pendant les années 1832, 1833 et 1834 extends from 1840 to 1843.
That French version is made up of three volumes of texts and an atlas volume containing the 81 aquatints in oblong folio. 206 copies are made. Only 6 examples have all their images hand-colored. For 30 examples the coloring is limited to the plates that provide the best ethnographic content. The rest of the publication is left in black and white.
On June 13, 2017, Sotheby's sold a copy of the Voyage for $ 420K, lot 75. Its atlas is complete in the format used by Bougeard. 19 tableaus and 7 vignettes are colored without alteration from the original hand-coloring.
A fully colored atlas pre-dating the French volumes was sold for $ 300K by Doyle on November 3, 1999. Most plates carry Bodmer's blind stamp and their titles are trilingual.
Today's pick from the Bobins sale: the 1st copy of the fully hand-colored issue of Bodmer’s masterpiece to be offered at auction in about 30 years.
— Christie's Books (@ChristiesBKS) May 25, 2023
□ Lot 20: Reise in das innere Nord-America in den Jahren 1832 bis 1834⁰Prince Maximilian & Karl Bodmer
□ Live auction, 16 June pic.twitter.com/z5xPhce4ua
1845-1848 Quadrupeds of North America by AUDUBON
Intro
John James Audubon was an ornithologist. The preparation of his great book on American birds spanned twelve years, from 1827 to 1838.
In 1842, he began to publish, also by subscription, a series of images of the mammals of North America, identified as viviparous quadrupeds according to the language of the time. He was supported by his two sons for the drawings and the edition.
The first edition in book form of these images, published in 1845-1848, brings together in three volumes 150 hand-colored plates in a lithographic printing by J.T. Bowen in elephant oblong folio size 68 x 54 cm.
For all its aspects, this book is less ambitious than the Birds, which had been the largest illustrated book of its time, an admirable double elephant folio 98 x 65 cm. And of course, many beasts are too big to be published in life size. An octavo version of the Birds was published in lithography by the same printer just before beginning the Quadrupeds.
Despite this comparison against it, The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America is one of the finest illustrated books of the nineteenth century. It was a commercial success, with 300 recorded subscribers.
Less familiar of mammals than of birds, Audubon was helped by the naturalist John Bachman who co-authored the book by publishing the texts under his scientific authority from 1846 to 1854.
In 1842, he began to publish, also by subscription, a series of images of the mammals of North America, identified as viviparous quadrupeds according to the language of the time. He was supported by his two sons for the drawings and the edition.
The first edition in book form of these images, published in 1845-1848, brings together in three volumes 150 hand-colored plates in a lithographic printing by J.T. Bowen in elephant oblong folio size 68 x 54 cm.
For all its aspects, this book is less ambitious than the Birds, which had been the largest illustrated book of its time, an admirable double elephant folio 98 x 65 cm. And of course, many beasts are too big to be published in life size. An octavo version of the Birds was published in lithography by the same printer just before beginning the Quadrupeds.
Despite this comparison against it, The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America is one of the finest illustrated books of the nineteenth century. It was a commercial success, with 300 recorded subscribers.
Less familiar of mammals than of birds, Audubon was helped by the naturalist John Bachman who co-authored the book by publishing the texts under his scientific authority from 1846 to 1854.
not retrieved
An example in three volumes from the first edition in publisher's binding is reported by Barnebys as having been sold for $ 920K by Neal Auction on June 25, 2011, lot 154.
1
2012 SOLD for $ 790K by Guernsey's
An example in three volumes from the first edition in book form was sold for $ 790K by Guernsey's on December 5, 2012, lot 81 in the sale of the Graham Arader collection, here linked to the LiveAuctioneers bidding platform. The volumes of texts by Bachman are not referred.
It is presented in a deluxe American binding of full maroon morocco gilt. All edges are gilt.
It is presented in a deluxe American binding of full maroon morocco gilt. All edges are gilt.
2
2010 SOLD for $ 500K by Bloomsbury
An example in four volumes from the first edition in book form was sold for $ 500K by Bloomsbury on October 13, 2010, lot 3.
3
2000 SOLD for $ 460K by Christie's
A brilliantly colored example bound in three volumes of the first edition was sold for $ 460K from a lower estimate of $ 220K by Christie's on March 10, 2000, lot 38.
An example in three volumes accompanied wit the three octavo text volumes was sold for $ 440K by Christie's on May 26, 2022, lot 127.
A copy in three volumes of the first edition in book form was sold for $ 290K by Swann on April 11, 2013, lot 73. The volumes of texts by Bachman are not referred.
An example in three volumes accompanied wit the three octavo text volumes was sold for $ 440K by Christie's on May 26, 2022, lot 127.
A copy in three volumes of the first edition in book form was sold for $ 290K by Swann on April 11, 2013, lot 73. The volumes of texts by Bachman are not referred.
