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All of our rare Books & Manuscripts news stories from 2011 can be found here
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Collecting rare comic books: Top Five reasons why you should buy
Whether you love Batman, Tintin or Charles Schulz, comic books are a great place to put your money
Posted: 31 December 2011
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'From fine wines to Peanuts comic art - choose rare collectibles in the New Year'
Paul offers tips to help your 2012 collecting - including what you can learn from wine and comics
Posted: 28 December 2011
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National Book Auctions' sale features Corrado's $3,000 Il Cuoco Galante
The 1778 work on Italian cooking will be among the big stars at National Book Auctions' Ithaca sale
Posted: 28 December 2011
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Audubon's Birds of America set for $10m auction at Christie's
One of just 13 privately owned copies of Audubon's The Birds of America is coming to Christie's
Posted: 22 December 2011
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Captain Scott's farewell letter to his financier could deliver $233,000
Captain Scott of the Antarctic wrote a few farewell letters whilst waiting to die in the Polar ice
Posted: 20 December 2011
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Charlotte Bronte miniature manuscript sells for over $1m at Sotheby's auction
A miniature manuscript by Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre, excited bidders at Sotheby's auction
Posted: 16 December 2011
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Sotheby’s auctions Steve Jobs-signed Apple founding document for $1.6m in NY
Signed by Steve Jobs and his two partners, this document founded Apple – and changed the world
Posted: 14 December 2011
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Da Vinci, Bill Gates and Codex Leicester: why it pays to invest in genius
Sold for $5.12m in 1980, and for $30.8m in 1994, Da Vinci's Codex Leicester is a truly great investment
Posted: 12 December 2011
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Spider-Man #1 comic stars in first Morphy and Sparkle City joint auction
Action Comics #1 recently sold for $2.1m, leading Morphy and Sparkle to form a new comic book division
Posted: 11 December 2011
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John Hancock signed lottery ticket set to be the biggest winner at Americana auction
With free franks and rare currency on offer, the John Hancock signed lottery ticket is still the prize
Posted: 9 December 2011
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Top Five Rediscovered Collectibles - gems which should never have been lost
After intriguing claims of a rediscovered portrait of Jane Austen, here are our top five re-found collectibles
Posted: 7 December 2011
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'James Joyce' gold watch owned by Ulysses' John O'Connell brings $80,700
James Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses referred to a real caretaker John O'Connell and his gold watch
Posted: 6 December 2011
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Bonhams auctions map manuscript by Abraham Ortelius ‘creator of the atlas’
Abraham Ortelius, creator of the modern atlas, will star in Bonhams' upcoming New York map auction
Posted: 5 December 2011
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Willem Blaeu world map could show the way to $20,000 next week
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica by Willem Blau is a beautiful map of the world made in 1635
Posted: 4 December 2011
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Action Comics #1 grade 9.0 Superman debut hits $2.16m World Record price
Thought to be Nicolas Cage's copy, the grade 9.0 Action Comics #1 comic introduced Superman
Posted: 1 December 2011
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Mark Twain books and autographs still entice collectors after all these years
The US author Mark Twain was born today in history – but his history is very much alive for collectors
Posted: 30 November 2011
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Superman Action Comics #1 auction could soar to new World Record - tonight
Will bids on this highest graded copy of Superman Action Comics #1 soar to a new World Record price?
Posted: 30 November 2011
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George Catlin's North American Indian Portfolio shoots to $116,700
Despite being desired by US collectors, George Catlin's American Indian Portfolio will stay in Germany
Posted: 29 November 2011
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Steve Jobs signed Apple founding contract auctions 'for $150,000' at Sotheby's
A 1976 manuscript signed by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs could bring $150,000 in Sotheby's auction
Posted: 29 November 2011
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Tintin cartoons signed by moonwalkers float to $132,400 at Artcurial auction
Artcurial's highly successful Tintin auction starred a book signed by moonwalkers including Buzz Aldrin
Posted: 28 November 2011
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Winston Churchill documents sell at three-figure sums - including from his funeral
A Churchill wartime letter could auction for a low price - and we have our own rare documents in stock
Posted: 28 November 2011
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John Lennon's handwritten note-to-self is worth remembering at Gotta Have It
The 'to-do list' note, handwritten by John Lennon, mentions marmalade, cats and a cursed diamond
Posted: 27 November 2011
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Julien Green's Leviathan manuscript expected to make a monstrous $239,000
A handwritten manuscript of Julien Green's 'a terrible and hopeless romance' Leviathan is to sell
Posted: 26 November 2011
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Sotheby's auctions Raymond Chandler classic 'Big Sleep' and other books
This December, Sotheby's Fine Books sale will include rare editions of Raymond Chandler's Big Sleep
Posted: 26 November 2011
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'Real Deal' - HISTORY Channel's new auction TV series debuts this weekend
The HISTORY Channel's 'Real Deal' show is billed as 'the most authentic auction-based TV series yet'
Posted: 25 November 2011
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Top Five Collectible Magazines - from Life to Playboy
With striking images and groundbreaking stories, here are our top five collectible magazines
Posted: 23 November 2011
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'Why stock market gambles pale compared to the booming collectibles markets'
Paul looks at how Thomas Cook's falling stock price starkly contrasts the booming collectibles markets
Posted: 23 November 2011
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Abraham Lincoln 'white rabbits' letter is worth following to this California sale
A letter to a kind benefactor who gifted white rabbits to Abraham Lincoln's bereaved son is auctioning
Posted: 21 November 2011
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Spiderman's first Amazing Fantasy #15 comic could bring $125,000 in Metropolis
This 9.0 grade issue of Amazing Fantasy #15 - Spiderman's debut - is on offer at a US comic specialist
Posted: 19 November 2011
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Original Tintin artwork showcased at Artcurial's 'Universe of Hergé' auction
Books, toys, original artwork, a statue of Tintin and even moonwalkers' autographs are on offer
Posted: 18 November 2011
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Elizabeth I's historical significance - a look at the Elizabethan Age and its collectibles
Remembered as a Golden Age, Elizabeth I's reign offers some valuable items of historical significance
Posted: 17 November 2011
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George Washington's Inaugural Address manuscript stirs collectors to $182,000
The handwritten piece by George Washington from his undelivered inaugural address sold at Christie's
Posted: 17 November 2011
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Rabindranath Tagore poems manuscripts auction at Sotheby's New York
Manuscripts by Rabindranath Tagore, who reshaped Bengal's literature, poems and music, are up for sale
Posted: 17 November 2011
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Rare Revolutionary War Map could show collectors to ‘$1.5m’ at Christie's
Drawn by Charles de Gironcourt, this map dates to 1780, the time of America's Revolutionary War
Posted: 9 November 2011
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English version of Hitler's Mein Kampf book may make $2,400 at Mullock's
A rare English version of Hitler's Mein Kampf book, from a PoW camp, is coming to auction
Posted: 7 November 2011
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James Joyce Ulysses watch could be set for $11,000 Adam's Ireland auction
A pocket watch worn by a real-life character in James Joyce's Ulysses is coming to a Dublin sale
Posted: 7 November 2011
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Lehman Brothers Stock Certificate #1 sells for $33,100 at auctioneer HWPH
Proof that Lehman Brothers stock certificates are worth more than the shares they're written about...
Posted: 7 November 2011
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Avengers comic book World Record price set by Metropolis at $250,000
Not for the first time this year, Metropolis has set a record in the comic book market with Avengers #1
Posted: 5 November 2011
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Original smurf cartoons by Peyo reach $170,500 at Artcurial
The auction house sold 33 cartoons by Peyo including the original adventures of the smurfs
Posted: 3 November 2011
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Orson Welles Falstaff masterpiece 'hidden manuscripts' auction at Bonhams
Chimes at Midnight, or Falstaff, was Welles's favourite film from which these notes are for sale
Posted: 1 November 2011
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RMS Titanic 'first class' deck plan finds its way to $48,400 at Henry Aldridge
Given to Titanic victims Ida and Isidor Straus, this first class deck plan survived with their maid
Posted: 31 October 2011
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Schiller's Ode to Joy manuscript sells for $573,400 World Record price
Rare and historically significant, the handwritten Ode to Joy is now the highest priced German manuscript
Posted: 29 October 2011
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Lord Nelson 1799 manuscript letter brings $32,372 in Derby, UK, sale
One of Britain's greatest heroes, Admiral Lord Nelson, has made his mark in the collectibles markets
Posted: 28 October 2011
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Detective Comics #67 Batman & Penguin artwork could reach $300,000
The classic piece from Jerry Robinson is one of the oldest original covers still known to exist
Posted: 27 October 2011
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Original Smurf cartoon drawings by artist Peyo lead 'smurftastic auction'
Artcurial's sale of orginal drawings by the master of the little blue people is taking place this weekend
Posted: 27 October 2011
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Books & Manuscripts auction: Sotheby's devotes 'whole day' to rare works
'The Library of a Connoisseur' will sell at Sotheby's Paris sale among various rare books & manuscripts
Posted: 25 October 2011
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Titanic letter led collection steams to $100,570 at Philip Weiss Auctions
Letters from returning honeymooners John & Nelle Pillsbury Snyder outdid expectations at the weekend
Posted: 24 October 2011
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Titanic letter and archive will 'go under' the hammer at Philip Weiss
John and Nelle Snyder survived the Titanic tragedy and held an archive of material including letters
Posted: 21 October 2011
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Unique edition of Legenda Aurea, the Golden Legend, set to shine at auction
Though a popular medieval text, this is the only copy of this early German edition of the Legenda Aurea
Posted: 20 October 2011
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'Nicolas Cage, John Wayne and others offer you the best-ever piece of advice'
What do John Wayne, action star Nicolas Cage and 'the oldest collectible car' each have in common...?
Posted: 19 October 2011
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The Top Five rare action movie collectibles by Paul Fraser Collectibles
Explosions, car chases and fights - action movie memorabilia has caused a blast on the markets
Posted: 19 October 2011
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Benjamin Franklin's smallpox book sees outbreak of enthusiasm in New York
The rare books auction saw a first edition of the work, which had a tragic significance for Franklin
Posted: 18 October 2011
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Rare Henry Cook travel book cruises to $88,100 at Dominic Winter
Painter and author Henry Cook recorded his travels round the Ionian Islands in a rare and valuable book
Posted: 14 October 2011
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Audubon’s Birds of America copy flies to $10,575 at Cowan’s auction
A seven volume copy of Audubon’s ‘most valuable auctioned published book’ starred in this US sale
Posted: 11 October 2011
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Confederate Constitution of America set to draw support at Heritage
One of just a handful of copies of the US constitution reworked by the confederates is stirring interest
Posted: 11 October 2011
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Larsson's Celebrated Millennium Trilogy unique box set could sell for $18,749
Sotheby's is offering a "spectacular, unique" boxed set of Stieg Larsson's Celebrated Millennium Trilogy
Posted: 11 October 2011
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Nicolas Cage's Action Comics #1 could set World Record price at ComicConnect
A '9.0 grade' of the issue introducing Superman, thought to be owned by Nicolas Cage, is for sale
Posted: 11 October 2011
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Rare Russian Icon: Madonna of the Burning Bush is for sale
This exquisite and historic piece was 'formerly in the collection of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna'
Posted: 5 October 2011
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John James Audubon book could score a $55,000 sale at Bonhams
Audubon's other book Birds of America is the most expensive book ever, sold for a whopping $11.6m
Posted: 4 October 2011
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Rare early printed book showing the Creation of Eve in woodcut heads auction
Philippus de Bergamo's early printed work will be offered in Swann Galleries' rare book sale
Posted: 4 October 2011
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Enigma machine World Record price set at Christie's Travel memorabilia auction
A number of records were set in this $3.1m sale, with 'several items causing a bidding frenzy'
Posted: 3 October 2011
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'$25,154' poem collection by prose pioneer Bertrand doubles sale estimate
Bertrand and this book were instrumental in the introducing the prose poem into French literature
Posted: 1 October 2011
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Letters about RMS Titanic sinking will cross the auction block in New York
A historically significant archive of material pertaining to doomed ocean liner RMS Titanic is up for sale
Posted: 22 September 2011
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American history and beyond - the Eric C Caren collection brings $655,400
The sale featured everything from battles over New York to an archive of collector Thomas Edison
Posted: 19 September 2011
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'Birth Certificate of New York' sold for $120,000 from the Eric C Caren collection
Charles II instructs Edmund Andros to take the disputed territory from the Dutch for the last time
Posted: 17 September 2011
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'A treat for serious collectors'... Rare comic auction stars Spiderman and the Avengers
A new offering from the webslinger follows ComicConnect's $325,000 Amazing Fantasy 15 sale
Posted: 16 September 2011
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First-ever published book by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy goes to auction
‘Fleshweathercock and other poems’, the collection, was published in 1973 when Duffy was just 18...
Posted: 16 September 2011
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Robert Frost works and a 'circa 14th century' manuscript sell in New York
An exceptionally rare 'Complete Poems' signed by the American poet is among NBA's highlights...
Posted: 12 September 2011
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Napoleon leads again at Leighton Galleries with a $15,000 bust sculpture
The Premier Book Auction is awash with historical and political autographs, photographs and militaria
Posted: 9 September 2011
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Alde auctions $28,102 'greatest achievement of Western literature'
An influence on Huxley and Orwell, this original Candide ou L'Optimisme book is for sale in Paris
Posted: 8 September 2011
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Provoking America: Early reactions to the Stamp Act could bring $50,000
Two newspapers, one including text written by Benjamin Franklin, are auctioning at Swann Galleries
Posted: 4 September 2011
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Magnificent $20,000 World Map by Willem Blaeu to show the way at Old World Auctions
The sale, which takes place this month, also features charts, atlases, globes, beautiful vintage prints
Posted: 2 September 2011
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First off the press... Mistral's '$29,000' Nobel-winning poem sells in Paris
This poem bagged Frédéric Mistral a 1904 Nobel Prize - and this very special copy is another prize
Posted: 31 August 2011
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That's magic! First printing of Harry Potter set to conjure up $20,000 at Heritage
Distinguished by a young Dumbledore on the back, this book comes with a rare signed photo
Posted: 31 August 2011
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The Story of... 'The most famous and important American editorial cartoon'
Expected to bring more than $100,000, this cartoon carried a simple message: unify against the French
Posted: 31 August 2011
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Freedom! Classic piece of anti-slavery propaganda will star at Swann Galleries
The Eric C Caren collection will be sold under the title How History Unfolds on Paper
Posted: 29 August 2011
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Chinese scroll brings ten times estimate in Michaan's triumphant estate auction
Fine portrait watches, Asian history and assorted works of art helped them triple their estimates
Posted: 26 August 2011
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'Boyce has lost his right leg': 1815 naval warfare account set for auction
A letter recounting the peacetime US attack on a British ship comes to a Peter Wilson UK sale
Posted: 25 August 2011
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'Battered' Spiderman could crawl to the top at Mound City's sale, this weekend
Valuable comic books are available in Missouri, US, and online - including Amazing Fantasy #15
Posted: 24 August 2011
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Have I got news for you... Newspapers from the birth of America are for sale
Harbottle Dorr's hoard of annotated print recalls the struggle for and Declaration of Independence
Posted: 23 August 2011
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Mark Twain's celebrated works with handwritten page lead New York auction
This rare, limited edition collection will star alongside antique atlases and fine Americana in the Big Apple
Posted: 22 August 2011
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Super once more... Restored copy of Superman's introduction leaps to $149,000
The auction also offered beautiful examples of Carl Barks art and Spiderman's first appearance
Posted: 19 August 2011
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PBA Galleries holds record sale of Chinese maps and history
Including works by names such as Joannes Blaeu, the auction included Margaret Gee's collection
Posted: 18 August 2011
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Franckens the younger’s $1.14m ‘pre-Rembrandt’ art auctions in Zurich
Koller hopes this work by the legendary Flemish Baroque painter continues its $17.7m June success
Posted: 16 August 2011
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President John Adams's passionate pro-US Constitution letter leads at Heritage
Patriotism 'burned in Adams like a blue flame' and this letter is a priceless piece of American history...
Posted: 15 August 2011
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Discover which famous author's $9,000 writing desk could be yours
She was Britain's best selling author in the 1990s and continues to have a legion of fans
Posted: 12 August 2011
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Superman, Spiderman and Scrooge McDuck fight for the top spot at Heritage
Next week's auction offers some great opportunities for fans of vintage comics and Carl Barks
Posted: 11 August 2011
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Artist Frida Kahlo's 'highly coveted' Edgar Allen Poe book brings $24,000
The Mexican artist's illustrated copy of Poe's collected works enchanted collectors at Leslie Hindman
Posted: 10 August 2011
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From 18th century printings to Second Life: David Rumsey's map collection
Rumsey has assembled an extraordinary range of collectible maps - and he's keen to show them all...
Posted: 10 August 2011
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Smash! $343,000 Captain America #1 breaks comic book World Record
An exceptional and rare copy of the 1941 book has defeated all expectations at ComicConnect's sale
Posted: 10 August 2011
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Paul Fraser Collectibles' guide to preserving your rare book collection
Few things can be more personal and cherished than a book. Here's how to take care of them...
Posted: 8 August 2011
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'Grotesque connotations': the '$4,000' critique of presidential hopeful Nixon
Even before the Watergate scandal, President Richard Nixon's image had much room for improvement
Posted: 7 August 2011
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Pow! An exceptional copy of Captain America #1 hits the rare comic markets
Expected to raise as much as $240,000, the copy was part of an 85 year old's treasured collection
Posted: 5 August 2011
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He could have just phoned... Alexander Graham Bell letters go under the hammer
A missive including illustrations of telephones written by the man himself is up for sale next week
Posted: 4 August 2011
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Paul Fraser Collectibles'… Top Five most collectible novelists
There's nothing like a good read by the fire, though you wouldn't want to get these books singed
Posted: 27 July 2011
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Edgar Allan Poe book decorated by Frida Kahlo could bring $20,000
The doodles give some interesting insights into the life of the celebrated Mexican artist
Posted: 20 July 2011
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Paul Fraser Collectibles'... Top 5 items of Harry Potter memorabilia
As the latest film breaks records at the cinema, we look at our favourite Harry Potter collectibles
Posted: 20 July 2011
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Private collection of rare books including Ulysses first edition brings $500,000
Following the death of Fred Hanna last month, a range of books were sold including the Joyce work
Posted: 20 July 2011
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'Priceless piece of Silver Age Marvel lore' among Spiderman comics for sale
The exciting auction includes original artwork and issues from the Edward M Sarley collection
Posted: 19 July 2011
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Discover the battle to keep Nelson Mandela collectibles in South Africa
On Mandela's 93rd birthday, we reveal how important collectibles are being pulled from auction
Posted: 18 July 2011
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PoW's Fukuoka sketchbook offers collectors unique WWII insight
A sketchbook displaying life for a prisoner of war in Japan will be coming to auction on July 20
Posted: 17 July 2011
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James Joyce's British wartime passport makes $98,000 at Sotheby's
The Irish writer's emergency British passport offered him safe passage through wartime Europe
Posted: 15 July 2011
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Your chance to own a unique World War II 'book of heroes'
The signatures of 107 RAF flying officers are coming to Bonhams in August with a $13,000 estimate
Posted: 15 July 2011
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Sheffield FC's 'earliest' rules in football score $1.4m at Sotheby's sale
Is this the most important manuscript in football? And was it bought by a Qatari collector...?
Posted: 14 July 2011
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Fascinating Gibraltar collection led by atlas showing the way 'to the River Amazones'
The $47,900 work is going under the hammer in London this week alongside other books and stamps
Posted: 12 July 2011
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Most expensive sports memorabilia in the world? First football rules may bring $4.8m
Offered by the oldest club in the world, the book may be bought by a newly football-mad nation
Posted: 12 July 2011
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Everything is illuminated: prayerbook by Europe's 'Greatest Master' could bring $3m
The 16th century Imhof Prayerbook is the highlight of Christie's third Arcana Manuscript Collection sale...
Posted: 5 July 2011
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James Joyce's wartime passport could find its way to $112,400 at Sotheby's
The document roughly spans the period he was working on his masterpiece Ulysses
Posted: 1 July 2011
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First edition Charles Darwin book proves its $62,500 worth in New York
His famous work on rare species is now rare and collectible itself, as were this sale's other great lots
Posted: 28 June 2011
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'Volume of tragedies...' stars in National Book Auctions' sale of unique works
The Latin Tragoediae by Lucius Annaeus Seneca starred in this remarkable New York state auction
Posted: 27 June 2011
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A whale of a tale... Copy of Herman Melville's Moby Dick brings $74,500
The story of an ship captain's obsession to chase down a whale made a splash at Sotheby's
Posted: 23 June 2011
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'Pottermore' profit... Harry Potter collectibles could provide magical returns
As mystery new projects are revealed by JK Rowling, it seems certain the series' popularity will endure
Posted: 22 June 2011
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First script from Britain's 60-year-old radio drama The Archers goes up for sale
Sotheby's is expecting significant interest when the aging pages go under the hammer next month
Posted: 20 June 2011
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'Supreme manuscript of any period or culture' brings $12m Islam art record
This incredible manuscript, sold at Sotheby's, is from the very centre of Greater Persia's cultural sphere...
Posted: 18 June 2011
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How rare is this Winston Churchill book? You have six days to find out...
Unrecorded by experts and mysteriously inscribed, questions surround these Churchill volumes...
Posted: 17 June 2011
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The horror! Late collector's rare Wells and Lovecraft books are for sale
Philip K Dick, HP Lovecraft and HG Wells were among those revered by the publisher Jerry Weist...
Posted: 16 June 2011
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Sotheby's successful manuscript sale proves now is the time to invest
This auction of rarities, even without Mozart's sonatas, showed the market is buoyant...
Posted: 15 June 2011
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Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and the art of getting rich through collecting
We reveal why the world's wealthiest business magnates all share one crucial thing in common
Posted: 13 June 2011
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National Book Auctions sells early works by 'obscene' director Larry Clark
Is it art, or does he exploit children? Bidders can decide from themselves at this New York auction
Posted: 13 June 2011
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Revealing the letter from a doomed marriage which changed history...
England's King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon wed on this day in 1509...
Posted: 11 June 2011
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Benjamin Franklin essays including ideas for the study of farts may bring $350,000
Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence, made scientific breakthroughs and told silly jokes
Posted: 9 June 2011
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Storyboard showing 'one of Hitchcock's biggest mistakes' sells for $28,800
The sketchy scenes of Stage Fright include the notorious 'false flashback' sequence
Posted: 9 June 2011
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The vast and spectacular collections of Sheikh Saud al Thani of Qatar
Charged with making Qatar a cultural hotspot, he spent billions on art, books, antiques and more
Posted: 8 June 2011
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Video of the Week: The World's greatest collection of Oscar Wilde at the Clark Library
The Los Angeles library boasts an incredible range of autograph and printed material
Posted: 8 June 2011
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$164,357 Mahler manuscript and Mozart 'junk' piece sell at Sotheby's
A Mozart masterpiece, rescued from being thrown away, is just one of the unique pieces being sold
Posted: 7 June 2011
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Flora and Fauna: Bloomsbury's rare book auction takes a turn around the garden
Two beautifully illustrated works of natural history are going under the hammer for over $50,000
Posted: 7 June 2011
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Bring all Bob Dylan's songs back home... The legend's lyrics are for sale
The autographed typescripts at Christie's include Subterranean Homesick Blues and Maggie's Farm
Posted: 2 June 2011
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'Most important work on the human body' gets the blood pumping for $43,992
William Harvey's De motu cordis continued the recent strong showings of medical publications
Posted: 26 May 2011
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Bonhams has great expectations for ‘almost complete’ Dickens collection
A $1.5m collection of 18th and 19th century serialisations will head to New York in October
Posted: 24 May 2011
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Only remaining Jane Austen manuscript in private hands could sell for $485,000
The much celebrated author's incomplete novel The Watsons is going under the hammer at Sotheby's
Posted: 24 May 2011
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Jackie O's $134,500 letters show 'recovering market on an upward trend'
Collectors got a peek at young Jackie Kennedy's love letters at Christie's $1.1m New York auction
Posted: 22 May 2011
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200 years on, a first edition of Jane Austen's debut book is for sale at Christie's
The copy of Sense and Sensibility, credited only to 'A Lady', was published in 1811
Posted: 20 May 2011
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Strong collectible investment assets: 'Sometimes, the eyes have it...'
Here are four factors which could help you hunt out a solid long-term collectible investment...
Posted: 18 May 2011
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The world in paper and ink... Books of Darwin and Captain Cook's journeys to sell
Bloomsbury Auctions' upcoming sale includes a first edition of the Voyages of the Beagle
Posted: 16 May 2011
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$150,000 Washington signed patent that revived slavery comes to Heritage
A 1796 George Washington signed cotton gin patent is set for auction later in the month
Posted: 13 May 2011
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Great Collections: The book collection of the London Library
The London Library is a world of calm and learning, far removed from the clatter of nearby Piccadilly
Posted: 11 May 2011
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Flotsam and jetsam to treasure: Valuable Titanic memorabilia washes up at Heritage
A fragment from the hull of the doomed vessel and a pair of Titanic lifebelts are up for sale
Posted: 10 May 2011
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Nelson Mandela collectibles continue to inspire a new generation
Collectibles associated with the former South African president can command huge sums at auction
Posted: 10 May 2011
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Children's book illustrations continue to draw grown-up collectors
The investment potential of original children's book illustrations delights collectors young and old
Posted: 9 May 2011
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'I fainted at the sight of Hill's great work' - legendary botanical book comes to auction
Ketterer Kunst is offering J Hill's magnum opus The Vegetable System later this month
Posted: 9 May 2011
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The Dark Knight rises again... Batman drawing achieves World Record price
An iconic drawing from Frank Miller's classic DC series has made $448,125 at Heritage Auctions
Posted: 9 May 2011
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'Lost' poem by an all-time greatest scholar is revealed at Bloomsbury
For the first time since 2004, a forgotten poem by the scholar AE Housman is for sale in London
Posted: 6 May 2011
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Bonhams prepares to auction 'history of the known world' for $49,600
The Nuremberg Chronicle is the most lavishly illustrated printed book of the 15th century...
Posted: 4 May 2011
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'Greatest entomological rarity' by De Clerck flutters into Paris book sale
Swedish artist De Clerck put great passion into his drawings - which you now have a chance to own
Posted: 3 May 2011
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Harper Lee's '$4,000' Mockingbird is expected to soar at auction
A signed first edition of the modern classic is for sale at National Book Auctions in May
Posted: 26 April 2011
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Flinders' A Voyage to Terra Australis first edition sails into May auction
A rare book recounting Matthew Flinders' circumnavigation of Australia could make six figures
Posted: 25 April 2011
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First printing of Defoe's Journal of the Plague Year makes $2,520 at auction
A 1722 edition of Defoe's historical novel was the leading lot at National Book Auctions' recent sale
Posted: 23 April 2011
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Lavish 'elephant folios' from Egypt will make a big impression at Sotheby's
The Travel, Atlases, Maps and Natural History sale will also include a $130,250 Egyptian archive
Posted: 20 April 2011
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Our Top Five… Rare and historic maps sold at auction
In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue - setting in progress a revolution for cartography
Posted: 20 April 2011
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Hollywood actor's rare '$1m' Superman comic found after 11 years
An Action Comics No.1 stolen from Nicolas Cage has been discovered in a storage locker
Posted: 13 April 2011
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Spellbound book collectors set to fight over $5,700 Harry Potter first edition
A first edition of JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book comes to auction in London next week
Posted: 11 April 2011
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$12m Persian Shahnameh manuscript smashes Islamic art record
The 'unique work of extraordinary quality and beauty' caused a sensation at Sotheby's
Posted: 9 April 2011
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The 'rarest edition' of Hitler's infamous work Mein Kampf comes to auction
A 1925 first edition of Hitler's book is up for sale at Mullock's Auctioneers in the UK this month
Posted: 8 April 2011
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$4,800 cosmetic surgery manual excites collectors with a nose for a bargain
A rare 19th century first edition nose surgery book comes to auction on April 6
Posted: 5 April 2011
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Extraordinary US Civil War shirt collar letter auctions at Spink Shreves
A soldier resorted to an unusual method of sending news of Union victories back home
Posted: 5 April 2011
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'The words of Christ tell against them'... Luther manuscript goes under the hammer
The handwritten text is to sell for up to $35,600 in Piasa's books and documents sale in Paris
Posted: 5 April 2011
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Time to buy a beautiful manuscript: A Book of Hours could sell for $325,000
The illuminated Latin text was once bought at a huge price by the wealthiest man in America
Posted: 4 April 2011
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Harper Lee's Mockingbird flies high at National Book Auctions sale
The signed first edition sold alongside a range of MacKenzie-Childs antique pottery
Posted: 31 March 2011
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Agatha Christie collectibles market to receive Disney film boost
Hollywood beauty Jennifer Garner will play Miss Marple in a forthcoming big screen adaptation
Posted: 30 March 2011
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Page from 'greatest illustrated manuscript ever produced' set for $5m Sotheby's sale
An illustrated page from a 16th century Persian manuscript will be auctioned next month
Posted: 30 March 2011
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'I shall Kiss your name and mine' - Keats letter brings World Record price in London
Unable to risk physical contact with his lover, the dying poet wrote a passionate message to her
Posted: 29 March 2011
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Our Top Five… Rare Winnie the Pooh collectibles
After the recent Pooh Sticks world championship, we look at collectibles of the bear of very little brain
Posted: 28 March 2011
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For Whom the Bell Tolls: New movie tells the story of Hemingway's inspiration
Nicole Kidman will play the great writer's wife Martha Gellhorn in a film which could boost his memorabilia
Posted: 24 March 2011
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Earliest star maps could chart a course to $290,000 at Sotheby's
The oldest star charts published in Europe, by Albrecht Dürer, are auctioning on Wednesday
Posted: 21 March 2011
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Culinary advice for 'virgins, wives, or widows' on offer at Bloomsbury Auctions
An 18th century English cook book is one of several lots sure to attract investors and gourmets next week
Posted: 19 March 2011
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'How glad I shall be to see the last of them': DH Lawrence papers at auction
A letter and manuscripts penned by Lawrence are set for auction with a combined estimate of $30,000
Posted: 18 March 2011
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'Manuscripts bring history home to us'... a look at the Roy Davids collection
The passionate collector's hoard includes amazing writings by Keats, Gandhi, Blake and Churchill
Posted: 16 March 2011
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Rare $322 Pepys diary is returned to south London library after 30 years
A rare copy of Samuel Pepys's account of Restoration London has been returned to a library
Posted: 15 March 2011
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Spiderman's debut 'swings' past $1m to become most expensive Silver Age comic
This pristine copy of 'Amazing Fantasy #15' will have fanboys' spidey senses tingling
Posted: 11 March 2011
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Gibberish letter from Edward Lear features a tiny 'hidden' hound
Bonhams will sell a peculiar example of the British author's unique penmanship - with a twist
Posted: 10 March 2011
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Record sale of the week: Archie #1 comic brings $167,300
Heritage's recent comic book sale had a star from the Golden Age - but not the one you'd expect
Posted: 9 March 2011
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It's a miracle: rare and valuable King James Bible turns up in Wiltshire church
The text is known as 'the only literary masterpiece ever to have been produced by a committee'
Posted: 7 March 2011
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A whole stripey hatful of collectibles - the continuing influence of Dr Seuss books
The creator of the Cat in the Hat is unlikely to be forgotten in the US any time soon
Posted: 3 March 2011
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Our Top Five... Most valuable novels ever sold at auction
To celebrate World Book Day, we look at some of the priciest novels ever to have gone under the hammer
Posted: 3 March 2011
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Text that introduced Arabic numerals to the West could achieve six-figure sum
Fibonacci's Book of Calculation which changed the course of history is to sell for up to $180,000
Posted: 2 March 2011
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Video of the Week... The Frank M Robinson collection of pulps and books
Soon appearing at Adventure House, this sale is offering a great range of exciting and colourful works
Posted: 2 March 2011
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'Greatest poet who ever lived' brings seven-times his estimate in Paris
'Obscene' poems by the Venetian Senator Giorgio Baffo starred at Era's sale, earlier this month
Posted: 1 March 2011
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Signed copy of Harper Lee's Mockingbird swoops into New York auction
The first edition will sell alongside an antique letter from Susan B Anthony about women's suffrage
Posted: 28 February 2011
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Beautiful copy of David Roberts's The Holy Land could bring $145,000
These rare books were once owned by Britain's controversial Consul General in Egypt, Eldon Gorst
Posted: 27 February 2011
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Tell me a story: Captain Cook's book could sail to more than $5,000
A rare botany book and a document of early Guiana are also ready to leave the shelf
Posted: 23 February 2011
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John Gould's $81,000 Birds of Europe book perches at top of Cambridge auction
The beautiful 1837 work filled with hand-coloured lithographed plates leads a sale at Cheffins
Posted: 22 February 2011
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Classic Manga by great Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai appears for sale
Pierre Bergé & Associés' auction will include pieces from the creator of the Great Wave off Kanagawa
Posted: 21 February 2011
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Map of the newly-created United States is offered to lucky bidders
Drawn up even before George Washington became President, the Robert Sayer work is up for sale
Posted: 18 February 2011
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T’ain't nothin’ – collectors still value of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Published today in history, 1885, Mark Twain's most praised novel remains a true American classic
Posted: 18 February 2011
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Holy highlight at PBA Galleries' rare books sale: a first edition King James Bible
'The only literary masterpiece ever to have been produced by a committee' has found a new home
Posted: 17 February 2011
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Beatrix Potter's guinea pigs scamper all the way to $85,000 in San Francisco
Early illustrations by the beloved children's author quadrupled expectations at Bonhams
Posted: 15 February 2011
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'World Record' Birds of America could soar again at PBA's rare books sale
A ‘facsimile’ of a most valuable book is selling with one of Shakespeare’s earliest printed works
Posted: 14 February 2011
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$100,000 William Blake letter meets its 'Last Judgement' at Bonhams
A rare Blake letter detailing his watercolour, The Last Judgement, is set to be an auction star in March
Posted: 10 February 2011
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Beautiful 17th century map shows collectors the way forward next week
Decorated with the seasons, zodiac and elements Frederick de Wit's Nova Orbis map is breathtaking
Posted: 9 February 2011
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Video of the Week... How to research rare and collectible books
Here, Erik Bosee of Aldridge Books offers you some tips on knowing the value of a volume
Posted: 9 February 2011
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Many Happy Returns: How Jules Verne started the multi-million dollar sci-fi genre
183 years later, the grand-daddy of Darth, Deckard and the Doctor remains relevant and collectible
Posted: 8 February 2011
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War, polar exploration and gardening - an eclectic mix of collectibles comes to auction
National Book Auctions' latest sale centres on a wealth of WWI and WWII memorabilia
Posted: 7 February 2011
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Pre-Darwinian theorist’s $8,200 essay on monkeys leads Paris auction
This little known document by theorist Saint-Hilaire will sell alongside a four century family archive
Posted: 6 February 2011
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Early Beatrix Potter illustrations brighten Bonhams' rare books auction
These captivating watercolours were made to go with Potter's Amiable Guinea-Pig poem
Posted: 3 February 2011
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The Story of... Why Superman's collectibles are more powerful than ever
The Man of Steel is returning to the big screen, which could be good news for fans and collectors alike
Posted: 2 February 2011
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$150,000 colour copy of a 'scenic journey around the world' appears at Bonhams
The beautiful work by Louis Choris with many lithographs will sell alongside scientific classics
Posted: 1 February 2011
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Don Quixote succeeds against the odds at Bloomsbury Auctions' antique books sale
The rare edition of a classic work sold alongside a Russian masterpiece by Gogol
Posted: 30 January 2011
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Garth Williams's Little House on the Prairie cover art sells in California
The British-born illustrator captured something of the heartlands of America in these classic works...
Posted: 27 January 2011
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Poet Keats's love letter could be 'most exciting auction for over 40 years'
An exceptionally rare and moving letter is starring in Bonhams' sale of major papers and portraits
Posted: 26 January 2011
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The Royal and Noble manuscript collections of 'People's Poet' Edgar Guest
When not penning some of the USA's most popular poems, Guest appreciated the writings of others
Posted: 26 January 2011
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Duffers' Golf Club Papers could land $30,000 in rare books sale
PBA Galleries looks to continue its successful tradition of sales of texts related to the sport
Posted: 23 January 2011
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'One of the most important exploring voyages to the Pacific' goes up for sale
A first edition of George Vancouver's Voyage of Discovery leads the way at PBA
Posted: 20 January 2011
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Video of the Week... Edgar Allan Poe and 'the rarest book in America'
Today is the 201st birthday of one of the most unique, enduring and influential American writers
Posted: 19 January 2011
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Learning through the ages... rare books sale has everything from Euclid to DNA
The pioneering texts will guide readers through early geometry and the double helix at Bonhams
Posted: 17 January 2011
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From Russia with love: Bond and Harry Potter sell with Gogol masterpiece
007 first editions and a very early Philosopher's Stone are auctioning beside a Russian literary classic
Posted: 14 January 2011
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On the anniversary of James Joyce's death, Ulysses lives on for collectors
Joyce's mission to achieve 'immortality' was evidently a success, as Ulysses' value continues to grow
Posted: 13 January 2011
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Great collections: Johnny Depp's amazing rare books and manuscripts
When he's not playing Jack Sparrow or Sweeney Todd, Depp is a fan of Kerouac and Edgar Allan Poe
Posted: 12 January 2011
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Buy Alberto Giacometti, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro... All in one handy little book
Estimated at €10,000, a publisher's favour among his circle of notable artist friends is for sale in Marseille
Posted: 11 January 2011
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Holy $23m World Record breaking year for collectible comics, Batman!
Heritage Auctions has posted year-end sales of $677m - and it's largely thanks to a caped crusader
Posted: 6 January 2011
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Love letters by fascist and 'most influential writer' Céline sell in Belgium
As influential as he is controversial, love notes by Louis-Ferdinand Destouches are up for sale
Posted: 5 January 2011
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Revealing... The Top Five most expensive printed books
The printing press has passed the Bible, the Bard and birds of America round the world
Posted: 5 January 2011
Last updated: 8 January 2013
