An eclectic selection of collectibles based around rare antique books is descending on Ithaca, New York this February 19. The topics of the tomes are wide in scope, and they are accompanied by a variety of artworks and ephemera.
There are a number of rare first editions available, some of which bear the author's autograph, notably some important Civil War history titles. These include the entire 128-volume work, "The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies" and the complete 36-volume printing in leather by the Easton Press of "The Library of the Civil War."
There is also a lot to interest the philatelist, as ephemera include postage and postal history, and there is advertising available for collecting specialist of those materials.
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Examples of the former include early American cancels and postage from Roman States, as well as cancels which date back centuries.
Sports memorabilia collectors will focus in on the Major League Baseball collectibles and bronze sculptures.
Amongst the 'peaceful' books, it is the first editions by Cormac McCarthy and Herman Melville (best known as the author of Moby Dick) which catch the eye and there are even sets by classic authors including Charles Dickens in this, his bicentennial year, not to mention early printings of Charles Darwin's works.
The auction includes a number of minor collections which range across many themes. Reference libraries of Sherlockiana will no doubt have their desirability boosted by recent adaptations of the Conan Doyle works by both Guy Ritchie and the BBC.
There are also a number of volumes relating John Fitzgerald Kennedy's assassination. Collectors fascinated by this crucial and tragic moment in American history will wish to take a look at a very rare example of JFK's 'posthumous' autograph which we have in stock.
What is a 'posthumous' autograph? Well, JFK and his wife Jackie co-signed several Christmas and New Year cards before the date on which Kennedy was assassinated. Click to find out more.