Ketterer Kunst's November 18-19 auction of Rare Books in Hamburg has seen top bids for Pierre-Joseph Redoute's Les liliacees.
 Liliacees is among Redoute's greatest works |
The eight-volume set, created between 1802 and 1816, is one of just 280 produced by the Flemish artist.
The piece sold for $194,655, a 105% increase on its $94,623 valuation. Redoute is considered one of the most important botanical artists of all time, with this book - a masterpiece focusing on lilies - taken home by a European art dealer.
The sale saw a combined total of $2.1m. Bringing the second highest bids was a rare first edition Latin copy of the 1599 Navigatio ac intinararium in orientalem, a book of knowledge relating to the East and West Indies, which was published by JH van Linschoten. It sold for $128,418.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a spectacular selection of rare books and manuscripts for sale, including remarkable examples from Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
