AntiquarianAuctions.com Auction #51 Highlights
Auction Running May 26-June 2.
LITERATURE
Lot 1
[Lawrence, T.E.]
SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM. A Triumph
Published: Printed for the author by Manning Pike and H.J. Hodgson, London, 1926.
In Some Notes, page 4, Lawrence comments, ‘The Seven Pillars was so printed and assembled that nobody but myself knew how many copies were produced. I propose to keep this knowledge to myself. Newspaper statements of 107 copies can be easily disproved, for there were more than 107 subscribers: and in addition I gave away, not perhaps as many copies as I owed, but as many as my bankers could afford, to those who had shared with me in the Arab effort, or in the actual production of the volume.’
The present copy is a conundrum. Could it be one of the ‘spoils’ mentioned in the Texas Quarterly article? We have not been able to trace a record of another similar copy.Size: 4to (265 x215 mm)
Estimate: $15.000/20.000
Cry the Beloved Country (Signed)
A Story of Comfort in Desolation
Published: Jonathan Cape, London, 1948
Edition: First
Signed "Alan Paton 10/11/48"
Estimate: $200-300
MAPS & TOPOGRAPHICAL BOOKS
A Draught of Cape Bona Esperanca
Published: Mount and Page, London, c. 1761
This is an extremely scarce, attractive chart , with an historically important vignette, by John Seller whose cartographic work is much sought after by collectors. It is one of the most important land marks in the history of hydrography of the Cape of Good Hope.
A Draught of Bona Esperanca probably was engraved by John Oliver after a VOC map engraved Johannes Vingboons. The chart first was published in 1675 by John Seller in Atlas Maritimus and in the third book of The English Pilot. The various publishers who took over Seller’s financially precarious business continued to publish the Pilot until 1794. They used a similar chart drawn by John Thornton who revised the vignette and deliminated the grossly distorted Saldanha Bay (Norwich #219).
Estimate: $3500 - 4000
Mappe-Monde Geo-Hydrographique, ou Description Generale
Published: H Jaillot, Paris, 1695
This world map is a beautiful record, in its first state, of the prevailing geographical understanding and misconceptions of the late seventeenth century: California as an island; incomplete Australia; the great southern "Terre Australe" and the Japanese island of Hokkaido is excessively large.
The beautiful map is the skilled work of the foremost French cartographers of the era, who did much to perpetuate the legacy of Nicolas Sanson and who also worked with Sanson’s sons after the patriarch died in 1667.
The plate from which this map by Jaillot was engraved by Louis Cordier, who signed the map (below the south pole of the polar projection of the eastern hemisphere). Somewhat unusually, the date of publication was added in manuscript at the time of publishing. The plate underwent a number of alterations - all within the cartouches and not to the geography). Jaillot based this map on Nicholas Sanson’s much larger map (1674) that was published in Jaillot's Atlas Nouveau
Estimate: $2250 - 3000
TRAVEL & EXPLORATION / AFRICANA
Lot 10
Isaacs (Nathaniel)
TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES IN EASTERN AFRICA
Descriptive of the Zoolus, their manners, customs with a sketch of Natal
Published: Edward Churton, London, 1836
Two volumes, 345 + 402 pages, lithographic frontispiece in each volume, 2 lithographic plates including one of 'Chaka King of the Zoolos', folding chart of Port Natal, bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe.
'What is known of the life story of Nathaniel Isaacs presents a strange contrast to the background of respectable, bourgeois, Anglo-Jewish families of Kent whence he issued. Natal pioneer and explorer, ivory hunter and trader, temporary subject of Chaka, and courtier at the Great Kraal, this would-be empire builder begins a fresh career at the age of 24 on the west coast of Africa. There as merchant and shipper and proprietor of a tiny island, his activities, not all creditable, are hardly less remarkable; and in the end, he retires and settles down in England two years before his death as “Nathaniel Isaacs of Kentville, Egremont, in the County of Chester, Gentleman.”’ Louis Herman.
Estimate: $1300/1500
A VOYAGE TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE TOWARDS THE ANTARCTIC POLAR CIRCLE AND ROUND THE WORLD
But chiefly into the Country of the Hottentots and Caffres, from the year 1772, to 1776
Published: G.C.J and J. Robinson, London, 1785
Edition: First English Edition
By Andrew Sparrman, M.D., Professor of Physic at Stockholm, fellow of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Sweden, and Inspector of Its Cabinet of Natural History. Translated from the Swedish original. With plates in two volumes.
Book plate of Edna and Frank Bradlow on the front paste-down endpaper of both volumes.
Estimate: $1250/1500
AN ACCOUNT OF TRAVELS INTO THE INTERIOR OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
Published: T. Cadell and W Davies, London, 1801 &1804
Including cursory observations on the geology and geography of the southern part of that continent: the natural history of such objects as occurred in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms; and sketches of the physical and moral characters of the various tribes of inhabitants surrounding the settlement of the Cape of Good Hope.
2 volumes, 419 + 452 pages, folding aquatint plate with sepia tint of 'Entrance to Cape Town from Green Point' as frontispiece to volume 2, large folding map in volume 1. Eight smaller maps.
Estimate: $800/900
TRAVELS IN EUROPE, AFRICA, AND ASIA
Made between the years 1770 and 1779
Published: Printed for F. and C. Rivington, London, 1795
Second Edition with volume IV.
4 volumes
Volume I Containing a Voyage to the Southern Parts of Europe, and to the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, in The Years 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773.
Volume II Containing Two Expeditions to the Interior Part of the Country Adjacent to the Cape of Good Hope, and a Voyage to the Island of Java, performed in the Years 1733, 1774 and 1775.
Volume III Containing a Voyage to Japan, and Travels in Different Parts of that Empire, in the Years 1775 and 1776.
Volume IV Containing Travels in the Empire of Japan, and in the Islands of Java and Ceylon, Together with The Voyage Home.
Estimate: $1200/1300
Histoire Metallique de la Republique de Hollande (1687)
A stunning work "Metal History of the Dutch Republic" is a chief work of engraving. With engraved title-page (by S. La Clercinu Lalouette after Sébastien Le Clerc), 12 full-page engraved plates, numerous engraved vignettes in text and different calligraphy initial letters for each chapter for every year from 1567 - 1680.
Published: Daniel Horthemels, Paris, 1687
Edition: First Edition
This original first edition finished and printed July 12, 1687 is sought by numismatists as the engravings fans. The Dutch people being a people of Marin, we find the alluring scenes of sea, ancient ships, cards finely engraved in the medals.
Provenance: From the estate of noble French family
(with an Ex-libris label with coat of arms glued to the front pastedown).
Estimate: $450-600
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photo Album with 25 original photos of an English officer in India (1915)
Collection of 25 original photographs, vintages, silver gelatin prints of an English officer in India (dated March 1915). With private photographs of Mhalda, Bundha, Regama and others, partly titled in English.
Unique time record
Published: March 1915
Edition: Original photographs
Dimensions of album: 23 x 18 cm.
Dimensions of photographs: from 4 x 6 cm to 13 x 17,5 cm.
Estimate: $120-150
Lot 94
Photograph Album
2 Photograph Albums with Japanese portraits (c. 1900-1920)
Collection of 76 vintages black & white photographs showing various portraits of members of the Japanese high society, Japanese theatre, Geishas, children, scholars, etc.
Published: Rokuosha, Daishibu, Tokyo, c. 1900-1920
Edition: Original photographs
Estimate: $180-250
ART & ART REFERENCE
SUITE DE 180 DESSINS DE PICASSO - WITH 16 COLOUR LITHOGRAPHS BY PICASSO
The double issue Numbers 29/30 of VERVE, the most important French art publication by Teriade. This issue in lithographic paper covered boards designed by Picasso.
Containing 16 colour lithographs printed by Mourlot Freres and 64 heliogravures printed by Draeger Freres.
The subject of most of the illustrations are of the artist-model nude theme, many of an erotic nature.
Foreword by Teriade and text by Michel Leiris and Rebecca West.
This French edition published by Verve in Paris is more desirable and scarcer than the simultaneous edition published by Zwemmer in London.
Estimate: $1200 - 1500