From the Library of Dr. John Talbot Gernon, the first issue of the American edition of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera (1911) with an exceptionally rare original dust jacket went for $20,320, well above its pre-sale estimate of $6,000 – $8,000. According to the auction house, this marked only the second time this particular dust jacket variant, depicting Christine staggering and swooning, has ever appeared at auction. Additionally, a copy of Samuel L. Clemens’ ('Mark Twain') The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Lot 62) was sold for $41,275. A first edition of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) (Lot 168) in a remarkably well-preserved dust jacket fetched $22,860.
Other auction highlights included:
- Alfred Edward Mathews' Pencil Sketches of Montana, 1868 first edition, sold for $53,975
- George Vancouver's A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World with atlas from 1798 ($22,860)
- History of the Indian Tribes of North America by Thomas McKenney and James Hall, 1836-1844, first edition ($44,450)
Gretchen Hause, Senior Vice President and Head of the Books and Manuscripts Department, said: “The extraordinary success of this auction underscored the continuing strength of the rare book and manuscript market. The remarkable sale result for The Federalist, which far surpassed its estimate, reflects the enduring significance of the foundational works that shaped democracy in the United States. Similarly, the demand for superlative copies of beloved literary works remains very strong, with prices realized far surpassing their estimates, demonstrating that the timeless appeal of literary works continues to inspire and resonate with collectors."
