Rare King James Bible First Edition to Auction
The King James Bible (detail)
Freeman’s May 3 Books and Manuscripts auction is led by an exceedingly rare first edition of the King James Bible, printed in London in 1611 and one of only 114 known extant copies. Also under the hammer are illustrated books from the Collection of Nicholas Wedge, 17th and 18th century maps, a selection of classic titles by the likes of James Joyce and Charles Darwin, and important Americana.
A masterful advertising wordsmith of the Mad Men era, Nicholas Wedge admired early 20th-century illustrated books for their craftsmanship, expressive typography, and collaboration between author and artist. The sale brings to market Wedge’s collection, over 70 lots of books and artwork from some of the biggest names of the Golden Age of Book Illustration from Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac to Kay Nielsen and Harry Clarke.
Among the highlights are two works by Rackham, Sailing Boats in the Pool, an original and unpublished watercolor,and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens…, a first and limited edition with an original illustration, signed not only by Rackham but also author J.M. Barrie and two members of the British Royal family.
The selection of significant Americana and presidential material across time periods is led by a very rare credential for the Confederation Congress boldly signed by John Hancock and an autograph letter signed by Thomas Jefferson. William Penn’s 1676 land deed to William Biddle in the newly established province of West New Jersey, never before offered for sale, marks the beginning of the prominent and influential Biddle family in America.
The May 3 auction also features several offerings for collectors of Revolutionary War material including an unpublished 1776 expense report from George Washington’s newly formed bodyguard unit, a group of two newspapers on the treason of Benedict Arnold, and a map of Philadelphia during the War for Independence by William Faden.
Other highlights include a first edition and first issue of Charles Darwin’s seminal text The Descent of Man, a first edition of Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language, a first and limited edition of Finnegans Wake signed by James Joyce, as well as Joyce’s Tales Told of Shem and Shaun; and autograph letters by Charles Dickens and Eugene O’Neill.
