Springsteen Lyrics, Conan Doyle Letters, Unpublished Masereel Graphic Novels: Auction Preview
Frans Masereel drawing on the verso of artwork for an unpublished graphic novel, Chansons Sentimentale, offered at PBA Galleries this week.
Here are the auctions I'll be watching this week:
At ALDE on Tuesday, April 18, 216 lots of Travel Books, Manuscripts and Astrolabes, Natural History. Expected to lead the books are three lots each estimated at €10,000–12,000: Johann Jakob Scheuchzer's Physique sacrée, ou Histoire-naturelle de la Bible (1732–1737); Jean Pierre Hoüel's Voyage pittoresque des isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari (1782–1787); and Jacob Colom's L'Ardante ou flamboyante Colomne de la Mer (1633).
New England Book Auctions sells Comics, Pop Culture, Ephemera, Etc. on Tuesday, in 202 lots.
The Sotheby's online Rock & Roll sale ends on Tuesday; the 130 lots include a working manuscript of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run," estimated at $150,000–250,000; Jimi Hendrix's working lyrics for "Straight Ahead," expected to sell for $70,000–100,000; and Suze Rotolo's promo copy of "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan," with manuscript edits by Bob Dylan on the record labels. The latter is estimated at $60,000–80,000.
At University Archives on Wednesday, April 19, 413 lots of Rare Signed Manuscripts, Books, Photos, and Relics. A November 2, 1864 Abraham Lincoln note about the upcoming presidential election is estimated at $40,000–50,000, and a May 20, 1782 note signed by Arthur Middleton (as well as by John Rutledge and David Ramsay) is estimated at $30,000–40,000. A December 19, 1781 letter signed by George Washington could sell for $24,000–35,000.
On Thursday, April 20, Potter & Potter holds a 282-lot sale they've titled A Study in Sherlock: The Curious Collection of Robert Hess, Part I. A huge amount of interesting material here for the Conan Doyle collector, including a group of correspondence relating to his 1929 spiritualism lecture tour in Africa ($8,000–12,000); a similar group of letters about his tour of Scandinavia and Holland in the same year ($6,000–8,000); and a complete set of the "Turlock Loams" parodies by John Ruyle ($5,000–7,000).
At PBA Galleries on Thursday, 286 lots of Photography & Fine Art. Of particular interest are two unpublished "wordless novels" by Frans Masereel: Demain Les Jeunes (twelve drawings) and Chansons Sentimentale (ten of twelve drawings, most with unrelated drawings on the versos). Both are estimated at $6,000–9,000.
Arader Galleries holds a 179-lot April Auction on Saturday, April 22. Expected to lead the sale are three manuscript maps featuring the first detailed survey of the Potomac River, determining the boundaries of the land claims of Lord Fairfax. These are estimated at $800,000–1,200,000. A first issue copy of the 1755 John Mitchell map of British North America is expected to sell for $600,000–800,000.
