Superman, Schiller's Collection, Christina Rossetti Letters: Auction Preview
One of two faux-book chests containing a travelling library of John Bell's sets of British theater and poetry (109 volumes total), offered as part of Justin Schiller's collection at Freeman's | Hindman this week.
Here are the sales I'll be watching this week:
At PBA Galleries on Tuesday, December 3, The DC Universe Collection Part 4: Superman, in 216 lots. A first printing copy of Superman #1 (1939) is expected to lead the way at $50,000–80,000. Superman #17 (1942) is estimated at $3,000–5,000, as is a copy of the 1950 Superman "Keep Your School All-American" poster.
Bellmans sells 109 lots of Printed Books, Maps & Manuscripts on Wednesday, December 4, with a copy of Daniel Defoe's The Fortunate Mistress (1724) rating the top estimate at £4,000–6,000. Jan Huygen van Linschoten's Histoire de la Navigation (1638) could sell for £3,000–5,000.
At Bonhams London on Wednesday, Books, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs, in 125 lots. One of the 250 signed limited edition copies of the first edition of Ian Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963) rates the top estimate at £5,000–7,000. A small group of notes, letters and other material related to General Gordon of Khartoum are estimated at £3,000–5,000; eight letters from Christina Rossetti to artist Alice Boyd are expected to realize £2,000–4,000.
Forum Auctions sells 261 lots of Modern Literature on Thursday, December 5, including a copy of David Bailey's Box of Pin-Ups (1965), estimated at £3,000–4,000.
At Freeman's | Hindman on Thursday, Collections of an Only Child: Seventy Years a Bibliophile, the Library of Justin G. Schiller, in 267 lots. Sharing the top estimate of $50,000–80,000 are Lewis Carroll's hand-colored presentation photograph of Alice Liddell, and Maurice Sendak's Sundance Children's Theater (1988). Lewis Carroll's autograph list of recipients of presentation copies of The Nursery Alice (1889) is expected to sell for $40,000–60,000. Much here for the illustration collector.
PBA Galleries sells 449 lots of Fine Literature with Star Wars & Science Fiction – Children's & Illustrated – d.a. levy, Bukowski & The Beats on Thursday. The 1927 Hardy Boys book The Tower Treasure is estimated at $10,000–15,000, and a copy of the poster for the first Family Dog concert (1965) could fetch $7,000–10,000.
At Doyle on Friday, December 6, 309 lots of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, including nearly 800 pages of typed drafts of Raymond Chandler stories ($60,000–80,000); a framed page from Ayn Rand's manuscript draft of Atlas Shrugged is estimated at $30,000–50,000. A complete copy of the Alecto/British Museum edition of Joseph Banks' Florilegium (1980–1990) could sell for $20,000–30,000.
