South Sea: The Library of Dr. Richard Topel, Part II
Among the highlights:
- The official account of James Cook's Third Voyage, on which he discovered Hawaii and was later killed by the natives, first edition in three volumes with the folio atlas. Estimate: $10,000/15,000.
- Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition under Charles Wilkes, 1845, 6 volumes including the atlas, the third edition but the preceding two were very limited for presentation. Estimate: $6,000/9,000.
- Ergebnisse der Sudsee-Expedition, 1908-1910, by Dr. Georg Thilenius, 18 volumes, with important text and photographs from this German expedition to the South Seas. Estimate: $3,000/5,000.
- A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, 1783, by the American traveler and adventurer John Ledyard, one of the earliest published accounts of the voyage. Estimate: $7,000/10,000.
- James Burney's A Chronological History of North-Eastern Voyages of Discovery, 1819, an important compilation with accounts of voyages by the English, Dutch, and Danes in search of the Northeast Passage, and the Russian invasion of Kamchatka. Estimate: $3,000/5,000.
- Three original manuscript Log Books/Journals of whaling and trading voyages of the steam barkentine Herman, command by Captain Hartson H. Bodfish, out of San Francisco, 1909-1911. Estimate: $2,000/3,000.
- James Cook's A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World, 2 volumes, 1777, the first edition of the official account of his second voyage, a large, untrimmed copy in early calf-backed boards. Estimate: $6,000/9,000.
- A Narrative of the Mutiny on Board the Ship Globe of Nantucket, by William Lay and Cyrus M. Lay, New-London, Connecticut, 1828, "one of the goriest mutinies in Pacific history." Estimate: $1,200/1,800.
Bid directly from the site. Now available in the Bid Live Now section
Please visit our website to view nearly 350 lots of rare and significant works on the islands and peoples of the vast Pacific Ocean, its history, exploration, culture, geography, and more. Included are the three voyages of Captain James Cook, important scientific expeditions, missionary experiences among the natives, scarce ephemeral works on Hawaii, and much more
The British Library is to present a major new exhibition examining state propaganda, from its origins in the ancient world up until the present day. With over 200 exhibits on display, ranging from chilling Nazi propaganda to modern day ephemera such as bank notes, badges and even tweets which permeate our everyday lives, Propaganda: Power and Persuasion is the first exhibition to gather such a significant range of international state propaganda in one room, looking at its rationales, methods and effectiveness.
From 17 May to 17 September 2013
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
David Gonzalez found the 1938 comic book among old newspapers that had been used to insulate the wall of a house he was working on in Elbow Lake, Minnesota, USA.
The No 1 issue of Action Comics, revealing its new character, Superman, has already attracted 31 bids in an online auction, ComicConnect, that closes on June 11. One bidder has offered $107,333 for the find. The comic could have fetched even more, but in the excitement of the discovery, the back cover was torn.
First Editions — Second Thoughts
The top lot of the evening in which every lot sold was a first edition of Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone personally annotated by J.K. Rowling, containing revealing commentary and 22 of her own original illustrations. The sale room fell silent as two determined bidders vied for the prized edition. Bidding leapt in increments of up to £25,000 and the hammer finally fell, to a round of applause, on a £150,000 telephone bid.
The second-highest price of the auction was achieved for the much-loved children's classic Matilda by Roald Dahl, with new illustrations by Quentin Blake, which sold for £30,000.
Further highlights of the sale include Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, which sold for £18,000; Julian Barnes' Metroland, which sold for £14,000; Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader, which fetched £11,000; Seamus Heaney's Death of a Naturalist, which brought £17,000; Colm Toibin's The Heather Blazing, which sold for £15,500; Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall which sold for £16,000; Edmund de Waal's The Hare with Amber Eyes, which fetched £14,500 and Ralph Steadman's richly illustrated Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, which sold for £14,500.
The evening was attended by a number of authors whose works were featured in the sale, including Helen Fielding, Colm Toibin, Jeanette Winterson, Frederick Forsyth, Ben Okri, Margaret Drabble, Andrea Levy, David Lodge, John Banville, Justin Cartwright and Wendy Cope.
Rick Gekoski, rare book dealer and trustee of English PEN, who curated the collection of annotated first editions for the sale, said: "This is a triumphant conclusion to a wonderful project, which has involved the hard work and good will of so many people. I am sure that the buyers of the individual books will be thrilled with their purchases."
Dr Philip W. Errington, Director of Printed Books and Manuscripts at Sotheby's, said: "Each and every one of these first editions can be described as the ultimate first edition of the respective publications, and the remarkable personal insights that the authors have granted us, through their annotations – together with the hugely important cause that this event supports – has truly made this a landmark sale."
To Contact Ibookcollector
Ibookcollector © is published by Rivendale Press.