Thursday, August 02, 2012

Auction Report: August Preview

August is traditionally a slow auction month; here's what's coming to the block.

- Today at PBA Galleries, Fine Press, Illustrated Books and Miscellanea: The Library of Byron L. Niskian, with additions, in 309 lots. Two lots share the top estimate of $4,000-6,000: a plate from Audubon's Birds of America, the Common Raven, and Bengston and Ruscha's Business Cards (1968).

- Leslie Hindman Auctioneers sells Fine Books and Manuscripts on 8 August, in 448 lots. A proof copy of Audubon's Great Blue Heron is estimated at $80,000-120,000, and there's lots more Audubon and Catesby illustrations to be had. A third edition of Newton's Principia is estimated at $15,000-25,000. This sale offers quite a wide range of material, and the catalog is well worth a browse.

- The big event this month may well be The Last Book Sale, at Larry McMurtry's Booked Up in Archer City, TX on 10-11 August.

- On 16 August at PBA Galleries, Fine Golf Books & Memorabilia, in 403 lots. The top estimate goes to a copy of George Fullerton Carnegie's Golfiana (1842), at $25,000-35,000.

- Also on 16 August, Bloomsbury holds a Bibliophile Sale, in 476 lots.

- No preview yet available for the Fine Literature, Cookery & Gastronomy, Bibliography, Books in All Fields sale at PBA on 30 August.