Skinner looking for consignments for the Fall 2011 Book Auction

I received an alert from Skinner that they are looking for consignments for the annual Fall Book Auction 2011.  This Skinner auction takes place around the time of the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair in November and generates great excitement and news coverage.  The high concentration of rare book dealers, collectors and specialists in Boston for the Fair who visit the auction preview, attend the actual auction and buy (or sell) creates a vibrant marketplace.

While Skinner does a nice job of inviting consignments, I wonder how many people know that they have in their family library, books that would merit attention by Skinner?  Veteran collectors who have amassed a specialized book collection or rare book librarians seeking to sell some of their collection, usually know what they have, generally remember what they payed for it and often have some expectation of what they want to sell it for.  For everyone else, there is much to learn, much to understand, and much to wonder about, if you want to sell a rare or collectible book at auction.  The auction process itself is fairly simple.  The details are fairly complex. 

To sell a book via a Skinner auction, your book must first, be accepted by Skinner for auction.  Skinner invites anyone to send them an email with a basic description of a book along with a high resolution photograph.  Based on that information, they may, or may not, respond with a basic auction evaluation including an expected auction range.  From that basic evaluation the seller must then decide whether or not to take the next step and pursue a more detailed appraisal from Skinner of the actual physical object and after consideration of the results, whether or not to consign the item to Skinner for sale. 

Since Skinner is a traditional "for profit" business, it is in Skinner's interest to accept consignments for auction that will result in the largest amount of potential income to Skinner upon sale at auction.  The more high priced items Skinner sells at auction, the more money Skinner earns.  Your book must compete for attention and interest.  If your book can make Skinner money they will be responsive and more than happy to walk you through the consignment process.

Skinner's basic consignment schedule is to charge a 10% commission on sales more than $7,500,   15% commission on sales between $2,000 and $7,500 and 20% on sales less than $2000.  This basic structure may create immediate distrust in the potential auction house client, but it should not.  If I sell a book at a Skinner auction for $5,000, Skinner charges me a commission of  $750 and I take away $3750.  If my book had sold for $7,500 the commission would still be $750 (10%) and my net would be $6750.  Skinner would much rather sell every book with a 10% commission versus books in the 15% or 20% commission range.  If you have a very valuable book Skinner's 10% commission is fair and negotiable for "priceless" consignments.  If your book is expected to sell for less than $7,500 a 15% commission insures that Skinner has interest in aggressively promoting it to likely buyers.  If your book is expected to sell for less than $2,000, you can be assured that Skinner has, at least, an actual financial interest in selling it and your book benefits from the attention the entire auction catalog receives, thanks to the "high priced" items that generate the most buzz for the auction.

If you are following along without anxiety so far, you are probably confident enough to submit a potential book auction candidate to Skinner, hope for a response, and evaluate the potential sale based on Skinner's initial reply. 

If you are anxious and confused at this point, you are not alone.  I have no idea what the Skinner response rate is but I would imagine that most submissions never merit a response.  While that may mean that your treasured book is most likely a treasure with no monetary value, it may also mean that Skinner missed out on a treasure or that your book may be worth $1500 at auction but they have enough inventory at that price range.  As with any financial transaction it is best to either know what you are buying or selling before you begin the process or be educated and/or represented by someone who knows what you are buying or selling.  Stay tuned in 2011 for more detailed information on auctions, appraisals, cataloging, understanding rare book catalogs and much more about book collecting, especially buying and selling! 



   

Connecting 007, Ian Fleming, Rare Books, Indiana University, Printing and the Mind of Man

Collecting a complete set of the James Bond books, authored by Ian Fleming, is a fine pursuit enjoyed by many.  While Hollywood continues to make, remake or spoof the original stories, acquiring the first edition first printing of the Flemming classics will continue to entice many a bibliophile.  Flemming's works are truly collectible and now approaching "rarity" as the supply of fine condition copies disappear.   Before Fleming published the first Bond adventure, Casino Royale in 1953, he was a serious and inspired book collector.

Ian Flemming acquired an amazing collection of books with the majority of his acquisitions occurring in the 1930's.  During his short-lived collecting phase, he was self-described as "the worst stockbroker," a rambunctious bachelor, and a young man with a limited budget for collecting rare books.  His collecting was focused and his focus original.  His book collection, totalling more than 1000 titles, includes his original Bond manuscripts, author proofs and author copies remains complete and is housed at the Lilly Library, Indiana University Bloomington, a rare collection of firsts-first editions of first ideas.

Fleming's book collection was mostly a private treasure.  He considered his collection a hedge against inflation and kept it in trust for his son, Caspar.  In 1963, a year before Fleming died at the young age of 56, he loaned 44 copies from his collection for the now famous IPEX Exhibit, Printing and the Mind of Man where over four hundred of the most important books ever published were assembled and displayed.  Flemings contribution to the exhibit highlighted his original collecting focus.  His collecting interest was ideas.  The books he collected were the books first introducing an idea that "started something."  His collection focused on the ideas that we now consider the foundation of modernity, ideas of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries including works on electricity, evolution, chemistry, physics, transportation, economics, medicine, and politics.  The Lillly Library maintains a website with detailed information on the Fleming collection.  In 1971 the Lilly Library held an exhibition of the Fleming Collection and the catalog from the exhibit is available on line.  Somewhere in my library lives the exhibition catalog for Printing and the Mind of Man where, I can't recall.  Both the Fleming collection and Printing and the Mind of Man are now considered standard reference for any collector interested in the ideas of modernity.

(My motivation for writing about Fleming today is thanks to an article from December 17, 2010 in the Financial Times, For Your Eyes Only, announcing the opening of a luxury hotel in Jamaica at "GoldenEye," Fleming's winter home.  There, each winter, between January and March from 1952 until 1964, Fleming wrote a new Bond novel.)

The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel by Paulo Coelho

I seem to be rushing everything and everywhere lately.  I'm pretty certain everyone else is as well.  Sunday afternoon, Anne and I braved the Sunday before Christmas crowds to head to our local Borders bookstore to get the traditional fine art calendar for Mom. 

We started our bookstore visit with a single goal in mind but while browsing the shelves I stumbled upon a must have, new book for my library, The Alchemist:  A Graphic Novel by Paulo Coelho, HarperOne, 2010.  I first thought it was simply a re-issue hardcover edition but when I pulled it down to take a look, I was immediately intrigued by the graphic novel format.  I was then shocked to note that it was a first edition, first printing.  While certainly not rare, for me, it is a collectible.  I love Coelho's The Alchemist and I had to add this edition to my small collection of other Coelho first edition, first printing (USA) and will shelve it next to my prized first edition first printing copy of The Illustrated Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream, paintings by Moebius, HarperFlamingo, 1998.

What better way to find inspiration and motivation then to re-visit a cherished story.  I first discovered Coelho during the early 1990's while killing time at the old Waterstone's Book Store on Newbury Street in Boston.  I actually bought and still have the paperback edition acquired then, a 10th printing.  When I first read Coelho he was a complete unknown and for people who know me well, an out of character author for me to read, immediately cherish and collect.  Coelho is without doubt the best selling author of Brazil today.  Since then, I've acquired every new Coelho novel and keep my eye open for the right deal on the two first editions I don't own, The Alchemist and The Valkyries. 

Coelho's message is very simple, follow your dreams.  A message that encourages us to actually live in the world and experience the mysteries and wonders that make up a life.  Inspirational literature is a popular genre often filled with pulp and nonsense.  Coelho offers neither.  His writing, characters and story-telling are first rate and he will be remembered and read for years to come.  The newly published graphic novel format would be a great gift for a youngest reader, the illustrated edition with the Moebius illustrations a better gift for a reader of any age, and a first edition first printing of the 1988 edition (or the 1993 first English edition) a dream come true for the dedicated Coelho collector.

For an edgier introduction to Coehlo, more suitable for the cynical, crustier reader, I suggest Eleven Minutes a novel based on the life of a Coehlo fan, a former professional escort, whose life changed after reading Coehlo.  For me, I'm just going to try and not rush around so much and take some time to page through the new graphic novel edition.

Cultureomics--just the data, please.

A link highlighted at Marginal Revolution led me to an interesting article on data mining and google books.  Culturomics:  Hacking the Library of Babel, by Ronald Bailey, on the new analysis tool launched by Google to enable data mining of their vast digital books archive.  This is certainly a holy grail for social scientists, historians, and other humanists who pursue studies broadly termed "digital humanities."  My initial plan as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University was to pursue a degree and career as a quantitative historian.  I knew then that it was only a matter of time before the records of mankind would become digital, searchable, sortable fuel for analysis.  When this news broke on December 16, I ignored the articles.  Nothing truly new here, move along.  But Bailey's headline caught my attention for the reference to the Library of Babel.

The Library of Babel is a truly inspired short story written by Jose Louis Borges, the great Argentinian librarian and author.  David R. Godine published a lovely edition of The Library Of Babel in 2000.  Godine is a fabulous independent publisher specializing in letterpress printing, first class design and has enviable good taste as a publisher.  I find myself acquiring Godine books as often as possible. 

No matter what transpires with the future of digital books and quantitative analysis, there will always be room for a fine edition of a great book.  Yes, Google is hard at work realizing Borges vision of the ultimate library of all written works.  I expect that Google will experience the same joy followed by depression of Borges' Babel. 

C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia, Perpetual Want

I've been casually searching for a complete edition of the seven volumes of C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia for years.  I do not admit to being a fan of the contemporary movies but I do admit to enjoying the tales of Narnia.  The years since I read them have been many and now, I don't recall whether I dreamed of Narnia before I fell into the world of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarfs, Sorcerers, and the coming age of man, or after.  Regardless of my memory issues, anytime I drift away and stumble through the wardrobe, I'm back in a world of fantasy and adventure with heroes and villains, and great deeds of courage and honor.

On December 10, 2010, Sotheby's in London sold a complete set of first editions in, what I can only imagine, would have been described by a bookseller, as "in near fine condition considering the scarcity of these beloved children's books," for $7,588.00, at the low end of the pre-auction estimate.  Even if I had a spare $7590, I doubt the set at auction would have been the one to buy.  I'd hold out for a better condition copy.  You can read the full auction description here.

The challenge with The Chronicles of Narnia is to find a set, either first edition or simply a collectible edition, which include the complete, original, illustrations by Pauline Baynes.  I certainly didn't read an edition with those illustrations but if I were to acquire a set for my library now, I'd like to experience Narnia as the first readers did, with those, now classic, illustrations.

The Folio Society did a reprint in a lovely edition but I've never seen a complete set of first edition Folio Society for sale.  There is no reason to settle for anything less, given the multi-hundred dollar investment necessary, considering I will probably never own the true first edition.  I do have some standards!  I would settle for a nice commercial reprint (maybe), perhaps an anniversary edition or if Penguin Classics ever released an edition. 

For now, the only option that meets my need of a complete Baynes illustrated  edition may be the new edition published by HarperCollins, The Chronicles of Narnia 80th Anniversary Edition.  I am unable to find the book at the HarperCollins website (which is absurd, the site does not recognize the ISBN) to determine whether or not all the illustrations, as first issued, are included and it is a single volume, 800 page, boxed edition, which just seems wrong.  I imagine that sometime or other, HarperCollins released a proper set of the seven volume treasure but I really don't want a standard commerical edition.  The search will continue.

  

The Dreiser Edition, University of Illinois Press- Collectible Now, Rare Later

Earlier this year I acquired a new edition of Theodore Dreiser, The Financier:  The Critical Edition, University of Illinois Press.  This edition is a title in The Dreiser Edition, Edited by Thomas Riggio, professor emeritus of English at the University of Connecticut.  From the publisher's catalog:

"First published in 1912, Theodore Dreiser's third novel, The Financier, captures the ruthlessness and sparkle of the Gilded Age alongside the charismatic amorality of the power brokers and bankers of the mid-nineteenth century....Dreiser laboriously researched the business practices and personal exploits of real-life robber baron Charles Yerkes to narrate Frank Algernon Cowperwood's early career in The Financier, which explores the unscrupulous world of finance from the Civil War through the panic incited by the 1871 Chicago fire."

I love Theodore Dreiser, generally described as a naturalist writer and one who defines the self-made artist archetype who pursued and eventually forged a successful creative life from nothing, fought censorship, hard times and triumphed to become known as one of America's greatest writers.  If you don't believe me or have never explored his writings, do start now.  The Financier is a personal favorite, the anchor of the three-volume Trilogy of Desire which includes The Titan and The Stoic (neither have been republished in this series-yet,).  I still know where and when I read this trilogy over two weeks, Fall 1980 at the Carnegie Library reading room, next to the campus of Carnegie-Mellon University.  A wonderful procrastination from the studying I was supposed to be doing.

Collecting Dreiser's original publications is well beyond my means.  I do own a cherished edition of The Genius, a book pulled from circulation at the urging of the New York Society for Suppression of Vice one year after publication and not re-issued until 1923 after spirited and effective defense of Dreiser's writing.  My edition of this autobiographical novel, inspired by the Superman of Nietzsche, is the 8th printing Boni and Liveright edition printed in 1925 and includes the correspondence detailing the issues the Society for Suppression of Vice had with this wonderful novel.  I also own the two volume Horace Liveright edition of A Gallery of Woman published in 1929. 

An original edition of The Financier is available for a mere $12,500 in fine condition.  For my money, the best compromise is to work towards completion of the new The Dreiser Series.  At $95 per title, they are expensive relative to other new books but will quickly be out of print and become as scarce and rare as all previous editions of Dreiser are today.  I can not even suggest paperback reading copies other then the generic print on demand editions--a literary crime in my humble opinion. I am mostly a completest in my mind but for Dreiser, I may well acquire this Series in full.  Especially since today, while researching links for this post, I learned the The Genius was published by University of Illinois Press in 2004 and still available.   

What We Need to Learn From T.E. Lawrence

What We Need to Learn From T.E. Lawrence


A very worthwhile read concerning Lawrence of Arabia from the Daily Beast.  Written by Michael Korda, the author of the recently published, Hero:  The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia, this essay pinpoints the enduring impact T.E. Lawrence had on the Middle East during World War I, provides insight into the core characteristics of war and peace in the Middle East and suggests further reading on fighting an insurgency and alternatives to traditional counter-insurgency strategy perhaps best understood and defined by T.E. Lawrence. 

While The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Lawrence's classic memoir of his Middle East strategy, securing the eventual downfall of the Ottoman Empire, remains a must read for everyone, Hero seems a fine introduction and offers the complete story of Lawrence's life and times.

An Introduction to Book Collecting from the WSJ

A wonderful article today in the Wall Street Journal on book collecting.  Collecting Literary Treasure by Goran Mijuk offers a brief overview of collecting.  I don't agree with everything in the article but I loved the fact that Mijuk includes reference to Aristotle, perhaps one of the earliest bibliophiles, and J. Pierpont Morgan who created one of America's most impressive and important private libraries.  With reference to recent auction results for rare books and opinions of current collectors it is a wonderful introduction to the passion for books that defines the bibliophile.

Many years ago while starting out my career in scientific publishing I asked a Fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research how he kept up on the ever evolving world of science and research.  He offered a simple piece of advice, "I read the Wall Street Journal everyday.  Follow the money.  If they write about in the Wall Street Journal money is flowing to the area."  My Father gave me the same advice when I was in high school and I've been reading the WSJ ever since.  If book collecting is featured in the WSJ, money is flowing towards collecting books.

In terms of book collecting vs. collecting fine art I do disagree with the last bit of the article.  There, Peter Selley, senior director and auctioneer at Sotheby's, suggests,  "Compared to works of art, which can be displayed, books tend to be a solitary pleasure."  I believe there are as many reclusive art collectors who surround their private retreats with personal collections as there are reclusive book collectors.  However, book collecting encourages a much more obtainable and inviting social experience. 

Acquiring a rare book is often less expensive then acquiring a piece of fine art.  I would bet that when entering any home with a well stocked library guests will gravitate toward the books on the shelves.  A home library is a social place.  Sharing the treasures of book collections is a social act.   The wise collector, if facing a choice between pursuing fine art or books, will find more bang for the buck in collecting books.  It often pains me deeply to see a single page of a rare book displayed as fine art.  That page, separated from the master copy, may challenge the rule that the "whole is greater than the part" but really, owning the complete book trumps the treasure of owning a single page.  At the high end of collecting, whether it is fine art, books, automobiles, coins, stamps, musical instruments, experiences, the cost is prohibitive to most.  Why spend a life pining for that which you will never be able to afford?  My money will always be on books!

Molotov's Magic Lantern: A Journey in Russian History and Best of 2010 Book Lists

As the current year rushes to an end every publication, web site, bookstore, literary site and blogger offer their "best of list" paying homage to the year past in book publishing.  I read just about every list written and marvel because seldom do I see a book listed as, Best Of, that I either purchased or read.  My tastes, particular and peculiar as they are, rarely rise to any sort of popular level.  I acquire and read both old and new so creating a list based on the books acquired in the past year would not be in sync with annual ritual of Best Of.  I read the lists to know what other book crazy folk cherish and to see if I have overlooked something of value.

Yesterday I spent some time reading the Economist, Best of 2010, book article.  Divided into the usual categories, I quickly scanned for a missed treasure and was not disappointed.  Released in the United Kingdom, March, 2010, Molotov's Magic Lantern: A Journey in Russian History, by Rachel Polonsky, Faber and Faber, available in a North American edition on January 4, 2011, immediately peaked my interest.

While speeding through the Politics and Current Affairs section, where I never expect to find anything of interest (I read the news daily and wait for serious history to be written in the future), I noticed the following description, "A modern classic, inspired by Stalin’s violent henchman and the library he built, by a Russian scholar." 

What was that, Molotov? Stalin? A library?   Why is this in Politics and Current Affairs?  Reviewed on March 4, 2010, I quickly realized that this is a must read, not for the history of Molotov and his often bloody work for Stalin but for insight into the library he built.  (How did I miss the review in March?) 

Molotov was an epic monster and recognized now in association with the Molotov Cocktail, the improvised, incendiary/explosive device, so named and successfully deployed against the Red Army by the Finns to mock him during the wars between Finland and the Soviet Union, 1939-1944.  Molotov was a bibliophile?  What did he read and collect?  I wonder, and now, I must know!  I'll eventually catalog this in my library under Russian History and Books About Books.  Every time I do a general search in either category I will always remember why Molotov's Magic Lantern is there as well as when and how I discovered this book treasure.

Auction Results from Sotheby's, Western Manuscripts and Miniatures

I need to spend more brain time studying auction results.  As luck would have it, my trusty Sotheby's alert hit today with news that results are now available for the auction of Western Manuscripts and Miniatures.  The results report on the sale of 36 lots of rare and exquisite illuminated manuscripts, most on vellum and hand written and illustrated by generally unknown book artisans of the period.  Created in monasteries, private scriptoriums, or by individuals for personal use, these are truly unique works of art.  The 36 lots sold for $4 million plus, suggesting no recession in the rare manuscript trade.

The obvious high spot of the auction was the The Rouchefoucauld Grail, in French, Illuminated Manuscript on Vellum [Eastern Artois or Western Flanders (Most probably Saint-Mer, Tournai or Ghent), C. 1315-23] 

The manuscript totals 455 leaves including 84 large initials and 107 miniatures.  Sotheby's provides a killer closing line in the catalog description, " One of the principal manuscripts of the greatest romance of the the Middle Ages, with over one hundred miniatures illustrating warfare, chivalry and courtly love."  The quest for the holy grail is seconded only by the quest for the grail manuscript, bought at auction here for a mere, $3,773,197.95 

My personal favorite from the auction was the Amuletic Scroll of the Alchemist Johannes Michael, In German and Latin, Decorated Manuscript on Vellum [Germany, Late Sixteenth or early Seventeenth Century]. 

The details,

"a scroll (5 membranes), 2710mm. by 95mm., with coloured roundels on the obverse containing complex alchemical talismans, each above a line or so of text in cursive black ink in German or Latin explaining their use, on the reverse a number of prayers and prayer-like texts listing names of Evangelists and alchemical terms, and naming the owner of the scroll in lighter brown ink as Johannes Michael, these texts separated by elaborate crosses and roundels, some minor rust holes at top edge of first and second membranes, else in excellent condition"
"This scroll is an alchemist's practical reference tool from the greatest years of the study of this philosophical and pseudo-chemical art. It lists some 34 designs for alchemical talismans (presumably to be painted on walls, doors or the body), littered with the traditional symbols for mercury, copper, gold and at the head of one of the larger talismans, the elusive philosopher's stone locked within the Seal of Solomon. The simple talismans at the beginning of the scroll offer protection against neid und haß (anger and hate), den bösen geiß (the evil spirits) and Zauberij (witchcraft). Those at the end incorporate a number of simple units as well as symbols taken from an angelic alphabet (evidently influenced by the so-called Alphabet of the Magi invented by the celebrated astronomer and alchemist Paracelsus, 1493-1541), and offer more specific protection against failure in war and imprisonment." I own a contemporary Alchemist Scroll and paid no where close to the $33,500. this cost at auction!  Visiting auction sites pre or post-auction is worth the time spent.  In this case learning a bit about the Grail lore and seeing a real alchemist scroll is as close to I'll ever get to these pieces of history.

H. L. Mencken, Library of America, Nietzsche's The Antichrist

Making connections between books, authors, publishers, editions and the evolution of ideas provides endless hours of amusement and amazement.  An innocent acquisition often leads to multiple additions to my want-list and yet another category of books to discover, acquire, collect and read (or re-read). 

Visiting an antiquarian and rare bookshop fallen on hard times and closing earlier this summer, I took note of the 50% off sale on books under $500 and searched the shelves, soon to be emptied, for a treasure to add to my library.  I'd been a regular visitor to the shop over the past few years, knew the inventory and immediately began to browse the philosophy and modern fiction sections.  I noted three or four potential buys and left to take a walk and ponder the buying decision.  I only wanted to add one book on this trip, trying to control my bibliomania is a constant battle, and now needed to choose one of three potential targets.  After a brief walk I returned to the shop and purchased, The Antichrist, F.W. Nietzsche, translated from the German with an introduction by H.L. Mencken, Alfred A. Knopf, 1920, Volume III of The Free-Lance Books, edited by H.L. Mencken. 

Nietzsche's The Antichrist is an important work in the history of ideas and adding fine editions of Nietzsche to my library a life goal.  I love the look and feel of this book.  A classic, simple 1920 design, a translator and series editor of enduring literary fame, and a new series for me to acquire.  Upon returning home I immediately began researching Mencken's The Free-Lance Books, discovered I probably paid too much (considering the discount) and that Mencken, while an early champion of Nietzsche's ideas in America, never produced any more translations of Nietzsche and this effort is certainly not considered the best.  None of that impeded my interest in learning more, reading Mencken's translation, and wanting to acquire all the titles Mencken sponsored in The Free-Lance Books (5 titles in total).

H.L. Mencken, known as the Sage of Baltimore, was a leading literary critic, man of letters and independent political pundit active in the early part of the 20th century.  The Library of America has just released an affordable edition of Mencken's essays and reviews, Prejudices, originally published in six volumes during the 1920's.  Collecting the original editions is expensive with individual volumes priced from $500 to $2500.  This edition is affordable for anyone interested in Mencken.  A recent review in the Times Literary Supplement motivated this post.  Do read this fine review for more information on Mencken.  As well as a champion of Nietzsche, in America, Mencken also loved Mark Twain, Willa Cather, Joseph Conrad and Theodore Dreiser, to name a just a few where we are in solid agreement! 

Recently Added to My Library: The Book Of Symbols

I preordered this book a month or so ago and it arrived recently.  Honestly, I haven't opened the box yet, other books to deal with first.  I am looking forward to browsing and reading the offered meaning of the symbols of mankind. 

Two weeks ago, while meeting a friend for lunch, he started to tell me about this publishing project he was involved with resulting in a new Taschen publication.  I immediately admitted I had the book on pre-order.  A humble participant, author and advisor on the publication contract, he warned that the entries were personal reflections on the meaning of the symbols and probably not definitive.  I think that is the reality of the symbols we ponder, as our uniqueness evolves over time via experience, our understanding of what we see must be unique and best when shared.

14 years in the making and obviously the publication that defines the work of the The Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS).  Another destination for my next trip to New York City.

A nice review in the Wall Street Journal today and the official launch of the book will be December 8 at the Taschen Store in New York City.