Bonham's Fine Books and Manuscripts February 10, 2014--Dali Casanova

It is just difficult to keep up with the fine books and manuscript auctions but I am trying to pay closer attention, track some lots and better understand the world of book auctions.  The upcoming Feburary 10 Fine Books and Manuscript Auction at Bonham's Los Angeles holds numerous treasures and a few books that I would love to own but will simply enjoy tracking the bids and seeing the results.

The first title to capture my attention is Lot 102, Dali, Salvador. 1904-1989, Casanove De Seingalt, Giacomo Girolamo, 1725-1798, Dali illustre Casanova, Paris:  Au Cercle du Livre Precieux, 1967 carrying an estimate of $4000-$6000.  Folio (377 x 276 mm). 14 full-page aquatint engravings in color and illustrations throughout the text by Dali. Loose as issued in pictorial wrappers, beige cloth chemise and beige cloth slipcase with embroidered panels to each side. Light shelfwear, else fine. LIMITED EDITION, SIGNED by Dali, no 307 of 390 copies with original numbered bookmark laid in.

I loved Casanova's Memoirs and still recall the year or so spent riding a stationary bicycle 30 minutes a day, reading about 20 pages at a time, and marveling at the experiences, adventures and insights to be discovered.  While I'd love to add this to my library I'd be doing so just to have access to the illustrations. I am not a true fan of Dali, while I do appreciate his vision and illustrations, especially associated with fine, world class literature, I can live without this.  I would love to view all the illustrations and I imagine this will sell for less than the estimate, perhaps $2500-$3,500---a somewhat refined guesstimate on my part!

A couple of past auctions results provide some guidance as copy sold at a Chirstie's auction in February 2010 for $4, 713  and a copy sold in 2008 via LiveAcutioneers(Leighton Galleries, Inc)  for $3,300.  There are three copies available via ABE and are listed here priced between $6,337.83, $6,500 and $7,500.  Assuming the retail option would be realized at 80% of the asking prices the range would be $5,000 to $6000.  I will be tracking this auction and will be interested in the the selling price, if buyers appear.

 

What form does your bilbliomania take?

What form does your bilbliomania take?

Here is an example of book madness from one of the most successful bloggers and writers active today.  Check out "Books that have tortured me," on Penelope Trunk's blog. Her history with books is real and her writing always a pleasure.

Finding inspiration is often the result of randomness but in this case, I do follow Penelope Trunk and am thrilled to have a reason to suggest you check her out.  Whether you are young, old or in the middle, Penelope Trunk shares wisdom and insight to today's world in a style she owns.  Back at with book posts to follow.

http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2013/11/16/books-that-have-tortured-me/

Revisiting the Haggadah, A Couple of New Books Available and a truly rare collection is looking for a home

I wrote about collecting The Haggadah during Passover recently.  Within that post I wrote about The Szyk Haggadah.  Unknown to me at that time, Abrams was releasing a wonderful new, trade edition.  My copy arrived today and it is indeed, a lovely edition and cheap compared to the limited editions I wrote about previously.

Additionally, I learned of a new Yale University Press title that would compliment any growing collection of Haggadah editions.  Released May 9, The Medieval Haggadah:  Art, Narrative and Religious Imagination appears to be a wonderful new book!

I also would like to note that Anne decided that it was now okay, to acquire one of the Assouline Haggadah that I linked to in my earlier post.  We scored a true bargain, the book is outstanding and will be a wonderful pre-Bat Mitzvah gift for a special youngster preparing for her coming of age in 2012.



I stumbled upon a fascinating story of a rare library of seriously rare and important Judaica books, the Valmadonna Trust Library,  which went unsold at auction in December is now awaiting that special buyer.  For the minimum asking price of $25 million USD, a collection of over  300 hand written Hebrew documents, some nearly 1000 years old and over 13,000 printed works can be yours!  Rare book libraries simply don't have the budget and this collection must be kept together so until some deep pocketed individual endows a University, Museum or Religious Library, the collection will languish in the Sotheby's office in New York!