Day
Sotheby's will auction two of the world's most valuable books
Society 22 / 09/2010
The history of literature is full of small and large stories that revolve around the authors, their works and what achievements they have been involved. The value of books lies in their content is as true as the story behind each copy can help to further increase its contribution. The book is, therefore, its content and its history, often as rich as the same issue.
In 1826, the American naturalist John James Audubon traveled to London to get there funds in your country had been denied the publication of Birds of America, encyclopedia-style book on American birds, with hand-drawn illustrations by the author. Already in the English capital, Audubon began to gain fame open teaching classes in which he demonstrated as he did "pose" to birds hunted to be portrayed as he helped wire. The impact was such that by his exhibitions have passed since King George IV himself to a then unknown naturalist named Charles Darwin.
Birds of America 119 specimens are preserved in the world and only 11 of them are available on the market. The work consists of 435 hand painted plates, a task that meant that the work was published between 1827 and 1838. Some people point to it as "the world's most expensive book, with a value experts estimate between 4.8 and 7.2 million euros.
So when the famous Sotheby's announced exit selling a exemplary Birds of Americawas shocked the exclusive world of book lovers of incunabula. The specimen is part of the collection of Frederick Fermor-Hesketh, English lord and the late private collector.
The other gem that Sotheby's auction is the First Folio, the first collection of the works of William Shakespeare, of which 219 are retained copies of his original edition of 750, published in 1623. Shakespeare, unlike Audubon, he was never interested in publishing their works and go down to posterity as the greatest playwright universal. The compilation task, undertaken by two actors of Shakespeare's company 7 years after his death, possible to preserve the history of art for half the work of The Bard. It is estimated that the First Folio could be worth nearly 2 million euros.
Also will be auctioned several incunabula, including the work "Polychronicon" by William Caston, and "Facta et dictates memorabilia of Valerius Maximus, printed on parchment and gold initials and a series of eleventh-century manuscripts to XVII, some illuminated.
The works to be auctioned will be exhibited at Sotheby's since 7 October in Paris, then from October 30 in New York, and finally, on 3 December in London, which will be auctioned.
It has been said that a book can both lock up others with his story. It may be the fate of Birds of America and First Folio. Perhaps when the Dec. 7, at 35 New Bond Street, London headquarters of Sotheby's, get off the hammer, another history book being written.
More information:
Sotheby's Madrid
Alfonso XI, 7
28014 Madrid
Tel: 91 576 5714
Fax: 91 781 2490
Sotheby's Barcelona
Aribau 175, Entlo. 2AB
Barcelona 08036
Tel: 93 414 0866
Fax: 93 200 8361
www.sothebys.com
Written by Pablo Manzanelli
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