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Sothebys: Fine Manuscript and Printed Americana

Auction Reports

Auction Name Fine Manuscript and Printed Americana Total Sales (USD) 2,851,150.00
Auction Date January 27, 2026 - January 27, 2026 Low Estimate of Lots Sold (USD) 2,320,000.00
Sale Number #N12016 High Estimate of Lots Sold (USD) 3,400,000.00
Total Lots 15
Sold Lots 9.0 Low Estimate of All Lots (USD) 4,130,000.00
% of Lots Sold 60.00% High Estimate of All Lots (USD) 6,130,000.00
Unsold Lots 6 Total Sales as a % of High Est. 46.51%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Lot Number Author Name Book Title Year Published Estimate Actual Price
514 Washington, George

An extraordinary letter marking the conjunction of three of the most consequential figures of the American Revolution: George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Benjamin Franklin

28 December 1778 USD 1,000,000.00 - 1,500,000.00 USD 1,016,000.00
511 Virginia House of Delegates

The genesis of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights

[1776] USD 350,000.00 - 500,000.00 USD 406,400.00
504 (Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, and John Jay)

Bushrod Washington's Federalist, praised by George Washington as a "work [that] will merit the notice of Posterity"

1788 USD 120,000.00 - 150,000.00 USD 317,500.00
508 Lincoln, Abraham

The President thanks a schoolboy on behalf of "all the children of the nation for his efforts to ensure "that this war shall be successful, and the Union be maintained and perpetuated."

6 September 1864 USD 200,000.00 - 300,000.00 USD 241,300.00
513 Washington, George

The commander in chief orders that Redcoat prisoners be treated "with humanity, and Let them have no reason to Complain of our Copying the brutal example of the Brittish Army"

8 January 1777 USD 80,000.00 - 100,000.00 USD 215,900.00
506 Lincoln, Abraham

The President's letter to John Key---sent just four days after he issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation

26 September 1862 USD 200,000.00 - 300,000.00 USD 203,200.00
510 Smith, John

The General History of Virginia... 1624

1624 USD 150,000.00 - 200,000.00 USD 190,500.00
515 [World War II -- 21st Army Group]

An important archive of maps and files documenting the allied campaign in Europe, from the early stages of planning for D-Day and Operation Overlord, to the German surrender

1943-1945 USD 150,000.00 - 250,000.00 USD 139,700.00
509 McKenney, Thomas L., and James Hall

History of the Indian Tribes of North America, a royal subscriber's copy

1838 [Vol. 1], 1838, 1844 USD 70,000.00 - 100,000.00 USD 120,650.00
  • ALDE, Mar. 11: AUGUSTIN (Saint). De civitate Dei. Rome, Konrad Sweynheym et Arnold Pannartz, 1470. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [REGNART (LE LIVRE DE)]. [Le] Docteur en malice, maistre Regnard, demonstrant les ruzes et cautelles qu'il use envers les personnes… Rouen, 1550. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: TRITHÈME (JEAN). Polygraphie et universelle escriture cabalistique. Paris, [Benoît Prévost pour] Jacques Kerver, 1561. €8,000 - €10,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: CAUS (SALOMON DE). La Perspective, avec la raison des ombres et des miroirs. Londres, John Norton, 1612.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: NICERON (JEAN-FRANÇOIS). La Perspective curieuse ou magie artificielle des effets merveilleux de l'optique. Paris, Pierre Billaine, 1638. €6,000 - €8,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: VONTET (JACQUES). L’Art de trancher la viande et toute sorte de fruits… S.l.n.d. [probablement Lyon, vers 1647]. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: HUGO (VICTOR). [Paysage spectral avec une église], [vers 1837]. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [HERVEY DE SAINT-DENYS (LÉON D')]. Les Rêves et les Moyens de les diriger. Observations pratiques. Paris, Amyot, 1867. €3,000 - €4,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: GACHET (PAUL-FERDINAND). Les Chats de Gachet (Manuscrit). S.d. [avant mai 1873]. €6,000 - €8,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [REDON (ODILON)]. PICARD (EDMOND). Le Juré. Monodrame en cinq actes… Bruxelles, Mme veuve Monnom, 1887. €7,000 - €9,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (HENRI DE) ET HENRI-GABRIEL IBELS]. MONTORGUEIL (GEORGES). Le Café-concert. Paris, [1893]. €4,000 - €5,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [TERRY (EMILIO)]. Projet de fontaine. Dessin original au stylo et à l'encre noire. 1938. €2,000 - €3,000.
  • Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000