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For the week ended November 21, 2025, 124 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub’s database. Turnover was $44,618,922. The average lot brought $2,963; almost three times total value realized the prior week. 

Ten auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars:

Sothebys. Contemporary Day Auction on November 19th: $9,902,835

Christies. Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale on November 20th: $4,789,170

Christies. From the Collection of Léon Parcé on November 19th: $2,610,041

Christies. 21st Century Evening Sale Featuring Works from the Edlis | Neeson Collection on November 19th: $2,271,000

Sothebys. Leonard A. Lauder, Collector | Evening Auction on November 18th: $2,063,000

Sothebys. Elixir of Life: Photographs from The Olbricht Collection on November 19th: $1,523,910

Christies. A Graphic Century on November 19th: $1,292,733

Bonhams. Books, Atlases, and Manuscripts on November 19th: $1,184,764

RR Auction. Decoding History: Kryptos, Enigma, and the Rosetta Stone on November 20th: $1,120,041

Sothebys. The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18th: $1,000,000

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

All kinds of high end prints, multiples, and photos from artists and photographers currently in vogue brought out the high rollers. It was Warhol, tons of Hockney, Banksy, Richter, Cindy Sherman, Picasso, Escher, Chagall, Stella, Munch and lots of other familiar and not so familiar names in etchings, screen prints, lithos and other prints. The really expensive art works that sold this week are not in these records, so no Klimt and no Kahlo. 

For book-people these are several sales that deserve a closer look:

Christie's featured math and science at the Léon Parcé

sale  We’re showing three from this sale – one Newton and two Descartes. Gorgeous stuff and very hefty prices. Scroll down for details. To see the entire results here’s the link.

https://rarebookhub.com/auctions/auction_detail?id=46926&_gl=1*198jq4o*_ga*NTkwNTA0MjQyLjE3MTEzMjM4MDc.*_ga_BFWQFJ209P*czE3NjQwMDk0ODEkbzUwMiRnMSR0MTc2NDAyMTcwMSRqNTQkbDAkaDA.

Specialty Auction worth noting: Women’s Suffrage at Bonhams, titled Deeds Not Words was held in London, Nov. 20th. An interesting assortment of material related to Votes for Women. He’s the complete list of materials offered and priced results.

https://rarebookhub.com/auctions/auction_detail?id=47076&_gl=1*njj5wk*_ga*NTkwNTA0MjQyLjE3MTEzMjM4MDc.*_ga_BFWQFJ209P*czE3NjQwMDk0ODEkbzUwMiRnMSR0MTc2NDAyMTg4NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.

With so much to look at and so very many familiar faces it was hard to pick just a few high spots, but for what it’s worth, these were our choices:

A hot book at the moment………..

1. Asimov’s I ROBOT, 1950 first edition in original unclipped dust jack sold at Potter and Potter for $11,250,  a little more than double the pre-sale high estimate.

ASIMOV, Isaac (1920-1992). I, Robot. New York: Gnome Press, Inc., [1950]. 8vo. 253, [3, blank] pp. Publisher's full red cloth, front board and spine, publisher's unclipped ("$2.50") dust jacket (cloth binding bumped at spine and corners of front board, bookseller's ticket on fp.; jacket spine a bit dull and rubbed, some rubbing to front jacket panel at fore-edge, minor additional rubbing). Fine, better than usually seen. FIRST EDITION OF THIS LANDMARK SHORT STORY COLLECTION. This collection has the story in which Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics" first appeared (Runaround). This book inspired the 2004 film starring Will Smith. From the renowned personal collection of Dr. George D. Lacy. Measurements: 9 x 6 x 2”. https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9359439?key=aaa066084662c11fc8167c78ece237596f1c862f

Espionage, cryptography, USA/CIA art project, all very hush- hush and with a huge price tag. RR Auction sold Kryptos for  $962,500 on Nov. 20 at an event titled: Decoding History: Kryptos, Enigma, and the Rosetta Stone

The Complete Secrets of Kryptos: Jim Sanborn's Private Archive

The Kryptos sculpture, created by American artist Jim Sanborn, was installed in 1990 on the grounds of the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, under the auspices of CIA director William Webster. Crafted from curved copper plates inscribed with a mysterious coded text, Kryptos was conceived as a meditation on secrecy, language, and the hidden nature of intelligence work. Sanborn collaborated with retired CIA cryptographer Edward Scheidt. Together, they developed four distinct encrypted passages (K1-K4) meant to challenge both professional and amateur codebreakers, merging art with the mystique of espionage.

Since its installation, Kryptos has become one of the most famous unsolved codes in modern history. Of the sculpture's four coded sections, the first three were deciphered in the 1990s by a CIA analyst, an independent cryptographer, and the NSA, revealing a blend of poetic text, a cryptic description of something ""buried out there somewhere,"" and a paraphrase of Howard Carter's account of the opening of King Tutankhamun's tomb. The fourth section, known simply as K4,has transformed Kryptos into a cultural phenomenon: part artwork, part riddle, and part spy legend."

According to the catalog notes: Jim Sanborn's original Kryptos archive reveals the secrets of K4 and the much anticipated K5, plus an afternoon with Sanborn as he personally explains each document and demonstrates how these materials unlock the complete Kryptos mystery.

This item has multiple parts to it, some of them are described, others are deliberately vague.There are substantial additional details in the catalog notes, click on the link for more particulars (sort of).

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9294409?key=e1d9631c965ecb824082377aba30e8af794c64d2

Wow! This 1980 Avedon photo sold for $609,600 at Sotheby’s Contemporary Day Auction on Nov. 19.

Richard Avedon

1923 - 2004

Juan Patricio Lobato, Carney, Rocky Ford, Colorado, August 23, 1980

signed and numbered 1/6 (in the black margin); signed and numbered 1/6 in ink and with the photographer's In the American West stamp (on the reverse of the mount)

gelatin silver print, mounted to aluminum

56 1/4 by 45 in.

142.9 by 114.3 cm.

Executed in 1980, printed in 1985, this print is number 1 from an edition of 6 plus 2 artist's proofs. 

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9346437?key=b83960138b5b8421530dd0cb6c8ed22eb3213112

Here are three titles from the Nov. 19 Léon Parcé sale at Christie's. The event was heavy on important early science.

Newton’s Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica, 1687, London sold for €825,500  ($952,168) 

NEWTON, Sir Isaac (1642-1727)

Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica. Londres : Joseph Streater pour the Royal Society [disponible chez plusieurs libraires], 1687.

Première édition de << l'ouvrage le plus important de l'histoire des sciences >> (PMM). Les Principia éclairent le principe de la gravitation universelle et posent les fondations de la mécanique classique, exprimée par Newton a travers ses trois lois du mouvement. S'appuyant sur les travaux de Galilée, Kepler et Copernic, Newton applique des principes mathématiques pour expliquer le monde tel qu'il se révèle par l'observation : - le livre I traite du mouvement des corps sans résistance ; le livre II, du mouvement des corps dans un milieu résistant ; enfin, le livre III s'intéresse particulièrement aux conséquences de l'attraction gravitationnelle en astronomie.

'For the first time a single mathematical law could explain the motion of objects on earth as well as the phenomena of the heavens... It was this grand conception that produced a general revolution in human thought, equaled perhaps only by that following Darwin's Origin of Species' (PMM).

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9353373?key=d649e21779e699be19025b12d84f7d3ef3edbe77

One of the two Descartes titles at the same Christie's Léon Parcé sale: Principia philosophiae dated 1644 had a pre-sale estimate of €5,000 to €7,000. The hammer price was €120,650.

DESCARTES, Rene (1596-1650)

Principia philosophiae. [Relie avec, du meme :] Specimina Philosophiae : seu dissertatio de methodo...Amsterdam : Louis Elzevier, 1644.

Précieux exemplaire Kuhnholtz-Lordat et Maurice Escoffier, considérablement annoté par un lecteur du XVIIe siècle, en reliure de l'époque. Les Principia ne seront traduits en français qu'en 1647 (voir lot suivant).

Cette œuvre a été, ici, considérablement annotée, sur plus de soixante-dix pages, par un lecteur francophone du XVIIe siècle. Fait intéressant, nombre de ces annotations font références à d'autres travaux, parmi lesquels ceux de Mallebranche, Bernouilli, Newton, Leibniz ou encore Huygens.

Les Principia sont ici reliés, comme c'était parfois le cas, avec les Specimina Philosophiae, traduction latine du Discours de la Méthode.

Willems ndeg1008.

2 titres en un volume in-8 (194 x 142 mm). Edition originale pour les Principia. Marque à la Minerve sur les deux pages de titre, nombreuses figures sur bois dans le texte et à pleine page. Reliure de l'époque : veau lavallière glacé, double filet doré en encadrement, dos a nerfs, caissons ornés (restaurations aux mors et coins, taches aux plats).

Provenance : premier ouvrage considérablement annoté par un lecteur francophone du XVIIe siècle -- Achille Kuhnholtz-Lordat (1820-1893 ; ex-libris) -- Maurice Escoffier (1879-1959; ex-libris, sa vente, Paris, 1933, lot ndeg 36).

A precious copy, from the Kuhnholtz-Lordat and Maurice Escoffier libraries, in contemporary binding. The Principia, here in first edition, have been considerably annotated in French by a 17th century reader, with references to Mallebranche, Bernouilli, Newton, Leibniz or Huygens. 

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9353325?key=c9050649ac209ad2c99e171b412517217ec6d155

Another Descartes from the Léon Parcé sale at Christies: Les Meditations metaphysiques, 1647 realized  €21,590

DESCARTES, Rene (1596-1650)

Les Méditations métaphysiques touchent la première philosophie. Paris : veuve Jean Camusat & Pierre Le Petit, 1647.

Première et seule traduction française revue et corrigée par Descartes, exemplaire en reliure de l'époque. Parues initialement en latin en 1641, le duc de Luynes et Clerselier mettent six années pour publier la première traduction française des Méditations. Cette édition, revue et corrigée par le philosophe, constitue ainsi le texte définitif des Méditations métaphysiques. Brunet, II, col. 610 ; Tchemerzine, II, p. 782 ; D'audrey, Le XVIIe siecle, p. 382 ; Guibert, p. 46-47.

In-8 (228 x 195 mm). Bandeaux, lettrines et culs-de-lampe gravés sur bois (report du titre sur la page en regard, rousseurs et piqûres, déchirure minime à la marge de la p. 425). Reliure de l'epoque : veau brun, encadrement de double filet doré sur les plats, dos à nerfs orné aux petits fers de motifs végétaux et filets dorés sur les nerfs, filets dorés sur les coupes (tâches et impacts sur les plats, angles, coupes et coiffes frottés).

Contemporary-bound copy of the first French translation of Descartes' works, the only edition to have been reviewed and corrected by the author. 

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9353327?key=df6d5405c2b9ac71f68ca87a56b1de167e6c606e

AMULET ROLL - A FIFTEENTH CENTURY 'SUNDAY LETTER' sold for £95,650 ($124,949) at Bonhams on Nov. 19.

This so-called Amulet Roll was discovered during renovations to the owner's house, tightly rolled and pushed into a hole in a beam plugged with lime render, and is a highly important find. It is, according to Professor A.S.G. Edwards, who has examined the roll, an unusual previously unrecorded manuscript. '...The combination of the rarity of its Middle English text and its distinctive roll form have no parallel among surviving prose works in this language..

Click the link for substantial additional commentary in the catalog notes.

.https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9358500?key=909b64667385b6d96c43345c0c905134d8578cc9

Mercator / Hondius 2 volume Atlas dated 1633 sold at Bonhams on Nov. 19 for £53,740 ($70,201).

Atlas, ou Representation Du Monde Universel...Edition Nouvelle, 2 vol., engraved titles, engraved sectional titles, double-page engraved portrait of Mercator and Hondius, 238 (of 239, lacking "The Fenns") double-page engraved maps, later hand-colour heightened in gold, small area of loss (circa 10mm. diameter) on map of Macedonia in vol. 2 (p. 609), some toning, foxing and occasional browning, eighteenth century mottled calf, gilt spine, black morocco gilt title label on spine, early rebacking, worn [Koeman II, Me 36C], folio (485 x 320mm.), Amsterdam, Henricus Hondius, 1633 

1630 and this 1633 French edition was issued with 107 new maps, and 115 new maps compared with the previous French edition of 1628. The total number of maps, 239, was too much for one volume, therefore, Hondius engraved a new title page for volume one and used the old Mercator title page for the second volume.

This copy collates as Koeman 36C, which calls for 239 maps. This copy lacked one map in volume one ("Description des pais inondes, appelles The Fenns").

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9358461?key=aee2675493e799bda71e26b3945c925a86b76455

A variety of ephemera relating to Women’s Suffrage including 17 postcards for and against Votes for Women sold for £4,352.00 ($5,693) at Bonhams on Nov 20.

This lot includes a rare series of six humorous postcards by Reg Carter of Southwold ('The Suffragettes get wilder daily & smash shop windows. Oh! So gaily'), colour-printed, and 11 other postcards featuring window-smashing and suffragettes or children with hammers, by artists including Mabel Lucie Atwell ('Now! Where's my Vote?'), Donald McGill (2) and two photographic postcards of cats, six of the latter written and posted, one addressed to suffragette Kathleen du Sautoy Newby (17) 

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9353030?key=792ae5866af039fb7fa3e11c92c9caba5595de00

An autographed 1912 Kafka letter realized €57,150 ($65,919) at Sotheby’s Books and Manuscript sale on Nov. 20. The selling price was substantially above the presale high estimate of €16,000.

Kafka, Franz

Lettre autographe signée à Max Brod.

[Jungborn], 10 juillet 1912. 4 pages grand in-8 (226 x 145 mm), sur un bifeuillet, en-tête Rudolf Just's Kuranstalt Jungborn (I. Harz). Signée Franz". Enveloppe au même en-tête, à l'adresse de Brod, à Prague.

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9349199?key=76d419c74b3b45015637cc1d49c60bb0d0cc8ca6

Edgar Allen POE ,1861 carte-de-visite by Brady sold at University Archives for $20,000 on Nov. 19. The high presale estimate was $4,000.

Exceptionally rare, possibly unique, carte-de-visite (CDV) portrait of Edgar Allan Poe, from the work of Mathew B. Brady, the most prominent American photographer of the 19th century. Below the image, within the photographic plate, are the printed inscriptions: "Brady," "N.Y.," and "Edgar A. Poe," in delicate script. Along the lower edge of the mount is the imprint: "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1861, by M.B. Brady, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the U.S. for the So. District of New-York." The reverse of the mount is printed with ornate typography and an engraved illustration of the multi-story E. Anthony studio located at 501 Broadway, New York, and includes the publishing line: "From Photographic Negative in Brady's National Portrait Gallery." 

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9329888?key=6f9ed697f57fdeccf9d381c9b594c4b4a505277a

A couple of sleepers:

First appearance of the term “Gerrymandering,” Boston 1812. An antique illustrated political one-sheet sold at Swann Galleries for $8,712 on Nov. 20.

[Elkanah Tisdale], artist.The Gerry-Mander, first appearance of this loathsome creature, in the Boston Gazette.Boston, 26 March 1812 Clipping from Volume 36, No. 27. One sheet, 14 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches, with "The Gerry-Mander" and related text on one side, and part of the newspaper's front page on verso; laid into a Japanese paper mat.

"The Gerry-Mander: A New Species of Monster, which Appeared in Essex South District in January Last" features a map of Newburyport's new congressional district in the form of a monstrous salamander. It was named in honor of Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who was held responsible for the special redistricting to benefit the Democratic-Republican Party.

The art is uncredited, but widely attributed to engraver Elkanah Tisdale (1768-1835). This is the first appearance of the term "gerrymander," and its first depiction in graphic form. 

Additional item details in the link.

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9361699?key=3c651ecd0e27de64d30580cd5a7e681d1e65b885

Ripley Auctions Picker’s Express event sold a hard cover first edition of the Tin Woodman of Oz dated 1918 for $125 on Nov. 18.

https://rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/9352080?key=e5bc6dc0a2171bb964ffc77442741d19aa5b61f6

A selection of upcoming auctions next week:

Wed. Nov. 26th

Tooveys. West Sussex. Antiquarian and Collectors' Books. 216 lots

Forum Auctions. London. Online: Books and Works on Paper. 355 lots

Purcell Auctioneers. Birr. Truly Exceptional Sale Of The Library Of An Irish Gentleman and Other Very Important Clients to include the World Renowned First Edition of the Nuremberg Chronicle (July, 1493) and Other Incunabula. 344 lots

Bubb Kuyper. 2011 KM Haarlem. Books and Manuscripts - Part 4. 785 lots

Bubb Kuyper. 2011 KM Haarlem. Books and Manuscripts - Part 5. 498 lots

Thu. Nov. 27th

Forum Auctions. London. Modern and Contemporary Editions. 317 lots

Ader. PARIS. Books and Photographs - First American Editions from 1890 to 2019. 146 lots

Fri. Nov. 28th

Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Literature and Illustrated Books Auction. 24 lots

Sat. Nov. 29th

Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Photography of the 19th-21st Centuries. 250 lots

Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Franklin. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper. 150 lots

Morton Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Saturday Sale.

Sun. Nov. 30th

Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Movie Posters Select Auction.

Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Pulp Magazine Select Auction.

Sydney Rare Book Auctions. Ultimo. History, Science, Mining, Exploration, Zines, Beer and Wine, Photographs and more.

Email Hammer_Price auctionnews2025@gmail.com

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End #16 wk ending 11/21/25                    Submitted 11/24/25