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Plate from John Gould’s ‘Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans,’ which sold for $63,000

Beautiful birds lifted Freeman’s May 20 sale above $500K

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Plate from John Gould’s ‘Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans,’ which sold for $63,000
Plate from John Gould’s ‘Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans,’ which sold for $63,000

PHILADELPHIA – Freeman’s is pleased to announce the results of its May 20 Books and Manuscripts auction, which featured a 98% sell-through rate and impressive sales of Pennsylvania material, WWII posters, rare editions, and more. The 131-lot auction achieved $525,861 in total, surpassing its presale estimate.

“The forty poster lots performed exceptionally well, as did the selection of Benjamin Franklin material—it’s clear that Philadelphia material is near and dear to our buyers. We are thrilled on behalf of those consignors,” says Darren Winston, Head of Books and Manuscripts. “This was the first auction of my own department that I called as a new auctioneer, and for the first time I felt the great responsibility that I have to buyers, consignors, and colleagues, because I was involved in every step of the process.” (Linked images reflect the hammer prices for the lots.)

Plate from John James Audubon’s ‘Birds of America…’ which sold for $37,800
Plate from John James Audubon’s ‘Birds of America…’ which sold for $37,800

Lively bidding between phone and online bidders resulted in sale prices that far surpassed lots’ estimates; John Gould’s Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans, for example, doubled its high estimate to achieve $63,000 after back-and-forth bidding. Another avian lot, John James Audubon’s Birds of America…sold for $37,800, surpassing its estimate of $20,000-30,000. A military history of Ulysses S. Grant elicited significant interest from bidders, selling for $25,200. Says Winston, “We were conservative in our estimate of this significant Civil War material, and it was a pleasant surprise that it did so well—I am thrilled for the consignors.”

1736 copy of Poor Richard’s Almanack, which sold for $17,640
1736 copy of Poor Richard’s Almanack, which sold for $17,640

Befitting Philadelphia’s auction house, Freeman’s presents outstanding sales of a suite of books printed by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. A number of lots kicked off the auction with competitive bidding, including rare Poor Richard almanacs, all of which well outperformed their high estimates. Poor Richard, 1736. An Almanack For the Year of Christ 1736… sold for an impressive $17,640, as did a copy of Poor Richard Improved… .  A copy of Cato Major, or his Discourse of Old-age: With Explanatory Notes, sold for $11,970. These impressive results underscore Freeman’s pride of place in presenting Philadelphia-related material.

First edition of Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden: or, Life in the Woods,’ which sold for $13,860
First edition of Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden: or, Life in the Woods,’ which sold for $13,860

A series of lots by canonical authors achieved back-to-back high results, beginning with a handsome first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden: or, Life in the Woods that sold for $13,860, surpassing its high estimate. This sale was followed by a result of $16,380 for a multivolume set of Mark Twain’s The Writings, Definitive Edition and an autograph draft letter by Walt Whitman that achieved $8,190.

Selection from a group of 16 WWII posters featuring women, which sold for $4,725
Selection from a group of 16 WWII posters featuring women, which sold for $4,725

Of the 40 WWII poster lots on offer in the Books and Manuscripts auction, 39 sold and a great many outperformed their estimates. Posters featuring Winston Churchill performed particularly well, and Lot 87, a group of 16 women in WWII posters, achieved $4,725, underscoring the ongoing market appeal of WWII material.

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