BERKELEY, Calif. – PBA Galleries announced it will hold an auction of Art, Illustration & Dr. Seuss – British Prime Ministers – Antiquarian Books on November 4. The sale features more than 250 lots featuring works of art and photography, fine press, finely bound books, with scarce and antiquarian books. Highlights include a collection of works by Sandow Birk, a midcentury artist’s book featuring work by Joan Mitchell, bindings by Donald Glaister, signed photography books by Ansel Adams, and a film magazine on Casablanca from American-occupied postwar Japan. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
From The New York School, Abstract Expressionism pairs poetry by John Ashbery, Frank O’Hara, Kenneth Koch and James Schuyler with prints by Joan Mitchell, Michael Goldber, Alfred Leslie and Grace Hartigan. Each of the four volumes is signed by the poet and the artist. An outstanding post-war American artist book, the collaboration partners four of the most influential American poets of the second half of the 20th century with four important second generation New York School artists. The four-volume set is estimated at $5,000-$8,000.
Leading the British Prime Ministers section of the auction is Winston Churchill’s Storia, the first Italian edition of A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, and is signed by the author. It is unmarked as such, but its provenance includes Emery Reves, who contributed greatly to orienting the work toward a wider audience, and in whose home it was completed. It is estimated at $5,000-$8,000.
A scarce bilingual movie magazine which accompanied the 1946 release of the great anti-fascist film Casablanca in American-occupied Japan. The magazine presents background information on the film and its cast in Japanese, as well as dialog from the film in both English and Japanese. Having won the war this magazine marks the American effort to win the peace through so-called “soft power”— Hollywood film, rock ‘n roll, and baseball. It is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.
Amongst the nearly 50 lots of Dr. Seuss material are two signed original drawings by the great author and illustrator. A Starfish drawn in blue and sporting a red star on its belly carries an estimate of $3,000-$5,000. An untitled drawing of a yellow figure dressed in blue and pink stripes is estimated at $2,000-$3,000. Both are accompanied by Certificates of Authenticity. Also in the auction is a first printing of the iconic book The Cat in the Hat, which was written specifically for beginning readers. This copy is in the original pictorial dust jacket and housed in a custom cloth slipcase. It is estimated at $2,000-$3,000.
For more information about upcoming sales, to schedule a Zoom preview or phone bidding for a future auction, please contact PBA Galleries at 415-989-2665 or pba@pbagalleries.com.
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