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Nuremberg Chronicle

First edition of ‘Nuremberg Chronicle’ featured in PBA Galleries sale April 20

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Nuremberg Chronicle
The first edition of Hartmann Schaedel’s Liber cronicarum cum figuris et ymaginibus, commonly known as the Nuremberg Chronicle, is profusely illustrated. Estimate: $80,000-$120,000. PBA Galleries image

 

SAN FRANCISCO – On Thursday, April 20, PBA Galleries will make available at auction a first edition of Hartmann Schaedel’s Liber cronicarum cum figuris et ymaginibus, otherwise known as the Nuremberg Chronicle. A very attractive copy of the Latin edition of this great work, it was published five months prior to the German language edition. The most extensively illustrated of all 15th century books, it presents the history of the world from the creation to the time of publication. Absentee and Internet bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

This Latin edition of the Nuremberg Chronicle (above) has 1809 woodcut illustrations from 645 blocks (Cockerell’s count) by Michael Wolgemut, Wilhelm Pleydenwurff and their workshop, including the young Albrecht Durer. The woodcuts include events from the Bible, pictures of human monstrosities, portraits of kings, queens, saints and martyrs, and allegorical pictures of miracles. The views are some of the earliest representations of towns and cities, with around 116 places being identified by name. The double-page maps of the world and of Europe are y Hieronymus Munzer after Nicolas Khrypffs (est $80,000-$120,000).

PBA Galleries’ Americana, Travel & Exploration, World History, Directories and Cartography sale will consist of over 600 lots of rare, valuable, unusual and revealing material from the 15th to 21st centuries, with important printed books, fascinating manuscripts and letters, scarce and unusual photographs, uncommon maps, captivating ephemeral items, a large gathering of directories, and much more.

A first edition of one of the landmarks in American letters, Walden; Or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau is also featured in the sale. One of only 2,000 copies of the first edition, this volume has an interesting provenance bearing the ownership signature of Dr. J.H. Pugh, a noted Burlington, New Jersey, physician and a representative in the 45th Congress (1877-1879), modern bookplate of J. Roy W. Barrette, and most recently ownership by author Nick Rosen (est. $10,000-$15,000).

 

Nuremberg Chronicle
First edition of ‘Walden; Or, Life in the Woods’ by Henry David Thoreau. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. PBA Galleries image

 

There are over 75 interesting 19th and early 20th century city directories in the sale ranging from those sold without reserve to the rare Second Directory of Nevada Territory. This 1863 edition is much enlarged from J. Wells Kelly’s “First” directory for the preceding year listing approximately 9,000 residents and containing a new section on the “Boundary Difficulty.” Of special interest is the listing on page 183 of the Virginia City directory, of the local editor of the Territorial Enterprise, Samuel L. Clemens aka Mark Twain (est. $6,000-$9,000).

 

Nuremberg Chronicle
‘Second Directory of Nevada Territory,’ 1863 edition, which lists Samuel L. Clemens as editor of the ‘Territorial Enterprise’ in Vigninia City. Estimate: $6,000-$9,000. PBA Galleries image.

 

The directories are an easily accessible record of the history of the area, city or state with additional directories from California, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania and even Shanghai, China.

Other featured lots include McKenney & Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America, 2 volumes, 1872, with 99 lithographed plates, most hand-colored, some printed in color (est. $7,000-$10,000); lithograph by Britton & Rey of T.A. Ayres’ drawing of The Mammoth Tree Grove, Calaveras County California, the 1855 first printing, the central image with the hotel surrounded by drawings of big trees (est. $7,000-$10,000); Coast of California from Carmel Bay to Fort Point – manuscript map on drafting linen, by R.S. Williamson, of Pacific Railroad Survey fame, done for the Light House Board (est. $3,000-$5,000); and Base-Ball. How to Become a Player…, 1888, by John Montgomery Ward, pitcher and shortstop for the New York Gothams (later Giants), the first edition in the rare original wrappers (est. $4,000-$6,000).

 

Nuremberg Chronicle
McKenney & Hall’s ‘History of the Indian Tribes of North America,’ two volumes, 1872, with 99 lithographed plates. Estimate: $7,000-$10,000. PBA Galleries image

 

The sale will begin at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

For more information, contact PBA at 415-989-2665 or pba@pbagalleries.com.

 

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