Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts and Engravings Belonging to William by SABIN, Joseph - 1875

New.

New York. Privately printed. 1875, 1875. Hardcover. sm4to, 25cm, xviii,473p., full patterned maroon cloth, gilt spine titles, expertly restored, a fine copy with prices realized noted by hand in the margins (n4) - Sabin 74682. "This collection was sold by the compiler in November, 1876, and realized nearly $50,000, being $9,000 more than it cost. It was the finest library ever sold in the United States." (Sabin). The catalogue lists 2251 items, primarily Americana. The margin annotations, in red ink, appear to be the prices realized, conceivably during the sale.

New York: J. Sabin & Sons, 1876. From the Bart Auerbach Collection. Some chipping at edges and general wear, but fine. 8vo. List of prices bound in after title. Original printed wrappers, paper spine with title in manuscript (presumably done by Goelet when the price list was added). 2239 lots, priced in pencil. Ogden Goelet's copy, with his name and 1875 date on front wrapper. Laid in: ALS by Joseph Sabin to Goelet, 6 May 1877, two pages, 8vo, on Sabin & Sons letterhead, regarding the Rarities (Smith's Virginia, complete Bradford Club set, etc.); and with a list of lot numbers and figures. Among the lots that Goelet bought at the Menzies sale were Cotton Mather, 'The Wonders of the Invisible World', 1693 (lot 1351), Cadwallader Colden, 'The History of the Five Indian Nations', 1727 (lot 429) and Anne Bradstreet's 'The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung', 1650 (lot 225). McKay 2150. In the sale catalogue, Sabin states that the physical quality of the Menzies books surpasses that of any other collection handled… Read More