Excitement within the rare book community reached a fever pitch as the June 10 rare books and manuscripts sale drew to a close at Bonhams.
Collectors everywhere were eager to bid on the contents of the extraordinary collection of M.B. Goldstone. Brother of renowned Steinbeck bibliographer and book collector Adrian H. Goldstone, M.B. was an esteemed collector in his own right, amassing a library focusing upon Americana, American literature, illustration, detective fiction and Western fiction.
The star of Goldstone’s collection was a 1925 first edition, first issue copy of The Great Gatsby in excellent condition. Without a doubt, the most outstanding feature of the book is its remarkably good dust-jacket. Considered by experts as quite possibly “the most expensive piece of Twentieth Century printed paper in book collecting,” the dust jacket is an exceptionally rare find, which clearly contributed to the book far surpassing its estimate of $80/120,000 and ultimately fetching $180,000 †a world record price for any Gatsby.
Also greatly outperforming from Goldstone’s collection was a first American edition of Herman Melville’s iconic Moby Dick . Printed in 1851 and in its original blue cloth binding, this attractive copy brought $30,500, easily exceeding its top estimate of $20,000.
Goldstone’s 1929 first edition, first printing of Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest was another lot bringing fantastic results. In its original red cloth covers and dust-jacket, it soared past expectations, bringing in more than five times its top estimate of $5,000 for a final price of $27,450.
Considering its obvious appeal, aficionados will be happy to know that more items from the Goldstone library will be offered at the San Francisco showrooms of Bonhams & Butterfields in August.
However, items from the Goldstone collection were not the only lots to cause a stir.
Sparking no less than a bidding war was a manuscript abstract of Salvador Dali’s ballet Tristan Fou . Based upon the mediaeval myth of the death of Tristan and Isolde, the ballet, according to the manuscript, featured music by Wagner and Federic Nietzsche, choreography by Leonide Massime, costumes by Elsa Schiaparelli and scenery by Dali, inspired by the paintings of Jean-Francois Millet. Following a round of aggressive bidding, the lot sold for more than six times its top estimate of $5,000, achieving a remarkable price of $33,550.
Following suit and proving the continued popularity of lots relating to the Hawaiian Islands was a set of five duotone lithographed views of Honolulu after G.H. Burgess. Best-known for his vivid depictions of the California Gold Rush, this rare and complete set drew $18,300 against a top estimate of $6,000.
Other lots falling within the sale’s top ten lots were the extensive library of legendary chess figure Bobby Fischer, which fetched $61,000; Goldstone’s copy of the 1776 edition of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense , which drew $21,960; and a Mercator-Hondius atlas, which brought $33,550.
Also not to be overlooked was a group of books written by female authors that yielded strong results. A first edition, second issue of Willa Cather’s The Song of the Lark dramatically exceeded expectations, drawing $7,320 against a top estimate of $800; a 1920 first edition, first issue of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence outperformed, bringing $10,370; and a first edition, first issue presentation copy of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird fetched $18,300.
Prices reported include the buyer’s premium. For information, www.bonhams.com/us or 212-644-9001.
