Descent of Man, Sontag Polaroid, and Chinese Album: The Week in Rare Books
From an album of 15 original landscape and drawings of figures from the Chinese School (19th century)
This weekly auction result is provided by Spencer W Stuart, an independent collections advisor specializing in rare books and manuscripts as well as fine photography and prints. He is also the author of Contemporary Issues in Rare Books & Manuscript Collecting and host of the monthly webinar Collecting Insights.
These are the three lots that stuck out this week because of either uniqueness or exceeding expectations:
Sontag Underestimated: A unique Polaroid Type 52 Polapan print of Susan Sontag, 1965, by American portrait photographer Philippe Halsman (1906–1979), inscribed 'Susan Sontag 1965' sold at Rago for $1,143, following an estimate of $100 - $200.
Chinese Album: An album of 15 original landscape and drawings of figures from the Chinese School (19th century), watercolour, brush and ink, on various papers, mounted into album leaves. Sold at Forum Auctions where the original estimate was £400 - £600 and the hammer price £2,200.
Darwin Ascends Estimates:
Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (London, John Murray, 1871), the two volume first issue, first edition in original dark green cloth. Sold at PBA Galleries for $4,678 following an estimate of $2,000 - $3,000.
