Category: News

October Sale Success!

Our October 10th sale was once again a great success, with great results across the entire auction. The major highlight was the sale of a copy of Peron’s Voyage to Australia with Colour Plates. This stunning four-volume set (Bound in three) includes the first detailed, complete map of Australia as well as 40 plates depicting the voyage and discoveries made. This lot achieved $20,000AUD and was the highest value item sold on the day.

Other items of note included the sale of a pair of lovely photo albums with images of early church missions in aboriginal Australian communities. The $1,900 result is indicative of the resurgence in popularity of this type of material. We also had a huge collection of military books, with many rare unit histories going under the hammer. Results in this section included the 2/3 Australian Field Regiment ($500), 2/27th Battalion Brown & Blue Diamond ($350) and The Seventh Company A.I.F. ($700).

Antiquarian books once again proved popular with results including a 1670 Gregorian Chant achieving $900, and a manuscript choir book selling for $2,000. There were too many highlights to list them all, but indications are that the book trade is indeed very healthy with plenty of new buyers entering the market and many of the regulars being highly active.

4 Years in Review!

After four years of operating Sydney Rare Book Auctions has achieved some fantastic results across a range of items. It has been a busy time with a vast array of items going under the hammer. As a seller of all things books, from early hand written manuscripts and incunables, to obscure modern first editions and ephemera, there have been some fascinating items come through our salerooms.

A major highlight was selling what is believed to be one of the most expensive book lots this century when we put under the hammer a wonderful and extremely extensive collection of Normal Lindsay material. The price realised was in excess of $370,000 with the purchaser very excited about securing this fantastic lot.
We have handled some magnificent antiquarian items, including several antiphonals from the 15th century, incunables and manuscripts. Highlights include the sale of a Medieval Illuminated Manuscript in Latin (Circa 1450) that achieved $14,500, and a 1480 Incunable ($6,500). There have also some rather unique articles such as Sir Isaac Newton’s autograph signature that reached $5,000 and a stunning Charles Kerry photograph album containing 48 photographic images of aboriginals ($8,000).

We have handled countless rare maps, photos and prints, as well as a vast array of Australiana and exploration titles. But it’s not always the high value items that bring us the most joy. There have been the quirky pulps with their gorgeous cover designs, the fine bindings that are lovely to look at, as well as the ephemera that makes for lots of interest to explore and research.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our vendors and the buyers that regularly support our sales. While online activity continues to grow and extend our reach internationally and across Australia, it’s our friends in the saleroom that frequent or auctions that make the sales so much fun. Thanks for the support and we look forward to many more years of auctioning rare and collectible items!