From Masonic texts to Art Deco treasures: Masterworks of printing
This quarter's most valuable sales showcase extraordinary rarities spanning three centuries of printing. Highlights include early editions of Anderson's Masonic Constitutions, masterpieces of Art Deco design, and landmark first editions from Tolkien, Freud, and Frederick Douglass.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - $40,300
This remarkable first edition set of Tolkien's masterwork represents a pinnacle of both content and craftsmanship. The volumes are custom-bound in full red morocco by Temple Bookbinders (bookbinders to HM Queen Elizabeth), featuring gilt-stamped Ring motifs and JRRT designs.
The Fellowship of the Ring is one of just 3,000 first impression copies, while The Two Towers and The Return of the King are first states from their respective print runs of 3,250 and 7,000. All volumes retain their original maps and are exceptionally clean throughout.
Sold by Tobo Books
Discover our guide to collecting J.R.R. Tolkien's books.
I felt so privileged to handle this beautiful example of a first edition set of Tolkien's classic work. I have a personal reason for being delighted - I first read The Lord of the Rings when I was 8 years old, and in the nature of the true nerd, I read it every year till I was 17. Its richness and Tolkien's brilliance as a linguist, philologist and popular writer make it truly exceptional. I am always looking for excellent works by Tolkien, and for me thus far in my bookselling career this set stands out. With its gorgeous custom binding and signature, it is a particularly fine homage to his legacy.
Les Chansons de Bilitis by Pierre Louÿs, illustrated by Georges Barbier - $34,300
This exquisite Art Deco masterpiece represents the pinnacle of 1920s French book design. Master craftsman François-Louis Schmied created the sophisticated leather binding, while celebrated fashion illustrator Georges Barbier contributed 42 hand-colored illustrations.
The volume features luminous aqua leather interior panels, shimmering gold silk endpapers, and meticulous artistic details throughout. Coming from two important private libraries, this edition of Pierre Louÿs' sensual poetry exemplifies the height of luxury bookmaking between the wars.
Sold by Phillip J. Pirages Rare Books
The constitutions of the Free-Masons by James Anderson - $32,650
This landmark 1723 first edition established the rules and regulations that would guide Freemasonry for nearly two centuries. Written by James Anderson for London's Grand Lodge, it contains the first printed Masonic constitution, historical background, and traditional songs with musical scores.
Benjamin Franklin would later print America's first edition in 1734, and translations soon appeared across Europe. This copy includes period Masonic songs handwritten on blank leaves, making it an extraordinary artifact of early organized Freemasonry.
Sold by Asher Rare Books
We were thrilled to have discovered this very rare first edition, one of the earliest printed works on Freemasonry, made even more extraordinary by the inclusion of an unpublished 18th-century manuscript Masonic poem in English. It’s a unique window into the secretive world of early Masonic thought and tradition, preserved through both print and personal inscription.
The constitutions of the Free-Masons by James Anderson - $31,000
This rare first printing of Freemasonry's defining text is complete with its allegorical frontispiece, musical scores, and detailed organizational guidelines. Published in London during 'the Year of Masonry 5723' (1723), it presents the first codified rules for lodge governance, behavioral standards, and ceremonial practices.
The work includes distinctive features such as 'The Master's Song,' 'The Warden's Song,' and detailed instructions for constituting new lodges. This copy retains its period table of contents handwritten on the original endpaper.
Sold by Librairie de l'Univers
Die Traumdeutung by Sigmund Freud - $25,000
This landmark first edition of Freud's 'The Interpretation of Dreams' represents the birth of psychoanalysis. Published in 1900 (though dated 1899), the work introduces fundamental concepts like the unconscious mind, dream symbolism, and the Oedipus complex.
Complete with its three original diagrams, this copy comes from the library of Dr. George B. Wilbur, editor of the influential journal American Imago. The book's revolutionary theories about the meaning of dreams transformed our understanding of human psychology.
Sold by B & L Rootenberg Rare Books
The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King - $25,000
This extraordinary matched set (#180) of Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series represents the complete limited editions, including all seven main volumes plus 'The Little Sisters of Eluria.' Each book is signed by King and its respective artist, including celebrated illustrators Michael Whelan and Bernie Wrightson.
Most volumes remain unopened in their original shrinkwrap, with print runs varying from 500 to 1,500 copies.
Sold by John W. Knott, Jr, Bookseller
Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism by James Clerk Maxwell - $24,500
This first edition of Maxwell's revolutionary work fundamentally changed our understanding of physics, establishing electricity and magnetism as interrelated phenomena.
Coming from the library of pioneering electrical engineer John Hopkinson, this copy represents a direct link to the scientific revolution it sparked.
Maxwell's equations, presented here for the first time, proved as significant as Newton's laws of motion, laying the groundwork for Einstein's theory of relativity and modern physics.
Sold by Sophia Rare Books
Vies imaginaires by Marcel Schwob, illustrated by George Barbier - $21,400
This luxurious 1929 edition of Schwob's 'Imaginary Lives' features 88 striking color woodcuts by Georges Barbier, including 15 full-page illustrations. One of just 120 copies produced for Le Livre Contemporain society members, it presents 22 semi-biographical tales blending history with fantasy.
The exquisite green morocco binding with intricate inlays perfectly complements Barbier's elegant illustrations, which reimagine historical figures from Pocahontas to William Kidd in his signature Art Deco style.
Sold by Shapero Rare Books
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass - $20,000
This first edition of Douglass's groundbreaking autobiography, published by Boston's Anti-Slavery Office in 1845, represents a cornerstone of African-American literature. Despite some wear to the spine, this copy retains its distinctive original cloth binding with decorative blindstamping and gilt lettering.
Complete with the frontispiece portrait and William Lloyd Garrison's preface, this small yet powerful volume offered one of the era's most compelling first-hand accounts of American slavery.
Sold by Appledore Books
Constitutions of the Antient Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons by James Anderson - $16,000
This 1784 edition of Freemasonry's foundational text comes from the historic Lodge of Harmony in Fareham, established in 1796. The volume features a striking engraved frontispiece of Freemason Hall at Queen Street and includes the complete set of Masonic regulations, ceremonies, and songs.
Beautifully bound in full morocco with the lodge's name inlaid on both covers, this copy represents a direct link to an active Masonic community during a pivotal period in British Freemasonry.
Sold by Rooke Books
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