Freeman’s | Hindman’s Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts Auction Surpasses Expectations with Over $1.85 Million in Sales 


Freeman’s | Hindman’s Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana auction on November 14 delivered an impressive total of $1.85 million far surpassing pre-sale expectations. Featuring standout collections of printed Americana and natural history manuscripts, the auction achieved a remarkable sell-through rate by value of 145%, with 92% of lots successfully sold. The Federalist (NY, 1788) (Lot 299) was the top lot of the day, demonstrating the enduring demand for important Americana.

Gretchen Hause, Senior Vice President and Head of the Books and Manuscripts Department, Chicago, stated: “The extraordinary success of this auction not only exceeded our expectations but also underscored the continuing strength of the rare book and manuscript market. The remarkable sale result for The Federalist, which far surpassed its estimate, reflects the enduring significance of the foundational works that shaped democracy in the United States. Similarly, the demand for superlative copies of beloved literary works remains very strong, with prices realized far surpassing their estimates, demonstrating that the timeless appeal of literary works continues to inspire and resonate with collectors. Very strong interest in some of the most renowned works of natural history rounded out the sale and contributed to the exceptional result.”

 

Defending the Constitution 

Written primarily by Alexander Hamilton, with significant contributions from John Jay and James Madison, The Federalist essays (Lot 299) were instrumental in swaying public opinion during the ratification of the United States Constitution. Freeman’s | Hindman’s auction featured a highly coveted thick-paper presentation copy, believed to have been owned by Captain David Olmstead, a Revolutionary War veteran who served at West Point and the Battle of Ridgefield. This exceptionally rare edition—one of only seven to come to auction in the past 50 years—sparked enthusiastic bidding, ultimately selling for $203,200, more than triple its pre-sale estimate.

 

LEFT | GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds. L., [1849-] 1861.| Sold for $88,900

RIGHT | LEWIN. The Birds of Great-Britain with their Eggs. Lon.,1789-94. ONE OF 60 SETS. | Sold for $41,275

 

Natural History Monographs Soar 

The sale also featured an extraordinary selection of ornithological and natural history works, highlighted by eight John Gould monographs from a distinguished private collection. The standout was Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds (Lot 234), which exceeded its high estimate, closing at $88,900. William Lewin’s The Birds of Great-Britain with their Eggs (Lot 243) from the same collection captured significant interest, realizing $41,275—four times its pre-sale low estimate.

 

Other highlights from the natural history category included:

 

• Lot 230 | [NATURAL HISTORY]. GOULD, John. The Birds of Europe. L., 1837. FIRST EDITION. 
  Sold for $63,500
• Lot 232 | [NATURAL HISTORY]. GOULD. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans. L., [1852-] 1854. Second edition. 
  Sold for $47,625
• Lot 277 | AUDUBON. The Birds of America. NY, [1839-] 1840-1844. FIRST OCTAVO EDITION. 
  Sold for $44,450
• Lot 255 | [NATURAL HISTORY]. SIBTHORP. Flora Graeca. Lon., 1806-1813. FIRST EDITION. 
  Sold for $21,590

 

 

LEFT | LEROUX, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. FIRST AM. ED, FIRST ISSUE IN THE VERY RARE DUST JACKET. 1911
 Sold for $20,320
RIGHT | CLEMENS. ("Mark Twain"). The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Hart., 1876. 1st AM ED, 1st PRINT, GILT EDGES.
Sold for $41,275

 

Classic Literature Takes Center Stage

Two remarkable literary treasures from the Library of Dr. John Talbot Gernon captivated collectors at Freeman’s | Hindman’s auction. The first issue of the American edition of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera (1911) (Lot 130), featuring an exceptionally rare original dust jacket, soared to $20,320, well above its pre-sale estimate of $6,000–8,000. This marked only the second time this particular dust jacket variant—depicting Christine staggering and swooning—has ever appeared at auction. Meanwhile, a desirable copy of Samuel L. Clemens’ (“Mark Twain”) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Lot 62) attracted intense bidding, ultimately realizing $41,275 and significantly exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $4,000–6,000. Additionally, a first edition of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) (Lot 168) in a remarkably well-preserved dust jacket fetched $22,860, drawing enthusiastic interest from bidders.

MATHEWS. Pencil Sketches of Montana. NY, 1868. FIRST EDITION. | Sold for $53,975

 

Other Notable Auction Highlights 

• Lot 209 | [TRAVEL & EXPLORATION]. VANCOUVER. A Voyage of Discovery... L., 1798. FIRST EDITION WITH ATLAS. 
  Sold for $22,860
• Lot 325 | MATHEWS. Pencil Sketches of Montana. NY, 1868. FIRST EDITION.
  Sold for $53,975 
• Lot 327 | McKENNEY and HALL. History of the Indian Tribes of N.A. Phila., 1836-1844. FIRST EDITION. 
  Sold for $44,450