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Rare Moliere and ‘Out of this World’ von Braun Papers Shine at Bonhams Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale
http://www.bonhams.com/usbooks
 Excitement thrummed as bibliophiles and history buffs filled the Los Angeles and New York galleries of international auctioneers Bonhams for its October auction of Fine Books & Manuscripts. With anticipation of an exceptionally rare Moliere signature on offer along with an extraordinary collection of original drawing and papers of pioneering rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, collectors aggressively vied for lots, creating a spirited auction, resulting in a sale total of more than $1.1-million.
Often referred to as the “French Shakespeare,” Moliere signatures are rarely seen at auction. In fact, no other examples are known to have been sold at public auction since 1895 and this particular piece was believed to be the last Moliere signature in private hands. The document, dated 1667, the year after the first performance of the playwright's famous play Le Misanthrope, appoints a Claude Le Long to collect a debt owed to Moliere. The amazing rarity of the piece and its well documented provenance led to frenzied bidding and resulted in a final price of $396,000 -- an astounding six times its top estimate of $60,000.
Drawing the attention of space and science aficionados was a group of 35 sketches, diagrams, and documents from Dr. Wernher von Braun. An early director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Von Braun played an integral part in the early stages of US space exploration. The materials presented were created by von Braun during the course of producing the now famous series of articles titled 'Man Will Conquer Space Soon!' which ran in Collier's magazine between March 22, 1952 and April 30, 1954. Carrying a pre-sale estimate of $15/25,000, the lot brought a final price of $132,000, far exceeding expectations by more than five times its top estimate.
As US voters prepare to elect the next President in the coming weeks, collectors further proved the enduring interest in memorabilia of the “Founding Fathers” and former Presidents. Letters and documents bearing the signatures of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were strong sellers.
Particularly exciting to Washington enthusiasts was a letter penned by the General regarding the payment of troops. With the war nearly over, Washington's final challenge was to see that the troops who fought for independence were awarded their long-delayed pay. Estimated at $12/18,000, the letter clearly outperformed, bringing $22,800.
Also on the topic of money, a check signed by President Lincoln sold to competitive bidding. The 16th President withdrew an amount of $50, certainly a large sum in cash for the time, just ten days after winning his re-election. The lot held a modest estimate of $4/6,000 and touched off fierce bidding to ultimately fetch more than double that, bringing $15,600.
Additionally, a fascinating piece of memorabilia from famed USA Chess Grandmaster Bobby Fischer came to the Bonhams’ block. A notebook used by Fischer from 1959-63 documenting in detail his matches, moves and strategies during that time, truly piqued interest. Far surpassing its top estimate of $3,500, the fierce bidding for the lot resulted in a checkmate and final price of $16, 800.
Following in the path of the Moliere, the auction’s top lot, another French piece also performed well. The diary of Count Christian de Forbach, commander of a regiment sent to fight on the side of the Americans during the Revolutionary War, was cause for great excitement amongst auction goers. Offering exact details on the development of the war and an accurate recounting of the movements of important figures such as General George Washington and Comte du Rochambeau, the lot triggered highly competitive bidding and nearly doubled its top estimate, bringing $15,600.
"The Moliere document's spectacular price was no doubt a result both of the item's great rarity, and the place of Moliere in the pantheon of great dramatists, second only to Shakespeare," said Bonhams Books Department Director Dr. Catherine Williamson.
The next Bonhams Fine Books & Manuscripts sale, to be held in New York City, is set to take place on December 15, 2008. The illustrated catalog from this October sale will remain online for review with prices realized at www.bonhams.com/us.
Press Contact: PRNY@bonhams.com, Staci Smith, 917-345-5157
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America and in August 2003, Goodmans, a leading Australian fine art and antiques auctioneer with salerooms in Sydney, joined the Bonhams Group of Companies. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further seven throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com. (01-08) For other press releases, go to www.bonhams.com/press.
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