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579Hakluyt, RichardThe Principal Navigations, Voiages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, made by Sea or over-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the Earth... and the famous victorie atchieved at the citie of Cadiz. London: George Bishop, Ralph Newberie and Robert Barker, 1598-1599-1600LOT SOLD.458,500GBP -
363Dalrymple, AlexanderA complete set of Dalrymple's maps, charts and views published between 1774 and 1st June 1789 (see footnote). [London: A. Dalrymple, 1774-1789]LOT SOLD.302,500GBP -
479Flinders, MatthewObservations on the coasts of Van Diemen's Land, on Bass's Strait and its Islands, and on part of the coasts of New South Wales; intended to accompany the charts of the late discoveries. London: Printed by John Nichols, 1801LOT SOLD.290,500GBP -
402DOBBS, ARTHUR, AND CHRISTOPHER MIDDLETONA complete collection of all seven octavo works in the Dobbs-Middleton controversy, bound in 3 volumes, FIRST EDITIONS, 8vo (200 x 122mm.), contemporary manuscript contents list on blank leaf at beginning of volume 1 (see footnote), uniform contemporary speckled calf gilt, red labels, dampstain to upper outer corner of volume 1 (and also slightly in vol.2)LOT SOLD.212,500GBP -
369Darwin, Charles, and Philip Parker King, and Robert FitzRoyNarrative of the Surveying Voyages of his Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle between the years 1826 and 1836, describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagle's circumnavigation of the globe. London: Henry Colburn, 1839LOT SOLD.182,500GBP
Sessions
- Session 1: 30 Sep 2014 | 10:00 AM | Lots 351 - 544
- Session 2: 30 Sep 2014 | 02:00 PM | Lots 545 - 700
Overview
RESULTS
The second sale of the Brooke-Hitching library attracted bids from around the world and again set many new auction records. Only 2 lots were unsold out of the 350 lots offered.
The top price was £458,500 for the Grenville-Crawford-Rosebery copy of Hakluyt’s Principal Navigations (1598-1600), which included the very rare Wright-Molyneuz world map. This was the first time a copy of this book with the map had been sold at auction since 1932. A complete set of Dalrymple’s maps and charts published up to 1788 sold for £302,500, and a copy of Matthew Flinders’s Observations on the coasts of Van Diemen’s Land (1801), bound with the 3 charts, sold for £290,500. A complete collection of all 7 octavo Dobbs-Middleton controversy pamphlets bound in three uniform contemporary calf volumes sold for £212,500 and a fine copy of Darwin’s Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of his Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle (1839) sold for £182,500, more than double the previous auction world record.
AUCTION DETAILS
Over 40 years, Franklin Brooke-Hitching assembled the finest private collection of English language books relating to voyages, exploration and discovery from 16th century to 1930s. Together, they tell the story of mankind’s persistent quest - over half a millennium - to explore and understand the world. Many books are unique or very rare presentation copies from the authors, or in fine bindings, and all are notable for being in the finest condition imaginable. Brooke-Hitching’s library also contains books on science, medicine and natural history; including works on the health of seafarers, astronomy, the calculation of longitude and whaling.
Sotheby’s second sale (featuring authors D-J) will take place on 30 September 2014, with two further sales to be held in spring and autumn 2015.
