Books & Manuscripts

S otheby’s Books and Manuscripts Department has led the global market since the company’s founding as a book auction house in 1744. With unmatched expertise, deep scholarship, and an international network of specialists, Sotheby’s remains the premier destination for rare books, historical manuscripts, literary archives, and exceptional documents. Over the past five years alone, departmental sales have exceeded $400 million, reflecting both the category’s strength and the trust placed in Sotheby’s by collectors, institutions, and estates around the world. Working closely with Sotheby’s regional representatives, our international team consistently delivers outstanding results and record‑setting prices.

Sotheby’s Book Week, held annually in late June–early July and again in December across Paris, London, and New York, brings together fine books and manuscripts spanning continents, centuries, and genres. These sales feature rare printed books, historical and musical manuscripts, autograph letters, literary treasures, Americana, illustrations, and important works of scientific, artistic, and cultural significance.

The department has handled some of the most exceptional single‑owner collections in recent years, including those of Freddie Mercury, Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, Jorge Ortiz Linares, the Fairhaven Natural History Library, the T. Kimball Brooker Renaissance Library, and the Ricky Jay Collection. Sotheby’s has also set major benchmarks in the market, including the world record for any book—Codex Sassoon, sold for $38.1 million in 2023—and the world record for any document, the United States Constitution, sold for $43.2 million in 2022. Additional highlights from the past two years include a rare copy of the Thirteenth Amendment signed by Abraham Lincoln, an illuminated Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake, and a presentation copy of Jane Austen’s Emma sent to a fellow writer.

Sotheby’s continues to offer extraordinary books and manuscripts from the Middle Ages to the 21st century across a wide spectrum of collecting categories. These include Americana, literature, history, early printing, medieval manuscripts, music manuscripts, travel and exploration, maps and atlases, natural history, autograph letters and documents, original book illustrations, and modern first editions. With deep market knowledge and global reach, our specialists are dedicated to helping collectors navigate the rare book and manuscript market through expert guidance, insightful valuations, and exceptional sale opportunities.