Whisky & Whiskey | Featuring The Wax Top Collection

Stagg Jr Mixed Case NV Stagg Jr 131.9 Proof Batch 9, bottled Fall 2017, bottle code: L172780102:187 Stagg Jr 131.1 Proof Batch 15, bottled Fall 2020, bottle code: L203070110:40D Stagg Jr 128.7 Proof Batch 17, bottled Fall 2021, bottle code: L212580110:11D 3 bottles 75cl (no original packaging) Please refer to images for levels and conditions ﻿All Lots are offered for sale in the condition they are in at the time of sale and sold “AS IS” in accordance with the Conditions of Business for Buyers. Prospective buyers should inspect each Lot to satisfy themselves as to condition. The images provided here are provided to assist you with assessing the condition of each Lot and are for guidance only; they should not be considered a replacement for inspecting the Lot in person. Spirits and liquor can be picked up by the buyer or the buyer’s agent at our New York premises, or shipped to the District of Columbia, New Hampshire, and New York through specialized carriers. Please note that applicable taxes and fees will be added to the purchase price on the invoice. ﻿For all other locations, Sotheby’s Wine is happy to walk you through available shipping options and, when needed, introduce you to carriers who may be able to deliver to your final destination, be it domestic or international. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at Winepostsaleservices.ny@sothebys.com. Please note that for Wine and Spirits Lots, the Buyer’s Premium rate is 24% of the Hammer Price and the Overhead Premium rate is 1% of the Hammer Price. The Buyer’s Premium and Overhead Premium are subject to any applicable VAT/GST and/or sales or use tax. Please refer to the Conditions of Business for further details.

View 1 of Lot 2546: Stagg Jr Mixed Case NV (3 Bottles 75cl)

stagg jr mixed case nv (3 bottles 75cl)

A group of&nbsp;chromolithographs of water fowl, laid on contemporary card, as published.<ul><li>Sold as a set of 6.</li><li>Alexander Pope Jr. (American, 1849-1924).</li><li>New York: Charles Scribner's Sons,&nbsp;1878.</li><li>Alexander Pope Jr. was an American sculptor and painter. He is known primarily for this series on game birds and a similar one on dogs.</li><li>Each is presented framed.</li></ul>

Water Fowl

A third edition, fifth impression of The Hobbit, <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book?locale=en&amp;Book%20Type=Signed%2520and%2520Inscribed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">signed</a> by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=J.R.R.+Tolkien&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a>.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (British).</li><li>London: George Allen $ Unwin, 1970.</li><li>With 12 illustrations and an advertisement leaf at the end. </li><li>Author’s presentation copy, inscribed by Tolkien on the half-title.</li><li>Publisher’s green cloth, in the original dust-jacket, price-clipped. </li></ul> A particularly lovely example, retaining the increasingly scarce original jacket.

The Hobbit | Signed by Tolkien

A <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first edition</a>, first printing of The Return of the King by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=J.R.R.+Tolkien&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a>.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English).</li><li>United Kingdom: George Allen and Unwin, 1955.</li><li>Original fold out map is still present to the rear.</li><li>Bound in the publisher’s rich red boards, in the dustwrapper.</li></ul> The third installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Return of the King First Edition

A <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book?locale=en&amp;Book%20Subject=Letters&amp;Book%20Subject=Manuscripts%252C%2520Letters%252C%2520Documents&amp;Book%20Subject=Manuscripts%252C%2520Letters%252C%2520Documents%252C%2520Ephemera" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">letter</a> from <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?locale=en&amp;Book%20Subject=Letters&amp;Book%20Subject=Manuscripts%252C%2520Letters%252C%2520Documents&amp;Book%20Subject=Manuscripts%252C%2520Letters%252C%2520Documents%252C%2520Ephemera&amp;query=J.R.R.%20Tolkien&amp;tab=objects&amp;sortBy=bsp_dotcom_prod_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a> to Ken Jackson concerning a production of The Hobbit.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English).</li><li>Dated January 4th, 1968.</li><li>Handwritten and signed.</li><li>1 ½ pages.</li><li>Signed by JRR Tolkien with the characteristic 3 dots and underscore.</li><li>Written on blind stamped headed paper: 76 Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford.</li></ul> A fine original Tolkien letter, handwritten and signed to Ken Jackson, technical director of Humphrey Carpenter's musical adaptation of The Hobbit. An adaptation of The Hobbit, dramatized and produced by Humphrey Carpenter, was staged by New College Choir School in the late 1960s. Tolkien provided autographs for the actors but neglected the technical crew. Tolkien offers to send some 'stick-in autographs" to Mr. Jackson, technical director of Humphrey Carpenter's musical adaptation of The Hobbit at the end of 1967, who was "left out" of an autographing session Tolkien. The author then apologizes to "the back-room boys of the drama" noting their "necessary, indeed very important, functions". He explains that his eldest son, John Tolkien Jr, “used to perform the same functions at his school". Tolkien also signed copies of the program for the performance for Mr. Jackson and the children.

Handwritten Letter From J.R.R. Tolkien

Uncorrected proof of the <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first US edition</a> of <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?locale=en&amp;query=Tolkien&amp;tab=objects&amp;sortBy=bsp_dotcom_prod_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tolkien</a>'s long essay on fairy tales, accompanied by an exemplary story — W.H. Auden's copy.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English).</li><li>Tree and Leaf, Includes Mythopoeia and The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth.</li><li>Boston:&nbsp;Houghton Mifflin Company,&nbsp;1965.</li><li>82 pages.</li><li>With Auden's marginal marks throughout and his notes on the final leaf.&nbsp;</li><li>Original plastic-comb-bound printed pale blue wrappers.</li></ul> "In describing a fairy story which they think adults might possibly read for their own entertainment, reviewers frequently indulge in such waggeries as: 'this book is for children from the ages of six to sixty'. But I have never yet seen the puff of a new motor-model that begun thus: 'this toy will amuse infants from seventeen to seventy'; though that to my mind would be much more appropriate." Though unsigned, this copy is W.H. Auden's, with his markings in the text and notes (including a list of the seven deadly sins) on the blank verso of the last leaf. Auden famously wrote a 1954 New York Times review raving about The Fellowship of The Rings, which in no small part helped legitimize Tolkien in literary circles: "No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy." He also shared a friendly correspondence with Tolkien, exchanging letters frequently over the years and receiving advance copies of the next two installments of the series. He also, the year after Tree And Leaf appeared, spoke at a New York gathering of the Tolkien Society. Tolkien himself later contributed a lovely poem in Anglo-Saxon and English titled "For W.H.A." as part of a festschrift for Auden's sixtieth birthday in Shenandoah. This book, in many ways a critical defense of the kind of stories Auden had previously so lavishly praised, would have undoubtedly been of particular interest. An excellent association and rare in this format.

Tree And Leaf

Paul Cezanne, Jr.&nbsp;&nbsp;signed Botero- and dated 63 (lower left); signed Botero-, dated 63 and titled (on the reverse)&nbsp;&nbsp;oil on canvas&nbsp;17 ⅛ by 15 ⅛ in.&nbsp;43.5 by 38.4 cm.&nbsp;Executed in 1963.&nbsp;

Paul Cezanne, Jr.

<a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">First complete paperback edition</a>, of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=J.R.R.+Tolkien&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a>, finely rebound in red leather.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English, 1892-1973).</li><li>London: George Allen and Unwin, 1968.</li><li>Rebound in red Morocco leather with five raised bands, with gilt tooling and titling and marbled endpapers. with the ‘Eye of Sauron’ vignette to the front board; enclosed in a custom-made slip case, mirroring the red leather of the book and also with ‘Sauron’ vignette to the front panel.</li></ul> The first complete collection of The Lord of the Rings; containing the trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the King, and preceding the Deluxe Edition of 1969. J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings has had a profound cultural impact since its publication in the mid-20th century. The epic fantasy trilogy has not only set the standard for the genre but has also influenced a wide range of media, from literature and film to gaming and music. Its richly detailed world of Middle-earth, complete with its own languages, history, and mythology, has inspired countless authors, including George R.R. Martin and J.K. Rowling. The 2001-2003 film adaptations by Peter Jackson further cemented its cultural significance, bringing Tolkien’s world to a global audience and achieving critical and commercial success. These films set new benchmarks for cinematic achievements in special effects, storytelling, and epic scale, impacting the film industry and popularizing fantasy cinema. The work’s lasting appeal is evident in its dedicated fanbase, conventions, and its influence on modern fantasy, making The Lord of the Rings a cornerstone of contemporary culture.

The Lord of the Rings | First Complete Paperback Edition

An undocumented <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first printing</a> of The Riverside Church Speech by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=Martin%20Luther%20King%20Jr&amp;tab=objects&amp;sortBy=bsp_dotcom_prod_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Martin Luther King Jr</a>.<ul><li>Martin Luther King Jr. (American).</li><li>Later titled Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence.</li><li>n.p.:&nbsp;n.p,&nbsp;[1967].</li><li>8 pages.</li><li>Printed rectos only.</li><li>Top stapled self-wrappers.</li></ul> Previously unrecorded first printing of one of King's most important speeches: his anti-war address at The Riverside Church, delivered exactly one year to the day before his assassination. "If we will make the right choice, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood." King's Riverside Church Speech (later titled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence," but here untitled) was the civil rights leader's first sustained and major public statement regarding the Vietnam War. Before a crowd of more than 3000, King called for not only an end to the war, but explicitly linked the anti-war movement to the larger movements for civil rights and economic justice: "Perhaps the more tragic recognition of reality took place when it became clear to me that the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home. It was sending their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinarily high proportions relative to the rest of the population. We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem." This edition is unknown and unrecorded. It is not mentioned in the major King bibliographies. The introductory paragraph ("The following is the exclusive and authorized publication of the address [...] sponsored by Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam") suggests it was likely printed either by that group or King's camp. Such a printing could have been issued for members not in attendance, for press distribution at or immediately following the event, or simply to secure copyright. (The text also ends with a copyright notice by King, dated 1967.) This version differs in a number of significant ways from final published versions that appeared later. Some of these differences are accounted for by this printing's "slightly condensed" version. Others, however, clearly predate King's later revisions and finalizations which, along with the lack of title on this edition, all clearly mark the text as an early version, contemporaneous or nearly so with the event itself — and almost certainly preceding the earliest (also very rare) reprints undertaken by a number of California groups (where Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam were based, and all under the title "Beyond Vietnam") in the subsequent months. Indeed, the ditto'd presentation strongly suggests a smaller, more immediate circulation. The speech was widely criticized at the time. In the following days, more than 150 newspapers around the country condemned King, and in the aftermath of the address President Johnson dis-invited King from the White House, a rift in their relationship from which they never recovered. Among Black leaders the reception was also decidedly mixed, with many believing King's focus on the war distracted from more pressing concerns. As journalist Tavis Smiley, who produced a documentary on the speech, explained: "it was the most controversial speech he ever gave. It was the speech he labored over the most [and] got Martin King in more trouble than anything he had ever seen or done." Nevertheless, its reputation has only grown in the ensuing years. James Bevel considered it King's greatest speech, and King's intersectional understanding has been increasingly recognized as prescient. A rare and revealing document from one of King's most enduring public addresses.

The Riverside Church Speech: "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence"

<a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">First editions</a>, early mixed impressions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, each <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book?locale=en&amp;Book%20Type=Signed%2520and%2520Inscribed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">signed</a> by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=J.R.R.+Tolkien&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a>.<ul><li>Sold as a set of 3 volumes.</li><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (British).</li><li>London: George Allen &amp; Unwin, 1965-1966.</li><li>Each individually signed by J.R.R. Tolkien. </li><li>With the folding map at the end of each volume. </li><li>Publisher’s red cloth, in the original dust-jackets</li></ul> A complete signed set of The Lord of the Rings, with Tolkien’s signature appearing in each of the three volumes. The present set combines early impressions, Tolkien’s signature in all three volumes and an unusually attractive group of original dust-jackets.

The Lord of the Rings | Signed First Editions, Early Impressions

A hand colored aquatint from the original Double Elephant Folio Edition of <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=Birds+of+America&amp;pfilters.dateRange=past" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Birds of America</a> by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=audubon&amp;pfilters.dateRange=past" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John James Audubon</a>.<ul><li>John James Audubon (French-American).</li><li>Robert Havell (Engraver) (English).</li><li>White-Crowned Pigeon, Columba Leucocephala (Plate CLXXVII).</li><li>London: 1833.</li></ul>

White-Crowned Pigeon | From the Double Elephant Folio Edition of Birds of America

A hand colored aquatint from the original Double Elephant Folio Edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=Birds+of+America&amp;pfilters.dateRange=past" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Birds of America</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=audubon&amp;pfilters.dateRange=past" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John James Audubon</a>.<ul><li>John James Audubon (French-American).</li><li>Robert Havell (Engraver) (English).</li><li>Cat-Bird, Turdus Felivox (Plate CXXVIII).</li><li>London: 1833.</li></ul>

Cat-Bird, Turdus Felivox | From the Double Elephant Folio Edition of Birds of America

Trompe l'oeil, Les Falaises du Trocadéro, portfolio of 4, by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=JR&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JR</a>, 2021.<ul><li>Sold as a set of 4.</li><li>JR (French, born 1983).</li><li>Giclée Print Laminated with G-gloss, Mounted on 3mm Dibond.</li><li>Signed and numbered.</li><li>In matching edition numbers.</li></ul>

Trompe l'oeil, Les Falaises du Trocadéro | Portfolio of 4

First edition second impression and the first with color plates of The Hobbit, Tolkien's best-known work.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English).</li><li>The Hobbit or There and Back Again.</li><li>London: George Allen &amp; Unwin Ltd, 1937.</li><li>Five plates (4 color), 8 illustrations by the author, advertisement leaf at end.</li><li>Bound in full dark green morocco, ribbed gilt decorated spine, covers ruled in gilt, Smaug the dragon gilt to lower right corner of the front cover, gilt dentelles, all edges gilt, marbled pastedowns and endpapers, original cloth covers and spine bound in rear, original front and rear map pastedowns and endpapers bound in, by Bayntun.</li></ul> Tolkien began writing The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, as a professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford University. Tolkien's creative perspective was born from a childhood spent briefly in South Africa and then rural England, a short but wretched tour during World War I, and an avid fascination with German philology. Although it was originally billed as a children's book, The Hobbit attracted a varied audience and has been wildly popular since its initial publication. Tolkien built upon the tradition of fantasy literature developed by George MacDonald, Lewis Carroll and the folk tales of Arabian Nights by inventing a new language—Elvish—and making it accessible for modern-day readers. Such creativity brought rave reviews for The Hobbit, which sold out of its original print run of 1,500 copies three months after publication.

The Hobbit

Presentation <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first edition</a>, first printing of this early biography of the legendary singer <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=Frank+Sinatra&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra</a>, signed by Kahn and inscribed by Sinatra in 1948.<ul><li>E.J. Kahn Jr. (American).</li><li>New York and London:&nbsp;Harper and Row,&nbsp;(1947). </li><li>XVIII, 126 pages.</li><li>Signed by Kahn on the front endpaper; inscribed by Sinatra below: "To Kenneth E. Crauch - / With thanks - and - / Best Wishes / Sincerely / Frank Sinatra / 1948."</li><li>Publisher's full red cloth with blue titles, in original unclipped ($2.00)color pictorial jacket. </li></ul> "The first good book about Sinatra was written in 1947 by E. J. Kahn, a leading&nbsp;New Yorker&nbsp;writer from the Harold Ross era. Kahn's&nbsp;The Voice [...] came out when the singer was barely in his thirties, the first teen idol." — Michael Nelson Based on his series of profiles and articles for The new Yorker, The Voice captures Sinatra at the height of his "bobby-soxer" fame, just before his dramatic 1950s reinvention at Capital Records. Kahn's biography remains a relevant source. Uncommon signed by the author, and genuinely rare signed by Sinatra, especially with a contemporary inscription. A very early signature in an important document from the career of one of the 20th century's greatest vocalists.

The Voice: The Story Of American Phenomenon Frank Sinatra | Signed by Kahn and Inscribed by Sinatra

Martin Luther King, Jr.Birmingham Jail Logbook, signed by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy Single bifolium (11 x 14 inches; 288 x 356 mm), two conjugate leaves from a commercially-printed ledger book, dated between 3/4/63 and 11/27/63, ruled in blue and red on cream stock, signed by King twelve times—seven on page 61 and five on page 63—and Ralph D. Abernathy five times, three on page 61 and twice on page 63. Partial separation and minor loss at center hinge, light handling and moderate toning, signatures in blue ballpoint ink, bold and legible. "INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE." This seemingly routine record of incoming correspondence reflects on the most consequential episodes in American history. The sheet logs the incoming mail of the Birmingham City Jail for the spring and summer of 1963, its columns densely filled in multiple hands with dates, names, delivery modes, and recipient signatures, documenting the flow of correspondence into a facility that was, for a critical stretch of weeks, the temporary receiving point for Southern Christian Leadership Conference and its leadership. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on Good Friday, April 12, 1963, during the SCLC's Project C—for Confrontation—a direct-action campaign targeting Birmingham's segregated commercial district. The Birmingham authorities, under Public Safety Commissioner Bull Connor, were among the most intransigent in the South, and King's imprisonment was both a calculated strategic move and a genuine danger. While confined, he read in a smuggled copy of the Birmingham News an open letter signed by eight white Alabama clergymen urging him to stand down, to trust the courts, to wait. His response became the "Letter from Birmingham Jail," arguably the most important prose document of the American civil rights movement. The Letter is a work of extraordinary rhetorical and moral force: a systematic dismantling of the case for gradualism, a defense of nonviolent direct action as the only available instrument of justice, and a sustained meditation on the difference between just and unjust law drawing on Augustine, Aquinas, Tillich, and Buber with the fluency of a trained theologian. Composed in fragments under harsh conditions of physical confinement and surveillance, smuggled out through King's legal team, and distributed first as a mimeographed pamphlet before achieving wider publication, King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written against time and against the counsel of white moderation — and has been repeatedly reprinted, anthologized, and taught. A sympathetic contact smuggled in a copy of the April 12 Birmingham News, which carried "A Call for Unity," an open letter signed by eight white Alabama clergymen urging King to abandon his campaign and trust the courts. The statement provoked him into an immediate response. As King later wrote in Why We Can't Wait: "Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement appeared while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of writing paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty, and concluded on a pad my attorneys were eventually permitted to leave me." Walter Reuther, president of the United Auto Workers, arranged $160,000 in bail to free King and the other jailed protesters; King walked free on April 20, 1963. This log sheet is a rare institutional artifact of that history: a record-keeping trace capturing King’s incoming correspondence—signed by him twelve times. The entries for April 12 and the weeks immediately following document the rapid flower of incoming correspondence to King, Ralph Abernathy, and their associates in real time—the telegrams, special delivery letters, and registered mail that connected the jailed leadership to the movement outside. The signatures in the right-hand columns, acknowledging receipt, include King's own. Among the few known surviving artifacts directly tied to King’s Birmingham confinement, this jail communication log preserves an institutional record of the incoming correspondence acknowledged by King and Abernathy during the days surrounding the composition and circulation of the Letter from Birmingham Jail. The entries date between 3/4/63 and 11/27/63 including the period between 4/12/63 to 4/20/63, the dates of King’s incarceration. The four pages (front and back) are still partially hinged at the center, numbered 61 to 64. Each line represents a written communication received at the jail, with the left-hand page recording the date, the inmate's name, and the type of correspondence, while the right-hand page was reserved for the recipient's signature confirming delivery. While page 60 (which would have recorded the incoming log written by an employee of the jail) is not present, the facing page 61 documents 7 incoming items signed for by King. Page 62 notes the delivery of a "SP Dil Letter" (special delivery letter) on 4/17; a "W U Telegram" and "Reg. Let." arrived on 4/19, and two more Western Union telegrams on 4/20, the day of his release. A powerful document of the Civil Rights movement, a poignant reminder of King’s fight against institutional injustice, logged during the creation of a masterwork of American letters, and its clarion call for Freedom everywhere: “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” PROVENANCEAccording to family oral history reported by Hake’s, the pages were preserved by a Birmingham jail employee after he was instructed to destroy the ledger, then descended in that employee’s family — Hake’s Auctions, Auction #231 Part I, 24 February 2021, lot 1

Martin Luther King’s Incarceration for Peaceful Protest: The Birmingham Jail Warden’s Log

A <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first edition</a> of The Fellowship of the Ring by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=J.R.R.+Tolkien&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a>.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English).</li><li>London: &nbsp;George Allen &amp; Unwin, 1954.</li><li>[vi], 423, [1] pages.</li><li>“First published in 1954” to verso.</li><li>Presented in the original unclipped dust wrapper.</li></ul> When The Lord of the Rings appeared between 1954 and 1955, it was issued quietly, in modest print runs, by the London publisher George Allen &amp; Unwin. Tolkien’s achievement was not merely narrative but architectural. Drawing upon philology, medieval literature, mythology, and his own linguistic inventions, he constructed a secondary world of unprecedented depth and internal coherence. Middle-earth was not a setting but a civilisation: languages, genealogies, cosmology, and moral philosophy interwoven with epic narrative. In doing so, Tolkien effectively established the template for modern high fantasy. The trilogy’s publication history underscores its rarity. The first impression of The Fellowship of the Ring numbered only 3,000 copies and the amount of unrestored dust-jackets now, was never high. More than seventy years after publication, The Lord of the Rings remains one of the most widely read and culturally resonant works of the modern era.

The Fellowship of the Ring | First Edition

<a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">First edition</a>, first printing of the follow up to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=L.+Frank+Baum&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">L. Frank Baum</a>.<ul><li>L. Frank Baum (American).</li><li>Illustrated by J.R. Neill (American).</li><li>Chicago:&nbsp;Reilly &amp; Britton,&nbsp;1904.</li><li>287, [1] pages.</li><li>Illustrated with numerous full and partial page black and white, 16 color plates on glossy stock inserted throughout the text block by J.R. Neill, and photo-pictorial endpapers of Montgomery and Stone.</li><li>Last typeset line on copyright page reads "All rights reserved," caption of illustration facing page 23 "I DON'T WANT TO BE A MARBLE STATUE."</li><li>Bound in the original red pictorial cloth titled in dark blue on spine panel and in blue and silver on front cover, the spine with a decorative image of General Jinjur standing atop an emerald.</li></ul> Returning characters Scarecrow and Tin Man are joined by new favorites like Jack Pumpkinhead and the Woggle Bug in a fantasy adventure with political machinations in the kingdom of Oz. Aspects of this Oz book were adapted (along with Ozma of Oz) into the 1985 cult film Return to Oz. According to Baum bibliographer Bienvenue, there were five major printings of this title; the first printing, as here, is quite scarce on the marketplace today — and in fact, scarcer than the first/first of the book's legendary predecessor, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The Marvelous Land Of Oz First Edition

A <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/luxury/books-&amp;-manuscripts/book/first-edition?locale=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first edition</a> of The Return of the King by <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=J.R.R.+Tolkien&amp;pfilters.dateRange=upcoming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a>.<ul><li>J.R.R. Tolkien (English).</li><li>London: George Allen &amp; Unwin, 1955.</li><li>[vi], 423, [1] pages.</li><li>“First published in 1955” to verso.</li><li>In the unrestored dust wrapper.</li></ul> When The Lord of the Rings appeared between 1954 and 1955, it was issued quietly, in modest print runs, by the London publisher George Allen &amp; Unwin. Tolkien’s achievement was not merely narrative but architectural. Drawing upon philology, medieval literature, mythology, and his own linguistic inventions, he constructed a secondary world of unprecedented depth and internal coherence. Middle-earth was not a setting but a civilisation: languages, genealogies, cosmology, and moral philosophy interwoven with epic narrative. In doing so, Tolkien effectively established the template for modern high fantasy. The trilogy’s publication history underscores its rarity. The first impression of The Return of the King at 7,000 copies and the amount of unrestored dust-jackets now, was never high. More than seventy years after publication, The Lord of the Rings remains one of the most widely read and culturally resonant works of the modern era.

The Return of the King | First Edition

Important Watches

Patek Philippe A pink gold minute repeating split seconds chronograph openface keyless lever watch with enamel dial, Retailed by Tiffany & Co., Circa 1896 Dial: white enamel Calibre: 16’’’, mechanical, bi-metalic compensation balance, jewelled Movement number: 97’677 Case: 18k pink gold polished case with concealed hinge, hinged cuvette engraved with inscription Case number: 97’677 Size: 45 mm diameter Signed: case, dial and movement signed Tiffany & Co. Accessories: none The present watch combines two complications that represent the highest level of watchmaking from the golden age of technical horology. Its 16-ligne complicated movement is finished to Patek Philippe’s highest standards, while the case, made for Tiffany & Co. in the United States, exemplifies the finest American casemaking of the period. The case remains in very good condition, with its concealed hinge displaying a notably smooth and flat surface. The cuvette is inscribed “Geo. Westinghouse Jr., from his Father & Mother, Christmas 1898”, indicating that the watch was once in the private collection of George Westinghouse Jr. George Westinghouse Jr. was an American inventor, engineer and industrial entrepreneur based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, best known for his pioneering role in the development and application of alternating-current power systems. He was also a discerning watch collector who owned numerous fine timepieces and commissioned rare watches through Tiffany & Co. These included a notable Patek Philippe 18k gold minute repeating jumping seconds pocket watch dating from 1871, now preserved at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Another pocket watch, presented to his wife in 1871, was a finely engraved Patek Philippe 18k gold concentric day and date pendant watch. A similar example, made for Isabella II, Queen of Spain, in 1871, is preserved in the Patek Philippe Museum. During this period, only individuals of high social standing or considerable wealth were granted the privilege of commissioning bespoke timepieces directly from the finest watchmakers and retailers. Even when ordering watches based on regular production models, such clients were often supplied with examples of the highest grade and quality. Combining exceptional complications, refined finishing and distinguished provenance, the present watch is a fine reflection of this tradition.

View 1 of Lot 2301: A pink gold minute repeating split seconds chronograph openface keyless lever watch with enamel dial, Retailed by Tiffany & Co., Circa 1896

a pink gold minute repeating split seconds chronograph openface keyless lever watch with enamel dial, retailed by tiffany & co., circa 1896

Cartier, Paris New York retailed Carrée A cushion-form yellow gold watch with ribbed decoration, Circa 1924 Dial: silvered dial signed Cartier, stretched radial Roman numerals, inner minute track, blued steel Breguet hands Calibre: 15’’’ movement signed European Watch and Clock Co. Inc. Movement number: numbered to movement beneath dial 10’353 Case: 18k reeded yellow gold case, the back centred by polished circular cartouche engraved with arms, Stag crest and motto ‘Toujours Fidèle’, two-pronged pendant with rubbed French assay, triangular bow with French eagle’s head assay and rubbed lozenge-shaped maker’s mark Case number: hand stamped 1‘473, notched winding crown, bezel numbered 14'661, 10'353, inside case back signed European Watch and Clock Co Inc France, hand stamped 14'661 and with French eagle’s head assay and Edmond Jaeger punch mark, engraved G. G .Frelinghuysen Jr., Morristown, N.J., July 25, 1927 and with additional later inscription C.W.P. May 26, 2003 Size: 39.5 mm width Accessories: none The inside case back of this watch is engraved with the inscription: “G. G. Frelinghuysen Jr., Morristown, N.J., July 25, 1927.” George Griswold Frelinghuysen Jr., born on July 25, 1911, in Morristown, New Jersey, was a member of the Frelinghuysen family, a prominent American political dynasty with roots tracing back to their emigration from the Netherlands in the 1720s. The family’s rich heritage includes several notable figures, such as U.S. senators and public servants. George was the son of Peter H.B. Frelinghuysen and the grandson of George Griswold Frelinghuysen Sr.

View 1 of Lot 2482: Carrée | A cushion-form yellow gold watch with ribbed decoration, Circa 1924

carrée | a cushion-form yellow gold watch with ribbed decoration, circa 1924

Cartier, Paris Tortue à Pattes An early tonneau-form yellow gold wristwatch, Circa 1923 Dial: silvered dial signed Cartier France, black stretched radial Roman numerals, outer tonneau-form chemin-de-fer minute ring, blued steel Breguet hands Calibre: 10’’’ circular LeCoultre calibre movement signed E. W. & C. Co. Ltd. Swiss for the European Watch and Clock Co. Inc. Movement number: signed to movement beneath dial 18’398, 3 Case: 18k yellow gold tonneau-form case, beaded cabochon sapphire-set crown, case back secured by four screws to case sides, screw-set gold lug bars, inside case back signed European Watch and Clock Co. Inc. Case number: polished case back engraved J. R. Fell Jr., hand stamped numbers 13’227, 18’398 and inside case back hand stamped 13’227 Closure: unsigned camel leather strap and later 18k yellow gold deployant buckle signed Cartier and stamped 18K Size: 31.5 mm length x 25 mm width Accessories: none The case back of this watch is engraved with the name of John R. Fell Jr. In the Jefferson City Post-Tribune on Thursday 23 February 1933.

View 1 of Lot 2490: Tortue à Pattes | An early tonneau-form yellow gold wristwatch, Circa 1923

tortue à pattes | an early tonneau-form yellow gold wristwatch, circa 1923

Stagg Mixed Case NV Stagg Jr 129.7 Proof Batch 5, bottled Fall 2015, bottle code: L231600107:01D Stagg Jr 128.7 Batch 17, bottled Fall 2021, bottle code: L212590114:38D Stagg 125.9 Proof Batch 23C, bottled Fall 2023, bottle code: L231600107:01D 3 bottles 75cl (no original packaging) Please refer to images for levels and conditions ﻿All Lots are offered for sale in the condition they are in at the time of sale and sold “AS IS” in accordance with the Conditions of Business for Buyers. Prospective buyers should inspect each Lot to satisfy themselves as to condition. The images provided here are provided to assist you with assessing the condition of each Lot and are for guidance only; they should not be considered a replacement for inspecting the Lot in person. Spirits and liquor can be picked up by the buyer or the buyer’s agent at our New York premises, or shipped to the District of Columbia, New Hampshire, and New York through specialized carriers. Please note that applicable taxes and fees will be added to the purchase price on the invoice. ﻿For all other locations, Sotheby’s Wine is happy to walk you through available shipping options and, when needed, introduce you to carriers who may be able to deliver to your final destination, be it domestic or international. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at Winepostsaleservices.ny@sothebys.com. Please note that for Wine and Spirits Lots, the Buyer’s Premium rate is 24% of the Hammer Price and the Overhead Premium rate is 1% of the Hammer Price. The Buyer’s Premium and Overhead Premium are subject to any applicable VAT/GST and/or sales or use tax. Please refer to the Conditions of Business for further details.

View 1 of Lot 2545: Stagg Mixed Case NV (3 Bottles 75cl)

stagg mixed case nv (3 bottles 75cl)

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 Release

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 Release One lot comprising all six 2025 releases in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, including the first release of E.H. Taylor, Jr: E.H. Taylor, Jr. Bottled-in-Bond 2025 Release 100 Proof First Release, distilled Spring 2010, bottled Fall 2025, bottle code: L252600109:51D, back label is torn and peeling at top left corner Eagle Rare 17 Year Old 2025 Release 101 Proof Distilled in Spring 2007, bottled in Fall 2025, bottle code: L252590101:21N George T. Stagg 2025 Release 142.8 Proof Distlled in Spring 2010, bottled in Fall 2025, bottle code: L252620105:31D Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old 2025 Release 90 Proof Distilled in Spring 2006 and Spring 2007, bottled in Fall 2025, bottle code: L252610110:56M Thomas H. Handy Rye 2025 Release 129.8 Proof Distilled in Spring 2018 and Spring 2019, bottled in Fall 2025, bottle code: L252660101:49D William Larue Weller 2025 Release 129 Proof Distilled in December 2010, January 2011 and January 2013, bottled in Fall 2025, bottle code: L252670100:38D 6 bottles 75cl (no original packaging) Please refer to images for levels and conditions ﻿All Lots are offered for sale in the condition they are in at the time of sale and sold “AS IS” in accordance with the Conditions of Business for Buyers. Prospective buyers should inspect each Lot to satisfy themselves as to condition. The images provided here are provided to assist you with assessing the condition of each Lot and are for guidance only; they should not be considered a replacement for inspecting the Lot in person. Spirits and liquor can be picked up by the buyer or the buyer’s agent at our New York premises, or shipped to the District of Columbia, New Hampshire, and New York through specialized carriers. Please note that applicable taxes and fees will be added to the purchase price on the invoice. ﻿For all other locations, Sotheby’s Wine is happy to walk you through available shipping options and, when needed, introduce you to carriers who may be able to deliver to your final destination, be it domestic or international. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at Winepostsaleservices.ny@sothebys.com. Please note that for Wine and Spirits Lots, the Buyer’s Premium rate is 24% of the Hammer Price and the Overhead Premium rate is 1% of the Hammer Price. The Buyer’s Premium and Overhead Premium are subject to any applicable VAT/GST and/or sales or use tax. Please refer to the Conditions of Business for further details.

View 1 of Lot 2401: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 Release NV (6 Bottles 75cl)

Results for "JR"