In October 2023, Sotheby’s New York kicked off an unprecedented series of eight auctions to celebrate one of the most significant and comprehensive rare book libraries to ever come to auction: Bibliotheca Brookeriana: the T. Kimball Brooker Library of Renaissance Books and Bindings. A carefully curated, extraordinary library of more than 1,300 sixteenth-century French and Italian books in their original bindings, passionate collector and scholar T. Kimball Brooker diligently assembled the library across more than six decades. Estimated to achieve in excess of $25 million, the collection was first presented in a live evening auction in New York last October - marking the first dedicated Books & Manuscripts evening auction in New York in a decade.

The only library with the theme and concentration of Brooker’s ever assembled outside of Europe, Brooker collected both widely and in depth, acquiring numerous volumes of books including titles in multiple editions and variants. What distinguishes Bibliotheca Brookeriana is the unwavering scholarly passion of T. Kimball Brooker, who endeavored to diligently seek out the finest and most impeccably preserved book bindings, works featuring emblems and inscriptions from early owners, as well as works with impeccable provenance that add layers of historical significance. Encompassing books throughout the ages, Bibliotheca Brookeriana is a truly exceptional collection showcasing the convergence of art, architecture, and knowledge in the Renaissance era.

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