SOTHEBY'S RESULTS: Fine Books and Manuscripts

Today at Sotheby’s the auction of Fine Books and Manuscripts achieved a total of $7,406,138, over the $4.6/6.8 million estimate with 66% of lots sold. The sale was led by the founding partnership agreement of the Apple Computer Company - the firm that revolutionized technology, business, personal computing and the world which sold for $1,594,500, many multiples of the $100/150,000 estimate. The document was sought by six bidders participating by telephone and online before being purchased by Eduardo Cisneros, CEO of Cisneros Corporation.

Richard Austin, Head of the Books Department at Sotheby’s New York said: “I am thrilled by the $7.4 million total achieved in our Books and Manuscripts sale today. The founding contract of the Apple Corporation is the first chapter in the story of one of America’s most important companies. Collectors recognized the importance of this piece of technological, corporate and social history sending the price to $1.6 million – many multiples of the $100/150,000 estimate. In addition there were exceptional prices across the different areas of the sale, with the historical documents led by a George Washington letter sent to the House of Representatives in May 1789 which sold for $362,500. Literature was highly sought after with a First Edition of The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler from The Jean-Vounder Davis Collection of the Raymond Chandler Library more than doubling the high estimate to fetch $254,500, and a series of strong prices for artist letters included an early Van Gogh letter that also exceeded the high estimate to sell for $194,500. A single Donatus leaf from circa 1456-1458 also achieved an exceptional price, selling for $302,500, ten times the $30,000 high estimate.”

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