Natural history and renderings of an earlier America will highlight Bonhams & Butterfield’s sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts in San Francisco on February 13. Much of the attention will be on a rare book by painter and explorer Louis Choris (1795-1828) with more than 100 hand-colored lithographs depicting early 19th century views of San Francisco and Pacific locales. It’s estimated to sell for $100-$150,000.
Expected to be just as valuable is a second edition of English naturalist Mark Catesby’s “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: Containing the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, Insects and Plants.” Illustrated with 220 hand-colored plates, the book first appeared in 1747. Also worth noting are Dr. Seuss’ original cover design for “You’re Only Old Once! (est.$12-$30,000), and signed original drawings by Beatrix Potter for her nursery rhyme “The Amiable Pig”(est. $12-$18,000).
Read more at Bonhams.
