PBA Galleries sale March 18 hails library of Renaissance man

SAN FRANCISCO - A 16th-century atlas valued at up to $200,000 will be among the treasures when PBA Galleries sells the Library of Roger Wagner at auction March 18 beginning at 1 p.m. Pacific. Live Auctioneers will provide live Internet bidding.

The more than 200 lots reflect a keen appreciation of culture and history, the development of science and the science of man, said Shannon Kennedy, PBA Galleries vice president.

The material ranges from the 15th through 20th centuries, and include landmarks of science, printing, literature and cartography.

Another major feature of the sale is a superb collection of rare and important manuscripts, letters, and archival material by American novelist and painter Henry Miller and members of his circle.

Bruce MacMakin, senior vice president at PBA Galleries, calls the sale "one of the most significant we have held in many years. The concentration of high spots in so many fields makes it of interest to a broad range of collectors."

Published in Antwerp, Belgium, the 1584 edition of Abraham Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum contains 112 double-page hand-colored copper-engraved maps. The rare volume, bound in 18th-century leather, is considered one of the most brilliant and innovative of all Renaissance books and the first large modern atlas. It is estimated at $150,000-$200,000.

A unique item in the sale is a set of three notebooks compiled by American novelist and artist Henry Miller during his stay in Paris from 1932-1936. The notebooks consist of handwritten and typed notes on ideas and resources for his three novels written in Paris, Tropic of Cancer (1934, an account of his bohemian life in Paris), Black Spring (1936, an examination of his early childhood, inspired by his relationship with Anais Nin), and Tropic of Capricorn (1939, a fictionalized account of his struggle to become a writer before coming to Paris). The notebooks are estimated at $100,000-$150,000.

A first state copy of the first edition of Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species is expected to sell for $70,000-$100,000 at the auction. The 1859 book is considered “certainly the most important biological book ever written.”

Other highlights include a carbon typescript of the first draft of Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller, 1934, dramatically different from the final published version (est. $40,000-$60,000); Galileo's Risposta alle Opposizioni ... , 1615, one of his rarest works, with perhaps the first printed account of the famous experiment conducted at the Tower of Pisa. (est. $20,000-$30,000); six hand-painted porcelain plaques by John Tenniel, featuring Alice in Wonderland characters, used as menu cards at Tenniel family dinners (ext. $20,000-$30,000); a manuscript by John Steinbeck of a short play he wrote wile visiting the Soviet Union in 1963 (est. $10,000-$15,000); and a first edition of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, complete with its first issue jacket, (est. $6,000-$9,000).

For details call 415-989-2665.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view PBA Galleries' complete catalog.