June 19, 2014 |
World Record for Walt Whitman
Yesterday at Christie's NY, a first edition, first issue of Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman sold for a world-record price of $305,000 (including premium) to a US dealer. Was it the five scarce broadside advertisements tipped to the front endpapers that tipped the scale?
The auction of "Clark Family Treasures" was intense--lasting nearly 8 hours and covering rare books, art, furniture, silver, and musical instruments--and very fun to watch, with 96% of lots selling, very often over estimate. The beautiful Baudelaire I posted about earlier this week sold to a European dealer for $293,000, double its high estimate.
Another record-breaker from the sale: Lionel Walden's oil on canvas, Hawaiian Coast, sold to a private collector for $106,250, a world record for the artist.
Overall, the sale realized $8.5 million.
The auction of "Clark Family Treasures" was intense--lasting nearly 8 hours and covering rare books, art, furniture, silver, and musical instruments--and very fun to watch, with 96% of lots selling, very often over estimate. The beautiful Baudelaire I posted about earlier this week sold to a European dealer for $293,000, double its high estimate.
Another record-breaker from the sale: Lionel Walden's oil on canvas, Hawaiian Coast, sold to a private collector for $106,250, a world record for the artist.
Overall, the sale realized $8.5 million.
![Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–253) Homilia in Genesim, Homiliae in Exodum, in Latin, translation by Rufinus, decorated manuscript on parchment [Austria, Lambach Abbey? c. 1150–1175]. Estimate: $150,000-$200,000.](/sites/default/files/styles/category_card/public/media-images/2026-06/origen.jpeg?itok=0V_4_Lt2)
