If you are a person who loves rare books, you should be taking a look at the rare books case studies. This is where you can gather some extra knowledge with related to what rare books can offer. This understanding will benefit you as you go ahead with collecting rare books in the future. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent rare books case studies.
The Constitution of the United States
Shapero says that original Declaration of Independence, signed by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, is unquestionably one of history’s rarest and most valuable documents. On July 4th, 1776, just 200 copies were produced, and only around 26 copies have survived until this day. Fun fact: One of the copies was discovered hidden beneath a $4 artwork purchased at a flea market! That’s a great deal, considering the document’s estimated value of $9 million!
The First Folio of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare’s works are among the most important in the world, with a stronghold over Western literature 400 years after his death in 1616. Because it is the earliest authorized compilation of his plays, assembled by his friends and business associates who assisted him in running his theatre company, his First Folio is extremely rare. Between 1622 and 1623, an estimated 750 copies were printed. Most theatrical groups prefer the First Folio, which contains 36 plays and contains numerous typographical mistakes, over current versions of Shakespeare’s works.
The Bible of Gutenberg
The Gutenberg Bible was the first book to be printed using a printing press, and it was printed in 1440. (By Johannes Gutenberg). To add to the book’s distinctiveness, it was initially produced in folio format or as loose-leaf pages, which the owner would subsequently have bound according to their preferences. There are just 48 copies surviving, and a single leaf from one sold for $74,000 in 2007.
The American Birds
The Birds of America is the product of famous naturalist James Audubon’s desire in 1820 to depict every bird in North America in minute detail. So, between 1827 and 1838, he painted a series of magnificent paintings named The Birds of North America and shipped them to his subscribers one by one. In this book, you will be able to learn a lot about the birds that can be found in the United States. Some of the birds highlighted in this book are not to be seen as of now. No matter what, any person who wants to learn more about the birds of United States can go ahead and collect this rare book.
The Leicester Codex
The Codex of Leicester is a collection of scientific findings by Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest brains in history. The 72-page document is made up of his mental notes on medical observations, futuristic innovations, and other topics. There are no other replicas of the notebook because it is one of a kind, and Bill Gates paid over $30 million for it in 1994. He shows it in different places around the United States, so keep an eye out for it in your area!
Don Quixote is a fictional character in the Spanish novel Don Quixote
The original Don Quixote de La Mancha was published in 1605, by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The initial edition was sold for $1.5 million in 1989 and is difficult to come by these days. Every 20 years or so, a new translation of the book is released. We have the first illustrated version of Don Quixote translated into English.
Tamerlane and Other Poems is a collection of poems written by Tamerlane.
Edgar Allen Poe’s Tamerlane and Other Poetry Edgar Allen Poe, one of America’s first poets, released his first collection of poems anonymously. Tamerlane and Other Poems was said to be bad, but just 50 copies were printed. Poe’s obscurity is valuable to collectors, as the book’s publisher is merely stated as “a Bostonian.”
Geographia Cosmographia by Ptolemy
Ptolemy, who flourished about 100 AD, is credited with some of history’s most significant scientific discoveries. Despite the fact that the printing press had not yet been developed during his lifetime, he made a handbook of maps by hand that depicted the globe as he knew it at the time. The Geographic maps are outrageously incorrect now, but they are nevertheless a valuable resource for understanding the European vision of the globe at the time. For 1,400 years, his idea of a geocentric cosmos, in which the sun and planets rotate around the earth, was accepted as truth.
On the Heavenly Spheres’ Revolutions
Copernicus’ On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres is another famous book of scientific discoveries. The realization of a heliocentric cosmos, in which the sun, not the Earth, is the centre of our solar system, was contained in this book. From religion to science to philosophy, this had an impact on every institution’s perspective of the universe. Copernicus waited until he was on his deathbed before publishing his findings to avoid being accused of heresy during his lifetime. Only 260 copies of On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres remain today, each worth between $1 and $2 million.
10. J.K. Rowling’s Beedle the Bard
Albus Dumbledore leaves Hermione the first edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book about wizarding bedtime stories and folklore that leads to the discovery of the Deathly Hallows, in the last Harry Potter novel. J.K. Rowling illustrated and produced 7 handcrafted copies of the imaginary book, which were decked out in leather and silver jewels and dubbed the Moonstone Edition. She donated six to those who helped her make the Harry Potter series a success, and she sold the final one to raise money for the Children’s Voice organization.
Keep these case studies in mind and go ahead with collecting rare books.
