Under the Hammer

Here, Ian Ehling, Director of Books and Manuscripts based in New York, shares some of his favorites from the exciting Fine Books and Manuscripts Online auction, ending on 30 March.

Lot 33

A Georgia O'Keefe Ram's Head from Ghost Ranch

In addition to books and manuscripts, we sell objects of historic significance. In recent years we have sold a violin owned by Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy’s 1963 Lincoln, “Limo One," and we now offer a ram’s head from the collection of Georgia O’Keeffe, given to Marilyn Thuma in July 1971. The ram’s head is etched into our understanding of O'Keeffe — beginning with her iconic 1935 painting Ram's Head, White Hollyhock Hills. I think no other object connects us so closely to her time in New Mexico. To O’Keeffe bleached bones were “symbols of the desert. To me they are as beautiful as anything I know.”

Lot 8

Wild Raspberries, Inscribed to Fashion Icon D.D. Ryan. Warhol, Andy. 1928-1987. And Susie Frankfurt (Recipes).

Alongside Georgia O'Keeffe, we offer a collection of artist books by Andy Warhol, who was a great admirer of her works. These 23 lots illustrate Warhol's development between 1952 and 1987. One of my favorites is Wild Raspberries, a rare presentation copy of the unusual cookbook that features Warhol’s brilliant illustrations for Susie Frankfurt’s recipes. Warhol and Frankfurt produced the books with the help of Warhol's mother, who provided the calligraphy, deliberately including her misspellings which add to the whimsical nature of the production. The sale of this fantastic work was recently featured in the Guardian and numerous other publications.

Lot 5

Warhol's Most Important Early Artist Book. 25 Cats Name[d] Sam and One Blue Pussy

Another marvelous and rare book from the same collection, in especially immaculate condition, is Andy Warhol’s early artist book 25 Cats Name[d] Sam and One Blue Pussy. With humor and charm, this volume depicts Warhol's cats who lived in the townhouse he shared with his mother. The 18 lithographs, each hand-colored by Warhol and his friends at "coloring parties," offer great insight into a cat’s life.

Lot 64

Elliot, Daniel Giraud. 1835-1915. A Monograph of the Felidae or Family of the Cats.

Of note for feline fans is Elliot’s A Monograph of the Felidae or Family of the Cats published in 1883 featuring forty-two magnificent hand-colored illustrations of cats. This is the definitive work on the family of cats (Lions, Pumas, Tigers, Panthers and cats), in which Elliot describes and illustrates all the species of cats then known, "their lithe and agile forms... clothed in coats of brilliant colors, varied by fanciful markings of opposing hues.”