Here is a list of the top ten most expensive sales on AbeBooks in the month of January. Barack Obama continues to be super hot among book collectors once again smashing the previous Obama book price record of $5500.
Top 10 most expensive books purchased on AbeBooks for January 2009
1. YA-WAE PA-HU-CAE E-CAE AE-TA-NAE E-TU-HCE WA-U-N A-H A. Original Hymns In the Ioway Language by William Hamilton and Samuel M. Irvin - $13,500
A rare item of Americana relating to Native Americans. Printed in 1843, this book was one of the first two titles issued from the Sac Mission Press, limited to 125 copies. It is a lengthy hymn book, with the text written in the dialect used by the tribe from Iowa.
2. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama - $12,500
The 44th president’s first book, this is a copy of the original edition from 1996. Signed by Obama.
3. The Four Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ by Eric Gill - $11,000
Printed and published at the Golden Cockerel Press, 1931, Limited to 500 numbered copies. With 64 wood-engraved initial letters and illustrations by Gill. (*Link to Facsimile editions)
4. Wonders of the Invisible World by Cotton Mather - $9,500
This is the second edition, printed in London in 1693, This copy also contains a fine engraved bookplate of Samuel Mather (1851-1931), on the front marbled paste-down endpaper as well as a handwritten slip by Thomas J. Holmes, that compares it with the first London edition, giving some omissions, and differences in spelling and punctuation. (*Link to later editions)
5. Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems by John Keats - $8,500
First edition of Keats’ third and final book, published in 1820.
6. Sonnets et Eaux Fortes by Various - $8,248
A collection of sonnets and etchings published in 1869. 42 original etchings by Manet, Corot, Daubigny, Jean François Millet, Jongkind, Bracquemond, Victor Hugo and others. Limited edition to 350 copies.
7. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie - $7,400
First edition, first printing from 1981. Uncorrected proof copy in publisher’s original printed wrappers, signed by Rushdie. (*Links to signed first, editions not proof copies)
8. Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les François by Jean-Baptiste du Tertre - $5,224
Comprehensive history of the Caribbean from the 1600s, as recorded by Jean-Baptiste during his 18-year study of the habits of the people, their storytelling and geography. Published 1671.
9. Aline et Valcour; ou, Le Roman philosophique by Marquis de Sade - $5,224
First edition published in eight volumes in 1795. The book was written one year before the French Revolution while Sade was incarcerated in the Bastille (1780s) and was his first book published under his true name.
10. Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov - $5,000
Signed first edition copies of each of the three Foundation books: Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952) and Second Foundation (1953).
