Ten Most Expensive Books Sold in December 2007

A first edition set of the popular Eloise books by Kay Thompson made the most expensive titles sold list, selling for $7,200 last month.

You can also see the ten most expensive books sold in 2007.

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

JK Rowling

A fine signed first edition of the fifth installment of everyone's favorite teenage wizard.

Sold for $7,434

2. Eloise Set

Kay Thompson, Illustrated by Hilary Knight

First editions of Eloise, Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime, Eloise in Moscow and Eloise Takes a Bath. Each is signed by Hilary Knight. A beautiful signed set of these classic children's books.

Sold for $7,200

3. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection

Charles Darwin

Fourth edition, the first edition was published in 1859. One of the most influential books ever printed.

Sold for $6,170

4. Winnie the Pooh

A.A. Milne

A fine first edition first printing of Milne’s famous children’s story in original green publisher's cloth. Illustrated by E. H. Shepard.

Sold for $5,500

5. Andrew Wyeth

Richard Meryman

The holy grail of books about this American realist painter. A first edition, No. 65 of 300 limited edition copies signed by Wyeth.

Sold for $5,500

6. Golf Architecture: Economy in Course Construction

Dr. Alister Mackenzie

Book on designing golf courses by Dr. Mackenzie, who designed Cypress Point in California, Royal Melbourne in Australia and was one of the greatest golf course architects that ever lived.

Sold for $5,500

7. A Guide to Modern Cookery

Escoffier

One of the world’s great cookbooks, a 1907 first edition signed by the author and inscribed to Sarah Morgan, who worked at the Cavendish Hotel in London.

Sold for $5,124

8. Pompeii Mosaics and paintings

Various Authors (11 volumes)

Rome 1990/1999 Institute of Encyclopedia Italiana. Complete pictorial and written documentation of the ancient city of Pompeii.

Sold for $5,122

9. Memoirs of My Nervous Illness

Daniel Paul Schreber

A 1955 English edition translated from original German edition with an introduction, by Ida [Wertheimer] Macalpine and Richard [Alfred] Hunter. Dedicated and signed by Ida. This book details the most famous first person account of madness.

Sold for $5,042

10. Maisons de Campagne des Environs de Paris

Victor Petit

Architecture and Landscape Design in Paris (circa 1860). A very good copy with 50 striking chromolithograph plates of small country houses with plans below the images. Illustrated by Victor Petit.

Sold for $5,000