Auction prices

El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Madrid: Juan de la Cuesta, 1608.
4° (196 x 138mm). Woodcut printer's device on title, historiated and ornamental initials. (Corner of third leaf discreetly repaired with a few words replaced, minor repair to Ll8, small holes expertly repaired in first 3 leaves, faint marginal dampstain.) Contemporary Spanish limp vellum, spine dyed purple and gilt (missing fore-edge ties, losses at spine); modern dark green morocco solander box. Provenance: John Cecil, Earl of Exeter and Baron Burghley (presumably the 4th Earl, 1628-1678; armorial bookplate) -- Louis H. Silver (booklabel; gift to the Newberry Library, Chicago) -- [Newberry Library duplicate sale, Sotheby's, 8 November 1965, lot 61, £450 to Ross].
Third Cuesta edition, corrected, in the opinion of the work's most recent and authoritative editor Rico, by the author. The 1608 edition is therefore the last edition corrected by the author. The extent of authorial intervention in the 1608 edition has long exercised scholars, but even the most doubting editors acknowledge that the alterations made to the 1608 must be recorded in order to establish a difinitive critical edition. The second part of Don Quixote was not published until 1615. Cf. Francisco Rico's critical ed. for the Instituto Cervantes, 1998. Benages & Fonbuena, Bib. Cervantica, 9; Catalogo Colectivo del patrimonio Bibliografico Español (1992), 3615; Palau 51982.
Christies, 2 june 2004, £121730
4° (196 x 138mm). Woodcut printer's device on title, historiated and ornamental initials. (Corner of third leaf discreetly repaired with a few words replaced, minor repair to Ll8, small holes expertly repaired in first 3 leaves, faint marginal dampstain.) Contemporary Spanish limp vellum, spine dyed purple and gilt (missing fore-edge ties, losses at spine); modern dark green morocco solander box. Provenance: John Cecil, Earl of Exeter and Baron Burghley (presumably the 4th Earl, 1628-1678; armorial bookplate) -- Louis H. Silver (booklabel; gift to the Newberry Library, Chicago) -- [Newberry Library duplicate sale, Sotheby's, 8 November 1965, lot 61, £450 to Ross].
Third Cuesta edition, corrected, in the opinion of the work's most recent and authoritative editor Rico, by the author. The 1608 edition is therefore the last edition corrected by the author. The extent of authorial intervention in the 1608 edition has long exercised scholars, but even the most doubting editors acknowledge that the alterations made to the 1608 must be recorded in order to establish a difinitive critical edition. The second part of Don Quixote was not published until 1615. Cf. Francisco Rico's critical ed. for the Instituto Cervantes, 1998. Benages & Fonbuena, Bib. Cervantica, 9; Catalogo Colectivo del patrimonio Bibliografico Español (1992), 3615; Palau 51982.
Christies, 2 june 2004, £121730

El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Valencia: Pedro Patricio Mey for Iusepe Ferrer, 1605.
8o (148 x 98 mm). Title with woodcut figure of Quixote in armor on horseback. (Some occasional browning, V3 with marginal tear crossing text.) Contemporary Spanish limp vellum (some soiling); green quarter morocco slipcase.
Third authorized edition. The immediate success of Cervantes' masterpiece is evident in the speed with which new editions were brought to the press. Within a few weeks of publication at Madrid in 1605, three pirated editions of Don Quixote were issued at Lisbon. A second authorized edition, imperfectly revised, was rushed to the press at Madrid. This third edition was printed at Valencia, with its approbation dated 18 July 1605. VERY RARE: only two copies have appeared at auction in the last 50 years: Sotheby's Milan 27 June 2005, lot 418 (title and several other leaves lined and with some letters in facsimile) and Sotheby's London 28 June 1994, lot 649. Brunet I: 1748; Palau 51980.
Christies
7 december 2012
$ 116500
8o (148 x 98 mm). Title with woodcut figure of Quixote in armor on horseback. (Some occasional browning, V3 with marginal tear crossing text.) Contemporary Spanish limp vellum (some soiling); green quarter morocco slipcase.
Third authorized edition. The immediate success of Cervantes' masterpiece is evident in the speed with which new editions were brought to the press. Within a few weeks of publication at Madrid in 1605, three pirated editions of Don Quixote were issued at Lisbon. A second authorized edition, imperfectly revised, was rushed to the press at Madrid. This third edition was printed at Valencia, with its approbation dated 18 July 1605. VERY RARE: only two copies have appeared at auction in the last 50 years: Sotheby's Milan 27 June 2005, lot 418 (title and several other leaves lined and with some letters in facsimile) and Sotheby's London 28 June 1994, lot 649. Brunet I: 1748; Palau 51980.
Christies
7 december 2012
$ 116500

CERVANTES SAAVEDRA, Miguel de. The History of Don Quichote. The First Parte. -- The Second Part of the History of ... Don Quixote. Translated by Thomas Shelton. London: [Eliot Court Press for] Edward Blount, 1620.
2 volumes, 8o (184 x 134 mm). (Lacking preliminary \Kp\k1 blank in vol. 1 and terminal blank in vol. 2, small rusthole on Ff8 in vol. 1 catching a few letters, smaller rusthole on D8 catching page number, some occasional browning.) Modern brown morocco gilt, edges gilt, by Riviere.
FIRST COMPLETE EDITION IN ENGLISH, second edition of the first part and the first edition of the second part. Grolier Langland to Wither 213; Pforzheimer 140; STC 4916 and 4917. VERY RARE COMPLETE.
Christies
7 december 2012
$ 56250
2 volumes, 8o (184 x 134 mm). (Lacking preliminary \Kp\k1 blank in vol. 1 and terminal blank in vol. 2, small rusthole on Ff8 in vol. 1 catching a few letters, smaller rusthole on D8 catching page number, some occasional browning.) Modern brown morocco gilt, edges gilt, by Riviere.
FIRST COMPLETE EDITION IN ENGLISH, second edition of the first part and the first edition of the second part. Grolier Langland to Wither 213; Pforzheimer 140; STC 4916 and 4917. VERY RARE COMPLETE.
Christies
7 december 2012
$ 56250

The History of ... Don Quixote of the Mancha [First and Second part]. London: Richard Hodgkinsonne for Andrew Crooke, 1652.
2 parts in one volume, 2° (270 x 175mm). Woodcut devices on titles, woodcut initials and headpieces. (Without final blank, title with expert small repairs, occasional light soiling.) Mottled calf by Riviere & Son, gilt spine, turn-ins and edges. Provenance: S.A. Thompson Yates (bookplate).
Second edition in English, translated by Thomas Shelton. When first published in 1612, Shelton's translation was the first in any language.
Christies
16 july 2014
£5250

[Segunda parte] del ingenioso cavallero Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Barcelona: Sebastian Matevat, a costa de Rafel Vives, 1617. 8° (146 x 90mm). Woodcut of Don Quixote on title. (Title trimmed at upper margin with loss of first two words, title and A2 slightly short at lower margin and both with 40mm. clean tear, gathering Z heavily browned, Z1 torn with loss at inner corner and repaired, Z7-8 with severe internal tears, some headlines slightly shaved, occasional light soiling, without final blank.) 20th-century vellum, manuscript title on spine, earlier patterned endpapers (slightly bowed).
'RARISIMA EDICION' (Salvá). Part two only, the fifth edition, a reprint of the Valencian second edition of 1616. This was the first edition of Don Quixote printed in Barcelona, and the first occasion the two parts appeared together. However, they were by different printers, and Salvá notes how unusual it is in practice to find both parts united. Palau 51989; Salvá 1554; Suñé 17.
Christies
18 june 2013
£ 5625
Barcelona: Sebastian Matevat, a costa de Rafel Vives, 1617. 8° (146 x 90mm). Woodcut of Don Quixote on title. (Title trimmed at upper margin with loss of first two words, title and A2 slightly short at lower margin and both with 40mm. clean tear, gathering Z heavily browned, Z1 torn with loss at inner corner and repaired, Z7-8 with severe internal tears, some headlines slightly shaved, occasional light soiling, without final blank.) 20th-century vellum, manuscript title on spine, earlier patterned endpapers (slightly bowed).
'RARISIMA EDICION' (Salvá). Part two only, the fifth edition, a reprint of the Valencian second edition of 1616. This was the first edition of Don Quixote printed in Barcelona, and the first occasion the two parts appeared together. However, they were by different printers, and Salvá notes how unusual it is in practice to find both parts united. Palau 51989; Salvá 1554; Suñé 17.
Christies
18 june 2013
£ 5625

CERVANTÈS, MIGUEL DE
EL INGENIOSO HIDALGO DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA. MADRID, DON JOAQUIN IBARRA, ACADÉMIA REALE, 1780.
2 parties en 4 volumes in-4 (300 x 223 mm). Maroquin rouge, roulette florale en encadrement, dos orné de filets et fleurons, pièces de maroquin vert, tranches dorées (Reliure de l'époque).La plus belle édition illustrée du Don Quichotte, donnée par l'Académie royale de Madrid. Portrait de l'auteur d'après Del Castillo, 2 frontispices par Carnicero et Arquitecto, répétés, 14 vignettes, 22 en-têtes et lettrines, 20 culs-de-lampe, une carte dépliante, et 31 figures par Barranco, Brunette, del Castillo, Ferro et Gil, gravés par Ballester, Barcelon, Fabregat... Les figures sont avant la lettre, comme souvent dans cette édition.
Bel exemplaire relié en Espagne à l'époque.
Sothebys
6 november 2014
LOT SOLD. 32500 EUR
EL INGENIOSO HIDALGO DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA. MADRID, DON JOAQUIN IBARRA, ACADÉMIA REALE, 1780.
2 parties en 4 volumes in-4 (300 x 223 mm). Maroquin rouge, roulette florale en encadrement, dos orné de filets et fleurons, pièces de maroquin vert, tranches dorées (Reliure de l'époque).La plus belle édition illustrée du Don Quichotte, donnée par l'Académie royale de Madrid. Portrait de l'auteur d'après Del Castillo, 2 frontispices par Carnicero et Arquitecto, répétés, 14 vignettes, 22 en-têtes et lettrines, 20 culs-de-lampe, une carte dépliante, et 31 figures par Barranco, Brunette, del Castillo, Ferro et Gil, gravés par Ballester, Barcelon, Fabregat... Les figures sont avant la lettre, comme souvent dans cette édition.
Bel exemplaire relié en Espagne à l'époque.
Sothebys
6 november 2014
LOT SOLD. 32500 EUR

CERVANTÈS, MIGUEL DE
EL INGENIOSO HIDALGO DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA. MADRID, JOAQUIN IBARRA, 1780.
4 volumes in-4 (302 x 224 mm).
illustration : 2 frontispices répétés par Carnicero et Arnal, portrait par Jose del Castillo, une carte double, 31 figures par Carnicero, Barranco, Brunete, Castillo, Gil et Ferro, lettrines, vignettes, et culs-de-lampe.
reliure anglaise de l'époque attribuée à kalthoeber. Maroquin rouge à long grain, filets droit et perlé, dos à doubles nerfs soulignés de filets et roulettes et 3 larges fers spéciaux (moulin à vent, épée, chaudron) dans les entrenerfs.
Dos très légèrement passé.
Edition imprimée par l'Académie royale de Madrid, elle est considérée comme le chef d'oeuvre de l'imprimerie espagnole.
Rarissime exemplaire en maroquin relié pour Lord Beckford dans une reliure à fers spéciaux décoratifs proche des reliures d'éditeur françaises de la première moitié du XIXe siècle. Christian Samuel Kalthoeber, Prussien actif en Angleterre dans le dernier quart du XVIIIe siècle et dont la trace disparait en 1819, est aujourd'hui reconnu comme l'un des plus grands relieurs de son temps et un précurseur dont le style influença toute une génération de relieurs français, et en particulier Bozerian. Il ne signa pas cette reliure particulièrement "avant-gardiste", dont les fers spéciaux, les gardes vernissées ainsi que les gardes très blanches (filigrane Taylor, GR couronné, daté par Jeanne Veyrin-Forrer des années 1750-1800) évoquent les reliures françaises des années 1840. On remarquera que les fers spéciaux furent de toute évidence gravés pour l'exemplaire.
Sothebys
9 november 2011
46350 EUR
EL INGENIOSO HIDALGO DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA. MADRID, JOAQUIN IBARRA, 1780.
4 volumes in-4 (302 x 224 mm).
illustration : 2 frontispices répétés par Carnicero et Arnal, portrait par Jose del Castillo, une carte double, 31 figures par Carnicero, Barranco, Brunete, Castillo, Gil et Ferro, lettrines, vignettes, et culs-de-lampe.
reliure anglaise de l'époque attribuée à kalthoeber. Maroquin rouge à long grain, filets droit et perlé, dos à doubles nerfs soulignés de filets et roulettes et 3 larges fers spéciaux (moulin à vent, épée, chaudron) dans les entrenerfs.
Dos très légèrement passé.
Edition imprimée par l'Académie royale de Madrid, elle est considérée comme le chef d'oeuvre de l'imprimerie espagnole.
Rarissime exemplaire en maroquin relié pour Lord Beckford dans une reliure à fers spéciaux décoratifs proche des reliures d'éditeur françaises de la première moitié du XIXe siècle. Christian Samuel Kalthoeber, Prussien actif en Angleterre dans le dernier quart du XVIIIe siècle et dont la trace disparait en 1819, est aujourd'hui reconnu comme l'un des plus grands relieurs de son temps et un précurseur dont le style influença toute une génération de relieurs français, et en particulier Bozerian. Il ne signa pas cette reliure particulièrement "avant-gardiste", dont les fers spéciaux, les gardes vernissées ainsi que les gardes très blanches (filigrane Taylor, GR couronné, daté par Jeanne Veyrin-Forrer des années 1750-1800) évoquent les reliures françaises des années 1840. On remarquera que les fers spéciaux furent de toute évidence gravés pour l'exemplaire.
Sothebys
9 november 2011
46350 EUR