First Published Book Fetches Auction Record
- December 01, 2013 22:27
The Bay Psalm Book, the first book published in America, became the most expensive book ever sold at auction last week.
One of only 11 known to exist today, the book brought $14,165,000 at Sotheby's on Tuesday. It was published in 1640 by Puritan settlers in Cambridge, MA.
The buyer was American businessman David M. Rubenstein, of Washington-based investment firm the Carlyle Group, He plans to loan the book to various libraries.
The little book of psalms surpassed the previous book record of $11.54 million paid in 2010 for a copy of John James Audubon’s “Birds of America.”
![Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.](/images/c/e2/2e/Jan20_Rape_of_Europa100x100_c.jpg "Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.")
100x100_c.jpg "Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype action figure, predecessor to the Boba Fett figure in Kenner’s popular 1979 Star Wars toy line, 3.75in tall, AFA-graded 80+ NM (archival case). Encapsulated with notarized CIB COA. Sold for a world-record price of $236,000 against an estimate of $100,000-$200,000")
