Rare Books

A+O's final Rare Books catalogue was notable for the inclusion of an extremely rare set of John Cleverly Views in the South Seas dating to the late 18th century. The four aquatints are notable for their exquisite detailing of Cook's third voyage from an old Wellington collection. The final price reflected their rarity and superb condition, selling for $48 500. Other highlights included Edward Wakefield's Illustrations to Adventure in New Zealand, 1845 which sold for well over the catalogue estimate for $9215. Other highlights were strong sales of military history, hunting and fishing titles and classic exploration volumes.