Bruce McKinney's (founder of the Rare Book Hub) analysis of the Arader Auction on October 10, 2020.

The Finest Examples of the Arader Collection in honor to Dr. Seymour Schwartz -https://www.araderlive.com/ Graham Arader became a book and map dealer while an undergraduate at Yale. From the outset, he had the resources, imagination, work ethic and the exceptional memories that the greatest players in the field have invariably had. From his dorm room he made his first sales and from there went on to an exceptional career. He was mentored by Dr. Seymour Schwartz who spoke to the field about the importance of identifying first appearances. For Graham, this introduced a deep logic for American maps spanning over 500 years. From then on he always began to review material from the perspective of priority that Sy envisioned. In the 1980’s he developed a way to characterize and grade maps and images. He called it the Arader Grading System and based it on historical importance, aesthetics, condition, and rarity. His concept was very strong and his vision is the basis of map collecting today. He refined the rules over time using the brilliant observations of America's greatest surgeon, map collector and professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester, Dr. Schwartz. On August 28th the estimated Doctor passed away and Graham, now who was once a traditional dealer and has now been for – years operating as an auction house he decided to have an auction on October 10th to both honor Doctor Schwartz and employ the standards he developed for his grading system. The link to the sale is https://www.araderlive.com/ For this effort he chose many of his finest examples and he’s applying highest calculations that run from 1 to 10 in each category. Taken together when each example reaches 10 in each of the 4 categories this equates to 40 and perfection. For the upcoming auction of 192 lots altogether there are 71 perfect examples and they are so designated. By categories of material there are books, manuscripts, watercolors, prints and engravings, aquatints, maps and views. All examples are designated with a 40. Taken together, it’s a breathtaking sale. There has never been an auction with so many cartographic rarities and landmarks of natural history. Sy spent a lifetime seeking out these holy grails, pieces that possess the historical importance, aesthetics, superb condition and rarity to earn their place in this elite pantheon worthy of a 40 score. Arranged by category, here are the lots in the sale (www.araderlive.com), many of which have a perfect grade of 40. Books: Lot 37 La Perouse - The Most Important French 18th century voyage around the world - Historircal importance: 10, aesthetics 10, condition 10, rarity 3 = score 33 Lot 38. Cook Voyages - The greatest explorer of all time - Historical importance 10, aesthetics 10, condition 10, rarity 3 = score 33 Lot 39. George Vancouver Voyage to North Pacific. The genius charting of the Western coastline of the United States - Historical importance 10, aesthetics 10, condition 10, rarity 4 = 34 Lot 192. Scaino. The earliest book on Tennis 152 perfect score of 40 = all four categories 10. Manuscripts Lot 149. Perfect score of 40. The beginning of German settlement in America. A cornerstone document relating to America's most accomplished scholar in the 17th century - the Founder of Germantown - Francis Daniel Pastorius. Watercolors Lot 40. Ferdinand Bauer score of 40- a masterpiece natural history watercolor in every regard. The finest watercolor of fruit ever to come on the market Bessa Bronkhorst [2] Lots 44 and 45. Priscilla Susan Bury both with perfect scores of 40. England's greatest woman natural history artist. Two absolute masterpieces. No library or museum in the world has an example of her work. Extreme rarity. Lots 46 and 47. Company School both with perfect scores of 40. The finest company school watercolors of the produce of India that exist. Lot 49 is a "40" Barbara Regina Dietzsch. This watercolor of a Tulip is Barbara Regina Dietzch's greatest accomplishment. The greatest woman artist from Germany. Lots 50 to 54. George Ehret all 5 have perfect scores of 40 - the Best Natural History artist of the Age of Enlightenment. All 5 are masterpieces. Lot 55. Fuertes - a score of 40. The finest watercolor of a Bird drawn in the 20th century by America's greatest ornithological artist - this is his masterpiece. Lot 60. Jean Louis Prevost lot 60 is perfect 40 score. Thrived during the reign of Napoleon. lots 66 - 70 Jacques Le Moyne -All 5 are 40 scores. The finest natural history artist of the French Renaissance but so rare that no examples of his work exist in all of France! Lots 71 -73 Edward Lear - England's most famous natural history artist with lot 73 a legendary drawing for the world's most famous nursery rhyme. Lot 74. Maria Sibylla Merian - the most famous woman natural history artist. 40 score. Lots 75 to 95. Pierre Joseph Redoute All 21 are perfect scores of 40. The absolute master of flower drawing in all of history - 75 to 93 painted for Empress Josephine. Lots 96 and 97 Nicholar Robert - The artist of the Sun King - Louis XIV. Perfect score of 40. Lot 98. Joseph Wolf. Germany's greatest Natural History artist. The favorite bird of Arabs because it is the best to hunt with. Perfect score of 40. Lot 101 - William Blake. England's greatest artist. Score of 40 Lot 102. John Dale. Score of 40. Lots 103 - 105. George Beck [3] all 3 have perfect scores. George Washignton's favortie artist. The birth certificates of Washington, DC for lots 103 and 104. Lots 106-108. William Henry Brooke [3] all 3 have a score of 40. Lot 109 John Hill is a perfect score of 40. The original drawing for the most famous engraving of Boston. Lot 112. Nicolino Calyo - The best artist of NYC in the 19th century. The essence of New York City during its explosive growth caused by the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the ending of Nicholar Biddle's power over American Banking in 1832 Paintings Lots 112 - 115. Thomas Birch All 3 are perfect scores of 40. His depictioins of the 3 most important cities in America in the 19th century. Lot 180. Adrien Key oil on Abraham Ortelius 180. Perfect score. The only life portrait of the creator of the first atlas. Lot 182. The most famous transfer of power during the Renaissance. Francois Duchatel. Prints/Engravings Lot 100 - Allard - Perfect score of 40. The only know original drawing for this depiction of slaves in America. Lot 173, 174. Coornhert. Both perfect with glorious, famous original color score of 40 Lot 118. Karl Bodmer - the finest example of the most famous image of a Native American. score of 40 Maps and Views 119. Peter Apianus. The first obtainable image to name America. Score of 40. 120. Giovanni Cimerlinus. The most beautiful world map of the Renaissance. 40 score. 121. Florianus - The finest globe gores of the Renaissance. Score of 49 122. Paolo Forlani - the first map of North America. Great rarity with full, original margins. 40 score. 124. Forlani - first map of South America. perfect score of 40 125. Forlani - the most famous Renaissance map of Africa. 40 score. 126. Forlani - the first published chart of the Mediterranean. 40. 127. Forlani - fine original color. towering rarity. Perfect score of 40. 128. Johannes Ruysch. First obtainable depiction of America. 40 score. 129. Scolari. Renaissance wall map of the world. 133. Couagne. Towering importance. First map of America drawn by an American in America. Score of 40. 134. Fairfax documents - The most important manuscript maps of Virginia ever to come on the market. Score of 40. 141. George Heap. Philadelphia. The last example in private hands of the most important 18th century view of an American City. Score of 40. 142. John Hills. Philadelphia. The best early 19th century map of the most important city in the Western Hemisphere. Score of 40 146. William Scull The first map of Pennsylvania to show the Mason Dixon Line. Score of 40 147. Nicholas Scull The first view of the most important building in America and the first map of Philadelphia published in America. Score of 40. 148. Nicholas Scull. The first map of Pennsylvania published in America. Score of 40. 140. Lewis Evans. America's greatest 18th century map maker. A perfect example. Score of 40 141. John Mitchell. The most important map in American history. First edition, first issue. 152. Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres. The best, most beautiful 18th century view of Boston. Perfect score of 40 167. Johannes Vingboons. The first accurate view of Mexico City. Perfect score. 169. John Robinson. The map that inspired the settlement of Texas. Perfect score 170. Jean La Harpe. The most important 18th century manuscript map of the American Southwest that exists.