ARTISTS AND ART COLLECTORS TAKE NOTE: after 40 years of acquiring over 800 fine art books, it is time to sell off this collection in the weeks and months ahead.  Most of the books are in "like new" condition, and several still have the shrink wrap on them.

Quite a few of the books I will be selling are rare or out of print, so check back at the beginning of each week for new listings. And yes, all serious offers will be considered, especially for repeat or multiple purchases.

Inside Christie's by John Herbert (1990, Hardcover, 1st edition)

“As public relations director at the British auction house from 1958 to 1985, Herbert witnessed Christie's drive to catch up with rival Sotheby's, once far ahead in the race. In time, Christie's surpassed Sotheby's in the international market, as the author demonstrates with graphs appended to the text. But much more intriguing than the factual record are Herbert's exciting, often droll backstage tales of big deals: Christie's team risking death bidding for treasures in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs crisis; a millionaire's wife buying unrestrainedly while her husband is accidentally trapped in the men's room. Herbert colors his account with details of fabulous jewels and other art objects, although such riches fade beside descriptions of the world's greatest paintings. The book closes on the bedlam created by the 19-million sale of Picasso's Jeune Arlequin to Japanese bidders in London. “   (Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc)

PLEASE REVIEW MY OTHER LISTINGS: Note:  After a lifetime of assembling various collections, I am finally letting go of the art, books, vinyl, decorative arts, and other cultural souvenirs of a life well-lived.