Sotheby's New York Unveils Book Week Featuring Rare Manuscripts and Americana

Sotheby's New York has announced its upcoming Book Week, scheduled from June 11 to 25, 2026, at the Breuer building on Madison Avenue. The program encompasses several Fine Books & Manuscripts auctions, presenting a range of historical documents, rare literary editions, and significant artistic works.

Central to the offerings is The Jay T. Snider Collection of Benjamin Franklin, alongside a notable George Washington letter expressing his perspective on a nation without a monarch. Other historical American documents include items related to figures such as Patrick Henry and the abolitionist George Boyer Vashon.

The auctions will also feature a diverse selection of art across various media. Photographic art by Edward S. Curtis and Philip Haas is included, alongside an oil portrait attributed to John Hesselius. Rare literary items, such as a John Keats letter to Fanny Brawne, and children's literature from W.W. Denslow, illustrator for L. Frank Baum, further diversify the sales.

The Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana, Part 1 auction is slated for June 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM EDT, followed by Part 2 on June 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM EDT. The broader Book Week exhibition will run throughout this period.