1The Birds of America; from Original Drawings 1827–1838 John James Audubon $5,616,000

Christie’s (New York) 15 December 2005 Complete, original set of the artist’s 435 hand-coloured bird prints. First edition, double elephant folio. This was one of the original 82 subscriber copies, purchased by the Providence Athenaeum library from Audubon himself. Sold by: The Providence Athenaeum Bought by: Private American collector

4Three-Volume Bible in Latin Mid-13th century $1,781,048 (£1,016,000)

Sotheby’s (London) July 5 2005 Illuminated vellum manuscript in three gigantic volumes (499 x 344mm), originally intended for display and public reading. The text and order of books is standard for the 13th century, yet the size is exceptional. With prologues attributed to Saint Jerome. Sold by: Private English collection Bought by: Sam Fogg, London dealer

THE RARE TOP 50 BOOKS June 2005-May 2006

2The Bodmer Virgil 1459 Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro) $2,959,064 (£1,688,000) $5,616,000

Sotheby’s (London) 5 July 2005 Very rare, illustrated manuscript of Virgil’s complete works – many hundreds of medieval versions of the complete works are known but only as simple text not in illustrated form. In Latin, on vellum. Sold by: The Dr Martin Bodmer collection Bought by: Anonymous

5The North American Indian 1907 - 1930 Edward S Curtis $1,416,000

Christie’s (New York) 12 October 2005 40-volume bound set of Curtis’ 1500 photos and chronicle of indigenous Native American culture. With an inksigned foreword by Theodore Roosevelt. Sold by:University of Texas, Austin Bought by:Anonymous

3Doria Atlas c 1570 Composite work $2,563,448 (£1,464,000)

Sotheby’s (London) 18 October 2005 – Wardington Sale Atlas of 188 rare maps, assembled for the well-to-do Doria family of Genoa. Produced by the celebrated 16thcentury Italian ‘Lafreri’ school of mapmakers, pioneers of modern cartography, only a handful of whose atlases are still known. Sold by: The Wardington Library Bought by: Bernard J Shapero, London book dealer

6Consolatio Philosophiae 1000 AD Boethius (Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius) $1,354,496 (£769,600) $5,616,000 Sotheby’s (London) July 5 2005 Complete, vellum manuscript copy of Boethius’ sixth-century stoical essay, inscribed in Latin. One of only two books from Anglo-Saxon (pre-Norman Conquest) England to remain in private hands. The first complete Anglo-Saxon manuscript sold at auction for centuries. Sold by: The Dr Martin Bodmer collection Bought by: Sam Fogg, London dealer

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