The Department that deals with auctions of antique books, engravings and manuscripts was born in 2004 and since then it records important sales both for Italian and foreign authors.
Antique and rare books, manuscripts, engravings, incunabula, books printed in the Sixteen Century, collectible books and first editions are regularly offered in the book sales organized by the dedicated Department. Although the books presented in our auctions space between various subjects, there is a preference for literature, science, geography and astronomy.
The book auctions organized by Cambi are therefore important occasions for collectors and book lovers to acquire works that would otherwise be impossible to find on the art market or in antiquarian bookshops.
A wide selection of catalogs is dedicated to engravings by old masters, a category for which excellent results have often been obtained, both for Italian and foreign authors.
A marked tendency in book auctions that we have been able to observe in the last few years is the attention and interest turned in the direction of historical and contemporary photography, of artists' books with inserts in original graphics, but also for first editions of 20th century literature books and autographs.
Among the lots in the book auctions that have registered the greatest interest, we can't help but mention a few: Giovan Battista Piranesi, Nineteen tomes of the engraved work, containing a thousand etchings, sold for €200,000; Cesare Francesco Cassini, Preparatory manuscript of the great map of France of 1738, sold for €67. 000; Albrecht Dürer, Melancholia I of 1514, an engraving regarded as one of the most accomplished results of Albrecht Dürer's work as an engraver, sold for €42,600; and the first edition of Alessandro Manzoni's masterpiece The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi), a three-volume work preserved in a box and with the original paperbacks, sold for €23,850.
Are you in possession of antique books, manuscripts, first edition books, geographical atlases, autographs or incunabula that you would like to sell? Would you like to receive an valuation for books you possess? The experts of the Department of Books are always at your disposal for free evaluations without obligation for your works. The purpose of the valuation is to express a commercial value; if the books and other works on paper we value suitable to be included in the catalogs of antique book auctions, a viewing in original is necessary.
Would you like to buy antique books, manuscripts, autographs and other precious works on paper? Our experts are always at your disposal for personalized advice and suggestions on how to complete an antique book collection and enrich your library with works of high literary, cultural and economic value.
Antique and rare books, manuscripts, engravings, incunabula, books printed in the Sixteen Century, collectible books and first editions are regularly offered in the book sales organized by the dedicated Department. Although the books presented in our auctions space between various subjects, there is a preference for literature, science, geography and astronomy.
The book auctions organized by Cambi are therefore important occasions for collectors and book lovers to acquire works that would otherwise be impossible to find on the art market or in antiquarian bookshops.
A wide selection of catalogs is dedicated to engravings by old masters, a category for which excellent results have often been obtained, both for Italian and foreign authors.
A marked tendency in book auctions that we have been able to observe in the last few years is the attention and interest turned in the direction of historical and contemporary photography, of artists' books with inserts in original graphics, but also for first editions of 20th century literature books and autographs.
Among the lots in the book auctions that have registered the greatest interest, we can't help but mention a few: Giovan Battista Piranesi, Nineteen tomes of the engraved work, containing a thousand etchings, sold for €200,000; Cesare Francesco Cassini, Preparatory manuscript of the great map of France of 1738, sold for €67. 000; Albrecht Dürer, Melancholia I of 1514, an engraving regarded as one of the most accomplished results of Albrecht Dürer's work as an engraver, sold for €42,600; and the first edition of Alessandro Manzoni's masterpiece The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi), a three-volume work preserved in a box and with the original paperbacks, sold for €23,850.
Are you in possession of antique books, manuscripts, first edition books, geographical atlases, autographs or incunabula that you would like to sell? Would you like to receive an valuation for books you possess? The experts of the Department of Books are always at your disposal for free evaluations without obligation for your works. The purpose of the valuation is to express a commercial value; if the books and other works on paper we value suitable to be included in the catalogs of antique book auctions, a viewing in original is necessary.
Would you like to buy antique books, manuscripts, autographs and other precious works on paper? Our experts are always at your disposal for personalized advice and suggestions on how to complete an antique book collection and enrich your library with works of high literary, cultural and economic value.
Department Auctions
1125
Time auction
Ancient and rare books
mon 17 November - thu 4 December 2025
1124
Time auction
Antique and Modern Prints
mon 17 November - thu 4 December 2025
1012
Live auction
Old and Rare Books
wed 11 June 2025
820
Live auction
Antique and rare books, Prints, Views and Maps
thu 14 March 2024
725
Live auction
Old and Rare Books. Envravings
tue 22 November 2022
The Best Awards
I volumi hanno una legatura conservativa in mezza pelle e punte del secolo XIX che presenta difetti, rotture e mancanze soprattutto ad alcuni dorsi. E [..]
€ 200.100,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Tucidide
Thucydides, Venezia, Aldo Manuzio, 1502
In-folio. Magnifica rilegatura coeva in piena pelle impressa a secco s [..]
€ 87.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
(Cesare Francesco Cassini) Description de la France
Ex Libris manoscritto e a stampa. Parigi, seconda metà del secolo XVII [..]
€ 67.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Leclerc Georges Louis Marie , Comte de Buffon (1707-1788). Histoire Na [..]
Dieci voll. in-folio. (cm 48,5x34). 973 tavole fuori testo (tomo I 75 [..]
€ 57.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Durer (Norimberga 1471-1528) Melancolia I (1514)
mm 240 x 188. Bulino. Carta vergellata. Vergellatura verticale. Nessun [..]
€ 42.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Ortelius Abraham (1528-1598) Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, (in fine:) Antue [..]
In folio (mm. 414x272); rilegatura antica in piena pergamena rigida, c [..]
€ 42.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
La Fontaine, Jean de - Chagall Marc Fables.Eaux-fortes originales de M [..]
In-folio. Cm 39 x 30,5. Due volumi. A fogli sciolti entro copertine or [..]
€ 41.060,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Giambattista Vico
Principi di una scienza nuova Principj di una scienza nuova intorno al [..]
In-12°. (139 x 80 mm.)270+(12) pp. Rilegatura coeva in pergamena r [..]
€ 37.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Duval Cartes de geographie
A Paris, Chez M.lle Duval, 1688Bella e sobria legatura coeva in piena [..]
€ 35.100,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Alighieri Dante (1265-1321) Commedia Venezia, Videlin De Spira, 1477
In-folio (mm 309x190). [371] cc. (di 375). Bella rilegatura di gusto r [..]
€ 27.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Giolfi, Antonio - Torricelli, Giuseppe - Guidotti, Gian Lorenzo - Rivi [..]
In-folio. Mm. 600 x 440. Legatura in mezza tela percallina e punte del [..]
€ 26.350,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Leida,1606-Amsterdam,1669) Cristo guar [..]
mm 280 x 395 (rame) mm 318 x 420 (foglio). Acquaforte. Piccoli restaur [..]
€ 25.100,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Alessandro Manzoni I Promessi Sposi
Milano,Ferrario,1825-1827. In-Ottavo. Legature originali in brossura a [..]
€ 23.850,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Giovanni Domenico Cassini - Giacomo Filippo Maraldi Pensées astronomiq [..]
Manoscritto cartaceo formato in-4° organizzato in forma di rubrica. Pa [..]
€ 22.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Blaeu, Johannes - Mortier, Pierre Nouveau theatre d'Italie ou descript [..]
In-folio. Belle legature coeve in piena pelle. Ricchi fregi in oro ai [..]
€ 22.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Braun Hogenberg Civitates orbis terrarum...1572-1617
Quattro parti in folio. Raccolta di più di duecento incisioni, [..]
€ 22.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Blaeu, Willem & Jan Novum Theatrum Pedemontii et Sabaudie sive accurat [..]
In-folio. Legature coeve in piena pelle, che presentano abrasioni e ro [..]
€ 20.725,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Duval Cartes de geographie
A Paris, Chez M.lle Duval, 1688Bella e sobria legatura coeva in piena [..]
€ 18.850,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Denis Diderot and Jean d'Alembert Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raison [..]
33 volumi + 2, comprendenti 17 volumi di testo, 11 +1 di Plance + 4 vo [..]
€ 18.850,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Johan blaeu
Blaeu Johan Nouveau Theatre Du Piemont Et de La Savoye. Ou description [..]
In folio cm 53,8x29,8. Straordinario esemplare a carte sciolte mai le [..]
€ 19.300,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Coronelli Vincenzo (Venezia, 1650 - 1718) (solo tomo I) Atlante Veneto [..]
In folio. Rilegatura coeva in piena pelle con titolo e fregi in oro al [..]
€ 18.850,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Johan blaeu
Blaeu Johan Nouveau Theatre Du Piemont Et de La Savoye. Ou description exacte de leurs villes, palais, èglises, et principaux èdifices, etc. La Haye, [..]
In folio cm 53,8x29,8. Straordinario esemplare a carte sciolte mai legate. Contenuto in eleganti scatole ricavate dalla rilegatura originale in perga [..]
€ 17.600,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Carlo Fontana
Templum Vaticanum et ipsius origo cum aedificiis maximè conspicuis ant [..]
In-folio. Rilegatura coeva. Straordinario esemplare alle armi papali d [..]
€ 15.725,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Gaetano Petrioli - Petro Berrettino Cortonensi
Tabulae Anatomicae a celeberrimo pictore Petro Berrettino Cortonensi d [..]
In-folio. Elegante rilegatura coeva in piena pelle nocciola con ricchi [..]
€ 15.100,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Kaerius, Petrus (Petri Kaerii) Petri Kaerii, Germania inferior id est, [..]
Grande volume in folio. (8 pagine non numerate incluso il frontespizio [..]
€ 15.100,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Diderot Denis (1713-1784) / d'Alembert Jean Baptiste (1717-1783) Encyc [..]
Trentatre voll. in-folio (17 di testo, 11+1 di Planches + 4 di supplem [..]
€ 15.100,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
(Giuridica Manoscritti)
Manoscritto cartaceo quattrocentesco che contiene diversi trattati di [..]
€ 14.475,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Claes Jansz Vooght - Portolano Olandese dei Mari del Nord e del Medite [..]
In-folio. Legatura coeva in piena pergamena. Due parti rilegate insiem [..]
€ 13.850,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Chatelain Henri-Abraham e Nicolas Gueudeville. Atlas historique, ou no [..]
In-folio. Due volumi, che contengono il primo 4 parti e il secondo 3 p [..]
€ 13.850,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Castiglione Baldesar
Il libro del Cortegiano Il libro del Cortegiano del conte Baldesar Cas [..]
In-folio.(302x205 mm).(122) carte non numerate. Rilegatura antica in p [..]
€ 13.225,00
Sold
Amount including auction fees
Cambi Conversations
All articlesMon, 30 Mar 2026 12:15:58 +0000
A Captivating Journey Through European and Persian Ceramics from the 10th to the 20th Century
Cambi Casa d’Aste presents the auction “Maiolicas, Porcelains, and a Venetian Glass,” scheduled for April 15, 2026, in Genoa — an event dedicated to the excellence of European [..]
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:49:02 +0000
At Cambi Auction: Important Murano Glass
On April 14, 2026, Cambi Auction House will present the auction “Important Murano Glass” in Milan, at its premises in Via San Marco 22. Describing its exceptional nature [..]
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:32:25 +0000
The Leopoldo Conforti Collection: Art, Craftsmanship, and Authority
Every collection is born from an encounter. Sometimes by chance, other times inevitably. In the case of the Conforti Collection, now the focus of a highly anticipated auction, [..]
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