Antique Books and Prints

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.