Source : Jenkins

Source Title Various Catalogues of the highly esteemed dealer John H. Jenkins
Description John Holmes Jenkins was one of the most colorful booksellers the world has ever known. He came to Austin in 1958 to attend the University of Texas, and stayed on as he developed a great love of history, Texas history in particular. He opened a bookshop in Austin and grew to be one of America's top dealers. He handled much in the way of fine material, but his most notable coup was purchasing the inventory of Eberstadt and Sons of New York when that legendary firm closed down in 1975 (the reported price was in the millions of dollars).

Along with being a great historian and author of scholarly history books, he was a crusader against book theft. He came to the cause after someone tried to unload some very valuable Audubon illustrations stolen from Union College in Schenectady, New York, on him. He received an honorary degree from Union for his efforts. In 1980, he was elected President of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), where he served until 1982.

However, Jenkins had another side. He was a flamboyant personality and a world-class poker player, winning large prizes in Las Vegas. He was suspected of fraud and forgery in some of the items he sold, and the three fires at his insured premises also generated deep suspicion. In 1989, Jenkins was found dead in Texas' Colorado River near Bastrop. It was ruled a suicide though the gunshot was in the back of his head and the gun was not found.

Whatever his personal oddities, Jenkins compiled some outstanding catalogues during the 1970s and 1980s.
Scope of Text
Total Records in AED 628
  • Sotheby's
    Bibliothèque Jacques Dauchez - Autour de Dubuffet
    5-19 June
    Sotheby’s, June 5-19: Bissière, Roger. Cantique à notre frère soleil de saint François. 1954. 1,000 - 1,500 EUR
    Sotheby’s, June 5-19: Céline, Louis-Ferdinand. La vie & l’œuvre de Philippe Ignace Semmelweis. 1924. Rare édition originale, avec envoi. Joint : La Quinine en thérapeutique, 1925. 4,000 - 6,000 EUR
    Sotheby’s, June 5-19: Céline, Louis-Ferdinand. Mort à crédit. 1936. Édition originale. Bel exemplaire sur Hollande. 2,500 - 3,500 EUR
    Sotheby's
    Bibliothèque Jacques Dauchez - Autour de Dubuffet
    5-19 June
    Sotheby’s, June 5-19: Chillida, Eduardo ─ Emil Cioran. Face aux instants. 1985. Un des 100 exemplaires sur Arches. Eau-forte signée. 600 - 800 EUR
    Sotheby’s, June 5-19: Dubuffet, Jean. Ler dla canpane. L’Art Brut, 1948. Édition originale. 3,000 - 5,000 EUR
    Sotheby’s, June 5-19: Dubuffet, Jean. L'Herne Jean Dubuffet. 1973. Un des 100 exemplaires du tirage de luxe avec une sérigraphie originale en couleurs. 1,000 - 1,500 EUR
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