Most Expensive Books
Have you ever wondered what the top ten most expensive books were? Or teapots? Perhaps pianos? In this series of Is this the most expensive…ever sold? You will learn some weird and wonderful facts that might help you locate your own treasures!
The renowned great thinker Leonardo da Vinci famously recorded his scientific thoughts and findings within thirty journals, however the seventy - two page notebook (consisting of eighteen sheets of paper, folded in half and scribed on both sides) The Codex Leicester is considered to be the one of most significance.
This notebook contains Leonardo da Vinci’s thoughts and theories on such topics as fossils and the moon, of course being written by Da Vinci means that he used his infamous mirror technique – further adding to the complexity of this historical piece.
It was at Christie’s Auction House on 11th November 1994 that the Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates placed the winning bid that gained him this piece of history for a staggering $30,800,000 crowning this book the most expensive book ever bought!
* Fun Fact * Once Bill Gates had this treasure he did share it, he had the book scanned and then turned into a screensaver, which was distributed with Windows 95.
Following this record is….The Bay Psalm Book– which took place at Sotheby’s on 26th November 2013 crowning this book as the most expensive printed book to ever be bought at auction. With a pre sale estimate of $15 - $30 million it fetched an enormous $14.2 million. It is reported that there are only eleven copies of The Bay Psalm Book in the world… quite an addition to any bookshelf or library!
The American Business man and Philanthropist David Rubenstein bought this rarity. In a similar style to Bill Gates David Rubenstein has shared this purchase with America, it was agreed that it would tour various American public libraries before settling in one on a long term loan – how generous, a piece of iconic American history is being shared.
So here we have it two of the most unusual books to find their way into auction, it is safe to say it will be years (if it ever happens at all) that we will see these books reappear for public purchase!