Posted on Thursday 19 April 2007
The Frank Streeter sale, which took place over the evening of April 16 and two-day sessions on April 17, exceeded all expectations as it realised $16, 421,820 (£8,252,170), double its high presale estimate.
16th and early 17th century travel accounts sold with ease, particularly the early English works. Among these, the most notable include Peter Martyr’s The Decades of the Newe World, originally owned by Roger North who had sailed with Sir Walter Raleigh to Guiana in 1617, which sold for $768,000, (£385,929) and the fine set of Samuel Purchas’s Purchas his Pilgimes, $576,000, (£289,447). 
Several serious atlases achieved record prices, most noteworthy are an excellent copy of Robert Dudley’s Artano del Mer, which made $824,000, (£414,070) and Joseph W. Wallet Des Barres’s The Atlantic Neptune, $779,200, (£391,558).
“The entire sale was supported by enthusiastic bidding from the phones, the international bidders in the room, and strong online participation through Christie’s LIVE,” said Christies.