- Page Title
- The Ted Benttinen Library of Exploration and Adventure | Books & Manuscripts | Sotheby's
- Brand
- sothebys.com
- Type
- Other
- First Seen
- 12/19/2024
- Last Seen
- 12/27/2024
- Domain
- sothebys.com
- URL
- https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/the-ted-benttinen-library-of-exploration-and-adventure?lotFilter=AllLots&cmp=pso7000203455
- Description
- The Ted Benttinen Library of Exploration and Adventure on 9 December will mark Sotheby’s most significant foray into travel and exploration books since our auction of the celebrated collection of Franklin Brooke-Hitching a decade ago. Underbidders from that four-sale series will recognize a number of Brooke-Hitching copies now returning to the rooms.Popularly thought of as a polar collection, the Benttinen Library is, in fact, much more expansive in subject matter, with significant holdings in early navigation; Pacific voyages, including a fine selection of Cook; South America, especially Patagonia; pirates and other adventurers; Charles Darwin and Darwiniana; Hudson’s Bay; Lapland (Sápmi); and the Northwest Passage, including a brilliant group of works relating to Sir John Franklin. Still, the poles—and Antarctica in particular—anchor the library with a number of enviable shelves relating to Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, Nansen, and the other great explorers, all in uniformly enviable fine condition. Ranging from incunabula to twenty-first-century scientific journals and offprints, the Ted Benttinen Library reflects both the collector’s scholarship and his connoisseurship.Theodore H. “Ted” Benttinen (d. 2023) knew his subject matter better than most book collectors. After studying at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Washington, and MIT, Ted worked as an oceanographer at the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, serving as a marine technician on more than fifty voyages aboard the research vessels Trident and Endeavor from 1975 through 1985. During this period, he crossed both the Arctic and Antarctic geographical circles.Although he changed careers, working in finance at UBS for nearly four decades, Ted never lost his love of travel and the sea, visiting many parts of the world with his wife, Sandra. Proud of his Lapp heritage, Ted was particularly fond of northernmost Scandinavia.Significant as his Library is, these books represent just a fraction of Ted Benttinen’s legacy: he was a philanthropist, a conservationist, a dedicated birder, a photographer, and a widely published poet, whose verse appeared in more than forty literary journals.Effective May 20th, 2024, Sotheby's has lowered its Buyer's Premium rates and removed Overhead Premium for all categories excluding Wine Spirits. Sotheby's Overhead Premium will only be charged for Wine Spirits lots. Please refer to the Conditions of Business located on the relevant sale page for the updated rates.For assistance with bidding and registration, please contact:+1 212 606 7000enquiries@sothebys.comFor all other enquiries please contact:Richard AustinSenior Vice PresidentGlobal Head of DepartmentBooks Manuscripts+1 212 606 7385RICHARD.AUSTIN@SOTHEBYS.COMSelby KifferSenior Vice PresidentInternational Senior SpecialistBooks Manuscripts+1 212 606 7385SELBY.KIFFER@SOTHEBYS.COMDr. Kalika SandsVice President, Head of DepartmentInternational SpecialistBooks Manuscripts+1 212 606 7385KALIKA.SANDS@SOTHEBYS.COMElla HallAssistant Vice PresidentSpecialistBooks Manuscripts+1 212 606 7385ELLA.HALL@SOTHEBYS.COMFenella TheisCataloguerBooks Manuscripts+1 212 606 7385FENELLA.THEIS@SOTHEBYS.COMCaroline WoodwardPre-Sale CoordinatorBooks Manuscripts+1 212 606 7385CAROLINE.WOODWARD@SOTHEBYS.COM
Getting a full screenshot of this page, this may take a minute…
