CHICAGO — The top lot of Hindman’s November 5 books and manuscripts sale was Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, which set a world auction record for a first edition of Darwin’s landmark work. Realizing $564,500, inclusive of buyer’s premium, the Garden Copy, previously owned by American philanthropist Paul Mellon (1907–1999), sold for more than double the estimate of $120/180,000.

The firm’s single-owner sale of the library of a Midwestern collector featuring landmark works in the fields of science and technology, mathematics, literature, Americana and the social sciences realized more than $1.9 million. Strong international bidding set several significant records at auction.

Also exceeding estimates was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling. Bringing $150,000 against an estimate of $80/120,000, the signed first edition achieved the second highest price ever at auction for Rowling’s work.

For information, 312-280-1212 or www.hindmanauctions.com.