Ruth Bader Ginsburg library costs almost $2.4 million at auction

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg library sells for nearly $2.4 million at auction

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg takes part in a conversation throughout the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, August 31, 2019.

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Late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s extensive individual library cost auction Thursday for a jaw-dropping $2.35 million, consisting of a single book that cost over $100,000

The auction of more than 1,000 of Ginsburg’s books and other souvenirs created quotes “beyond our wildest dreams,” stated Catherine Williamson, expert of great books and manuscripts at auction-house Bonhams, which offered the collection.

Williamson stated in a phone interview that she had actually believed the entire auction would amount to in between $300,000 to $500,000 But the amount of all last quotes amounted to $2,354,510, she informed CNBC after the auction ended.

The online auction began recently and ended Thursday afternoon, the very same day that sitting Justice Stephen Breyer revealed he will step down from the bench.

Bidding on practically all of the lots greatly went beyond Bonhams’ quotes, which were intentionally conservative since few of Ginsburg’s products had actually formerly turned up for auction. But the late justice’s not likely star in her later years brought a flood of attention and bidding interest from prospective purchasers much more youthful than Bonhams’ routine crowd of book collectors, Williamson stated.

The top-selling book: Ginsburg’s copy of the 1957-58 Harvard Law Review, which brought a tremendous $100,31250

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The legal tome from Ginsburg’s time at Harvard is scrawled with her handwritten annotations in the margins. The book’s spinal column functions “Ruth B. Ginsburg” lettered in gilt.

Every among the readily available lots– 166 were noted– offered in the auction, a success called a “white glove” sale, Williamson stated. “Those don’t happen very often!” she kept in mind in an e-mail.

Other high-dollar lots consisted of Ginsburg’s individual copy of her own gathered works and speeches– a book bound specifically for her by Simon and Schuster, according to Bonhams– which cost over $81,000

A signed copy of “My Life on the Road,” the narrative of leading feminist activist Gloria Steinem, cost almost $53,000 “To dearest Ruth — who paved the road for us all — with a lifetime of gratitude — Gloria,” Steinem handwrote in Ginsburg’s copy.

Ginsburg’s status as a trendsetter for females and a liberal stalwart amassed her a progressive following that went beyond the judicial sphere. By the time of her death in late 2020 at age 87, Ginsburg had actually ended up being a pop-culture icon.

Her library shows it. Beyond the thick law books, literary classics and memoirs warmly engraved by her fellow high-court justices, the collection consists of products such as sheet music for “I’ll Fight,” the signature tune of a 2018 documentary onGinsburg It cost over $35,000 Both the tune and the movie were chosen for Academy Awards in 2019.

Also in the collection was a copy of “The RBG Workout,” including a fawning engraving by author Bryant Johnson, Ginsburg’s long time individual fitness instructor.

“You have made a difference with me, and I hope to pass that on to everyone I can. You will always be a ‘Super Diva,'” Johnson composed in the book, which was withdrawn from the auction.

The library likewise consisted of numerous signed books by Breyer, a long time coworker of Ginsburg’s who stated he plans to retire by the end of the court’s existing term around late June.

“To Ruth, my friend and colleague, with admiration and affection, Stephen,” read Breyer’s engraving to Ginsburg in a copy of his 2005 book “Active Liberty,” which cost almost $18,000