Stumbling around this afternoon, I came up with an interesting search, revealing a pretty fascinating gallery of very rare and expensive books on Biblio.com.

Shown to the left isn’t actually a book, though it was found in the search above.  Its a portrait of e e cummings mother – by e e cummings – which can be had for just $10,000 USD.

Others that caught my eye:

Cosmographia – Ptolemy.  1482. Purported to be the first atlas produced with woodcut blocks, and the first to have hand colored maps!  Price:  $1,275,000 USD.

How about one incredible association copy: Pictures from Italy by Charles Dickens, inscribed by the author to Hans Christian Anderson?  $150,000 USD.

Or, how about the Wild Turkey print by Audubon, John James?  $235,000 USD.

Finally, an old classic: a near pristine first edition of the Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett for $125,000 USD.

I can tell I’m going to need a raise this year 😉