NEW YORK.- Today at Sotheby’s, Magnificent Ornithology from the Collection of Brooks McCormick, sold for the benefit of the International Crane Foundation, achieved a price of $2,722,678, above its high estimate ($2 million). Lot 13, Marc Catesby, The Natural History of Carolina , Florida and the Bahama Islands (est. $400/600,000), sold for $657,000, setting a record for any 18th century work of Natural History at auction.

David Redden, a Vice Chairman of Sotheby’s said, “Today’s very strong results are a reflection of Brooks McCormick’s fine taste in collecting and his generosity in leaving his prints and library to the International Crane Foundation. We were thrilled to be able to translate these wonderful books into support for such an extraordinarily worthy foundation.”

Selby Kiffer, Senior Specialist in the Books and Manuscripts department said, “ We saw strength from America and Europe and were pleased to set a record for the Catesby, lot 13, the first great Natural History work of the New World.”