An out-of-this-world assemblage of science fiction and fantasy titles broke a constellation of auction records in Heritages stellar David Aronovitz Collection of Important Science Fiction and Fantasy, Rare Books Signature Auction held May 13, including the world record for any science fiction library sold at auction (part one), with a sum of $3,353,626 and counting, as part two in December and part three next spring will add significantly to the total. The David Aronovitz Collection is incredible, he spent around 50 years assembling it, and his discerning eye and knowledge of the science fiction market is on display throughout. The results underscored his vast knowledge of the genre, as the auction produced auction records for numerous authors, including Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Ray Bradbury and Stephen King, stated Francis Wahlgren, international director of rare books and manuscripts at Heritage Auctions. In 1937, before The Hobbit was known as the predecessor to J.R.R. Tolkiens fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, before it attained its status as a landmark of fantasy literature, and decades before blockbuster film adaptations introduced Tolkien to a global audience, the book appeared as a modest new childrens fantasy from an Oxford professor. Of the approximately 1,500 copies of the first edition, first impression of The Hobbit thought to have been printed, few remain in an unrestored state with bright dust jacket. One such example led the auction realizing $450,000. That amount set the record for a copy of the book, besting the $300,000 record set by an inscribed copy of the book in a 2024 book sale at Heritage. It was also a highest price at auction for any Tolkien title. Other significant Tolkien lots included a first-edition second-impression presentation copy of the same title, inscribed by the author to the family housekeeper and given as a Christmas gift, selling for $100,000. A set of first impression, first edition copies of Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings trilogy with The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towersand The Return of the King realized $325,000, an uninscribed-copy record. A group of all three dedication copies of Robert A. Heinleins Stranger in a Strange Land(1961), inscribed to Robert Cornog, Frederic Brown and Philip Jos Farmer, achieved $118,750 to set a record for any book by Heinlein at auction. A rare special publishers copy of the first edition of Stephen Kings 1980 Firestarter set a record price for any book by the horror maestro sold at auction when it sold for $75,000. One of just 26, this signed limited issue of the first edition of the novel about a young girl with pyrokinetic capabilities is bound in aluminum-covered asbestos cloth and labeled B, indicating it was the second copy of the book and belonged to Phantasia Press co-owner Sid Altus. A first American edition in the jellyfish binding of Jules Vernes Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas set the world record for the title in any language at $40,000. This edition, distinguished by the title on the cover lacking the pluralizing s after Sea, among other differences, is extremely scarce, as most copies were lost in the Great Boston Fire of 1872, which occurred the month of publication. As with any wildly successful science-fiction or fantasy epic, expectations are now high for a sequel. The interest was so great that we anticipate additional hugely successful events when Heritage offers part two and three, according to Walhgren. Results and images for all lots in the auction can be seen by visiting www.HA.com.