Exclusive: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Law School Textbook To Be Sold At Auction
The highest bidder may be paying at least $10,000 to own a piece of legal history.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Judicial icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a beacon of hope for women’s rights in America, passed away in September 2020, but her legacy will last forever. The liberal lioness has been memorialized in bronze in her hometown and has been cast in stone for tasteful busts, but for those who’d like to get a little more personal with the late, great justice — and perhaps get inside her mind — have we got the deal for you.
Heritage Auctions, the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer, has unveiled a piece of Justice Ginsburg’s life — a textbook full of notes from her days at Columbia Law — that’s expected to sell for more than $10,000.
The book itself, The French Legal System – An Introduction to Civil Law Systems, is likely one of Ginsburg’s first textbooks ever brought to market. It contains notes in pencil and in ink, and has a bookplate which states that it came “From the Library of Ruth & Martin Ginsburg” on its interior front board.
Here are some images of the book being auctioned by Heritage (click to enlarge):
(Photo by Heritage Auctions, HA.com)
(Photo by Heritage Auctions, HA.com)
Here’s a short video showcasing Her Honor’s law school textbook:
“Her character and personality entertained many, but her persona grew out of her legal prowess, which started in books like this one,” Heritage Historical Manuscripts Director Sandra Palomino said of the late Justice Ginsburg. “Her handwritten notes offer a glimpse into her mind when she was just beginning to pursue a career in law, making this book an exceptional find for anyone who collects legal or historical documents.”
The opening bid for the Notorious One’s textbook is $5,000 ($6,250.00 with a Buyer’s Premium). The final auction will take place on Wednesday, May 19, at 12 p.m. ET. Proxy bidding ends on the same date at 11:50 a.m. ET.
Click here to place your bids and follow the auction.
UPDATE (5/19): Justice Ginsburg’s textbook sold for a whopping $18,125.
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
