Latest News Articles by Ian McKay
British and Irish book auctions: March 1-12, 2022
28 February 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.
Three Marys star in a ‘classical and romantic’ selection
28 February 2022Mary Queen of Scots, Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley lots feature in Edinburgh auction
Comics at auction: A truly super set of prices
28 February 2022A four-day US sale of comics and comic art produced some extraordinary results – with 4900 would-be buyers registered and every one of the 1333 lots sold to bring a premium-inclusive total of $23.76m (£17.34m).
Letters saved by mum march on in manuscript
21 February 2022The distinguished military career of Major General Sir George Ridout Bingham (1777-1833) included service in the Peninsular War during the years 1809-14.
Sermons and rabbiting on
21 February 2022Two very different lots from a Sussex sale are noted here: a German manuscript of Lenten sermons and the tale of a toy rabbit.
Take me to the Rivière bindings
21 February 2022Aubrey Beardsley and John Batten add the illustrative attractions in North Yorks sale
Very early guitar lessons
21 February 2022The big number in a London sale of music books, manuscripts, etc, was a collection of early pieces for guitar described as the most significant manuscript of its kind seen at auction in over 20 years.
Franklin gives peace a chance
21 February 2022Two letters in the hand of Benjamin Franklin, dating from 1782 and 1784 and both relating to the terms of the peace agreement between the newly independent USA and Britain that were being worked out during negotiations in Paris, provided the highest bids at Bonhams New York (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) on December 15.
British and Irish book auctions: February 15-28, 2022
14 February 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.
Bill of Rights amendment makes over a million at Sotheby’s
14 February 2022The record-shattering sum of $41m paid for an extremely rare, 1787 first printing of the US Constitution at Sotheby’s New York last November was covered in ATG No 2520, but a sale held by the same auction house a few days later, on November 23, also contained rare items of American historical interest.
Books and works on paper: Variety spices up saleroom life
14 February 2022If it’s a real mix of topics, genres and ages you are after, this auction had everything
Six-figure Darwin discoveries
07 February 2022Letter to fellow evolutionary pioneer detailed possible response to one of their critics
No mistaking BB’s talents
07 February 2022A great many works written and/or illustrated by Denys Watkins-Pitchford, or ‘BB’ as he was more briefly known, were offered in a December 8 sale.
‘Fruteful and pleasant’ work
07 February 2022Published in 1906 in a limited run of just 100 copies on paper and 20 on vellum was an edition of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia employing a red and black Subiaco typeface with red initials designed by Eric Gill.
British and Irish book auctions: February 8-25, 2022
07 February 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions. All the sales are viewable on thesaleroom.com
Poignant message by Sir Walter Scott
07 February 2022Three letters in the hand of Sir Walter Scott emerged from an old suitcase full of documents found in the attic of an Edinburgh home.
Dedicated to Apollo
07 February 2022Undoubtedly one of the more unusual lots to have featured in these reports over the years, the 3½in (9cm) wide piece of gold foil pictured here bears an Orphic poem by one Agestratos, who dedicates his brief verses to Apollo in what is thought to be Doric Greek.
Very special Fleming 007 at Keys
31 January 2022One of 250 copies of a ‘Special’ and signed first edition of Ian Fleming’s 'On Her Majesty’s Secret Service' is shown here.
London exhibition lots join worldwide adventures at sale
31 January 2022A handsome group of eight volumes commemorating the Great Exhibition of 1851 sold in Exeter had been presented to one of its commissioners, England’s serial Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone.