Books & Periodicals

Material in this specialist market ranges from the early printed works of the Gutenberg Press and William Caxton right through to Modern First Editions and now up to signed copies of Harry Potter. Condition and rarity are the keys to this sector.


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Leonard Cohen's love letters to muse Marianne sell for five times estimate at Christie’s auction

17 June 2019

Letters from Canadian poet, singer-songwriter and novelist Leonard Cohen to his muse Marianne Ihlen have sold for a total $700,800 ($876,000 including buyer’s premium).

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Footfall rises and sales top £3m for ABA’s Rare Book Fair in Battersea

17 June 2019

Visitors to the ABA’s 'Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair' spent more than £3m over the events three days.

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An Egyptian expedition in Los Angeles

17 June 2019

A set of the monumental 'Description de l’Égypte…' in its specially made case was sold last month in a US sale.

British and Irish book auctions from June 18-29, 2019

17 June 2019

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from June 18-29, 2019.

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Astronomical works on comets and the planet Saturn achieve high sums in German sale

17 June 2019

Two astronomical works dating from the 17th century were among the more successful works in a recent German auction.

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Spike Milligan-dedicated work to Harold Wilson sets record at Hansons' auction

17 June 2019

In the dispersal by Hansons (20% buyer’s premium) of the collections of Harold and Mary Wilson, the book section included copies of John Maynard Keynes’ 'General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money' of 1936 and 'A Treatise on Money' of 1933.

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Early Golf magazine sells a fair way above guides

17 June 2019

Early magazine runs brought some unexpectedly high prices in the latest of the regular golfing literature sales held by a Californian saleroom.

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Churchill goes into sale battle

17 June 2019

Inscribed by Winston Churchill “…For Mrs Johnston in these great days”, a 1941 (second) edition of 'Into Battle', the first of a number of collections of his wartime speeches to be published, was part of a lot that sold for a higher than predicted £3000 in a Surrey sale.

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Signed photo is a Curie curiosity

17 June 2019

Bid to a much higher than expected $23,000 (£17,970) in a Massachusetts auction was the signed photograph of Marie Curie shown here.

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First original cover art of Tintin sells at US auction for more than $1m

11 June 2019

The very first original cover art featuring comic character Tintin has sold at auction in the US for a premium inclusive $1.125m.

British and Irish book auctions: June 11-21, 2019

10 June 2019

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from June 11-21, 2019.

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Gaston Leroux’s 'The Phantom of the Opera' makes a very real result at Swann auction

10 June 2019

Sporting a torn and defective but rarely seen dust jacket, a 1911, first American printing of Gaston Leroux’s 'The Phantom of the Opera' sold for $10,000 (£7750) in a recent New York sale.

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Greek philosopher gets his house in order

10 June 2019

Early printed books, among them a Bible of 1476, were a notable feature of a recent West Sussex sale.

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Alfred Russell Wallace's evolution of a work on palm trees

10 June 2019

A Forum Auctions (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sale of May 30 ran to well over 540 lots in all, but it was very early in proceedings that a much, much higher than predicted bid of £26,000 was made on an 1853, presentation first of 'Palm Trees of the Amazon and their uses.

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Four places to see and buy art in London this weekend including Russian illustrations and Bugatti sculptures

07 June 2019

Before the explosion of art shows and fairs at the end of the month, there are still plenty of places to hunt out painting and sculpture around London.

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New York auctions to celebrate the LGBTQ community and mark 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising

05 June 2019

As the Pride season begins this month with a series of events and parades in major cities to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Swann Auction Galleries are to hold auctions honouring the movement.

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Burne-Jones bares his soul in heartfelt letters offered at Cheffins' auction

03 June 2019

Tender letters from artist Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones to the daughter of his patron reveal the “emotional support” he craved.

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PBFA fair in Earls Court promises a Lively time

03 June 2019

At the PBFA London Antiquarian Book Fair, from June 6-7 at Ibis London in Earls Court, Rainford & Parris brings a collection of seven children’s books by Penelope Lively.

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5 Questions: Book dealer Ben Kinmont

03 June 2019

Ben Kinmont specialises in antiquarian books on gastronomy in California and is among the exhibitors at 'Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair'.

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The web shop window: 'A Night in London' by photojournalist Bill Brandt

03 June 2019

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

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