Book

Expert in astronomy and history of science amassed an impressive private collection of related works

With the first hardback Philosopher’s Stone at stratospheric sums, the soft cover value is rising steadily

Before the August 8 Historical Manuscripts sale at Heritage Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in Dallas, specialist Sandra Palomino fielded many questions about one lot in particular.

Nuremburg Chronicle, Chaucer and a work on witchcraft are among the highlights in Co Offaly saleroom

The books sale at Koller (25% buyer’s premium) in Zurich on September 17 was topped at SwFr250,000 (£237,250) by a first edition of the book Einstein described as “perhaps the greatest intellectual stride that it has ever been granted to any man to make”.

A sale conducted by US firm Connecticut River Book Auction (15% buyer’s premium) on September 5 included a very rare copy of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s Le Petit Prince.

UK bidder competes with US counterpart for horological pamphlets published in London and Madrid

Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson is offering something tasty at Bonhams Knightsbridge this week: a few morsels from of his own collection.

US auction house Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium) enjoyed great success with its event titled Select Rarities: Exceptional Books & Manuscripts Sale.

A scarce 1928 US first edition of The House at Pooh Corner hammered for $5000 (£3720) against a guide of $500-700 at Copake Auction (25% buyer’s premium).

This particularly rare American issue of the 1939 Michelin Guide was specially commissioned by the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department in Washington D.C. during the Second World War.

A private collection of children’s illustrated books formed over the past 50 years provided several stand-out lots in The Collector’s auction held by Catherine Southon (27.6% buyer’s premium inc VAT).

When William Golding (1911-93) wrote his debut novel Lord of the Flies in 1953 it was rejected by nine publishers and damned as ‘rubbish and dull’ before being picked up by Faber & Faber.

Naturalist but creationist Agassiz produced a monumental work on ancient species of fish

The Lawes Resolutions of Women’s Rights: or the Lawes Provision for Women, attributed to the English lawyer Thomas Edgar and printed in 1632 by John More, is recognised as the earliest book in the English language to compile laws relating to women.

Calendars listing details of prisoners in a 17th century gaol prove popular in North Yorkshire saleroom