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.


Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh museum among buyers of previously unseen drawings by EH Shepard

23 April 2026

A small group of previously unseen preliminary drawings by Winnie-the-Pooh illustrator EH Shepard were offered by book dealer Peter Harrington.

Florence Nightingale letter

Florence Nightingale opines on the first Geneva Convention

17 April 2026

A letter written by Florence Nightingale in which she discusses the creation of the Red Cross and the Geneva Convention is being sold by Sworders.

Ephemera from the Red Barn Murder

Pick of the week: A barnstorming tale of murder most foul attracts bidders at Essex auction

17 April 2026

The Red Barn Murder of 1827, which occurred in the tiny rural village of Polstead, Suffolk was the biggest crime story of the era.

Henry VIII letter

Henry VIII letter protesting against French 'piracy' sells above estimate

17 April 2026

Henry VIII, King of England 1509-47 was not a happy man on July 14, 1539, it seems.

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Nansen’s book travelled to South Pole with Amundsen

17 April 2026

Arch Books of Richmond, southwest London, recently sold the personal expedition copy of Fridtjof Nansen’s Fram over Polhavet [Farthest North] (1897), owned and signed by fellow Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928).

Books and works on paper auction calendar, April 22-May 13, 2026

17 April 2026

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

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Chorister commended by Elizabeth II

17 April 2026

This copy of The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha (Cambridge: at the University Press, 1961) is signed in ink by Queen Elizabeth II on a mounted presentation plate, dated Christmas 1961.

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Mollie of Sydenham became a valued member of Hartnell’s team making sumptuous royal fashion

17 April 2026

Royal costumes and fashion have long been a source of fascination.

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Véra Russell collection: A window into the world of art

17 April 2026

Collection of gallery owner and exhibition organiser includes letters from the likes of Bacon and Hockney

Books and works on paper auction calendar, April 15-30, 2026

10 April 2026

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

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Hemingway’s fishing flag of triumph reels in $170,000

10 April 2026

The legend of author Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) is forever linked with sport fishing.

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The trick is to keep it original when it comes to magical content

10 April 2026

Magic books library reflects obsession of collector who prized exceptionally clean examples

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Ehret record price grows as magnolia blossoms in the US

10 April 2026

An original Georg Dionysius Ehret illustration of a magnolia blossom hammered for $330,000 (£242,000) at Arader Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) on February 7 in New York.

Photography album

The Bodleian Libraries buys unseen works by photographic greats Lee Miller and Sir Cecil Beaton

09 April 2026

A ‘scrapbook’ of photographs put together by Roland Haupt, a darkroom assistant in the London office of Vogue magazine, has been sold to The Bodleian Libraries by dealer Michael Hoppen Gallery.

C.I.V by Erskine Childers

Rare book fair returns to Dublin after three years

08 April 2026

A new book fair is being planned for the summer in Ireland.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, April 8-27, 2026

02 April 2026

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

Beatric Potter letters

Beatrix Potter letters reveal her love for antiques

02 April 2026

Eighteen letters written by Beatrix Potter to an antiques dealer between 1933-43 come for sale in Nottingham this month.

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A lucky house clearance find to get your teeth into

02 April 2026

Books from a routine call proved disappointing until a first edition Dracula loomed into view

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Swedish Vega Expedition targeted Northeast Passage

02 April 2026

Compared with Scandinavian exploration by illustrious figures such as Nansen and Amundsen, the Vega Expedition is little known outside the region.

Martin Luther King’s Stride Toward Freedom

Inscribed book by Martin Luther King Jnr discovered at Oxfam sells at Bonhams’ auction

30 March 2026

An author-inscribed book by Martin Luther King Jnr donated to a small Oxfordshire Oxfam store has raised £2560 including premium at Bonhams

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