Books & Periodicals

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

By the time H Turner’s book on billiards came out in 1849 (Northampton, printed for the author by JT Burgess) the game was hundreds of years old – with roots back to the 15th century.

The Ephemera Society Fair is still going strong for its 50th anniversary despite having to make a move this year.

It took 16 years to compile the first great German florilegium, an edition of which can be seen – and purchased – at the Firsts London book fair running from May 15-18 at the Saatchi Gallery.

Helen Day is a language teacher, collector of Ladybird books and expert on the history of the books and the company behind them.

The British invasions of the island of Guadeloupe during the Seven Years’ War was part of William Pitt’s plan to attack the French wherever they could.

Greek philosopher Epictetus (c.50-c.135AD) is best-known for his contribution to Stoicism.

How can the UK assess and secure if necessary the papers that may shed light on the country’s history? Mark Stevens, county archivist at Royal Berkshire Archives, gives us an expert’s view

As Forum Auctions enters its 10th year of trading, Rupert Powell reflects on a busy year

Julian Wilson has set up his own independent antiquarian book-selling business in south London.

A Latin to French dictionary that belonged to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was among the highlights a recent sale of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps at Doyle New York (28/27% buyer’s premium).

We take a closer look at the ‘idiosyncratic mixture of independent businesses’ established in this charming book and map-selling hub in central London

ATG takes a look at some stand-out lots sold recently at an auction in Berlin

Trade associations play a valuable role in representing their members, organising fairs and events and, among many other things, making sense of changes in legislation – particularly useful when US policy on tariffs seems to change every five minutes.

Can you tell your foxing from your deckle edge? Or quire from collation? Here is a handy guide to some of the terms used in the books and works on paper collecting field.

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about,” Oscar Wilde wrote in The Picture of Dorian Gray - a prescient observation that has proven remarkably true.

The public may have been surprised to discover that Barry Humphries (1934-2023), the creator of Dame Edna Everage, was a great bibliophile with a passion for rare books by the ‘decadent’ writers of the fin de siècle.

A recent Freeman’s Hindman (28/27% buyer’s premium) sale in Chicago included a first edition of John Locke’s foundational text on civil society and the nature of government 'Two Treatises of Government….'

Our look ahead at fairs coming up in the capital, including the Firsts and PBFA events held a short hop apart on the same weekend