Book Auction Preview

Published 2nd March 2016

An illustration by Arthur Rackham in a limited editon of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows (BK15/63a). The book is estimated at £500-£700 and is being sold in Book Auction on 23rd March 2016 in Exeter.

Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood Antiquarian Book Auction on the 23rd March 2016 has a wide and interesting selection of entries in all categories. There is a selection of Art Reference including Albert Hartshorne's Old English Glasses (BK15/14) estimated at £100-£200 as well as a fascinating lot relating to Bernard Leach that includes a manuscript poem by the potter and a sketch of a pot (BK15/23).

There is an interesting selection of works for children, including a number of Biggles first editions in dustwrappers (BK15/53) as well as a large selection of Billy Bunter Greyfriars facsimile editions (BK15/54) to take us all back to our youths.

A First Edition of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse (BK15/85) from 1982 is inviting bids of £300-£500 in the sale that will also have online bidding support for those who can't make the sale in Exeter in person.

Enid Blyton is also represented with a small lot of first editions (BK15/55) as is Richmal Crompton's William (BK15/57). There is a particularly attractive edition of The Wind in the Willows illustrated by Arthur Rackham (BK15/63a), which was the 1,000th edition of this popular work, limited to an edition of 500, and estimated at £500-£700. On a more contemporary note is a first edition of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse (BK15/85), published in 1982 and estimated at £300-£500. If you are keen on your Ladybird Books, there are nine boxes of them in pristine condition, which are estimated at only modest sums.

Old Bibles are attracting increasing attention these days and there are several interesting examples in this sale such as an example published in 1619 by Bonham Norton and John Bill (BK15/120), estimated at £250-£350.

The Antiquarian Book Auction includes a copy of Holinshed's Chronicles (BK15/184).

The sale includes some English Civil War pamphlets (BK15/154).

Interesting historical works include Raphaell Holinshed' Chronicles (BK15/184), which were such a great source material for Shakespeare. A little later in date is a group of English Civil War pamphlets (BK15/154) published in the mid-17th century and estimated at £600-£800. An important inclusion is a manuscript letter by Admiral Lord Nelson (BK15/270), written with his left hand after he had lost his right.

A copy of William Borlase's Deveonshire and Cornwall Illustrated is included in the Antiquarian Book Sale (BK15/297).

An attractive print 'Panoramic View From the Western Hoe, Plymouth' is expected to fetch between £400 and £600 (BK15/664).

There is an extensive collection of Devon and Cornwall material in this auction including such well-known items as Britton & Brayley's Devonshire and Cornwall Illustrated published in 1832 (BK15/298) and William Borlase's The Natural History of Cornwall (BK15/297) but also such rarer gems as A Catalogue of the Cornwall County Library published in 1702 (BK15/301a). Included is a particularly attractive coloured Panorama of Plymouth (BK15/664) mounted on its original mahogany roller and estimated at £400-£600.

A copy of The Experienc'd Angler by Robert Venables published in 1683 (BK15/524).

Falconry by Simon Latham, published in 1658 (BK15/492).

There is also a very good collection of sporting books in the sale, with particular emphasis on angling. Highlights include Robert Venables' The Experienc'd Angler published in 1683 (BK15/524) as well as several copies of Walton and Cotton's The Complete Angler. One rarity included is Simon Latham's Falconry of 1658 (BK15/492).

Some interesting works on China include the lavishly-illustrated China in a Series of Views by GN Wright (BK15/389). There is also an important map of the China Coast from 1859 (BK15/583), estimated at £250-£350.

Other maps include works by Speed (BK15/683), Morden (BK15/656) and Kitchen (BK16/644) as well as a good quantity of prints, framed and unframed.

Auction Insights