The June collective sale at the Bourne saleroom included a diverse collection of books that generated much pre-sale interest, translating into strong bids on sale day. The collection belonged to Derek John Gilbert, fellow of RICS and member of PBFA (Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association).
Derek was a life long book lover, and in his retirement took book buying and reselling more seriously, often attending PBFA fairs. Upon instructions from his daughters, on behalf of their mother, Golding Young was chosen to offer this extraordinary collection for sale.
The collection ranged from works from the early 17thC through to contemporary pieces, and genres which varied from religious texts, medical works, to fiction, travelogues and legal documents. There was something to interest buyers who collect across many different genres.
A notable sale highlight included a first edition copy of A Bear called Paddington by Michael Bond. While damage was present to the dust jacket, the book included the signature of the author- being a first edition and signed, it was no surprise that the book realised £1,100 on saleday. A further work of interest was Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, a first edition in book form, published by Bradbury and Evans in 1850 which sold for £130.
Early printed works within the collection included a Bible, printed in English, containing both the Old and New Testaments published in 1629. With the near contemporary calf binding present, bidding for this work was fierce on saleday, and the book sold for £380. Interesting early medical books also yielded strong sale results, with Sylvestere O’Halloran’s A Complete Treatise on Gangrene and Sphacelus, with a New Method of Amputation, again a first edition published in 1765, selling for £170.
The letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montague, written during her Travels in Europe, Asia and Africa published in 1763 provide an interesting outlook into the social history of travel from the perspective of a woman. Published in four volumes the works sold for £280 on saleday.
The sale also included a further collection of books from a private vendor. Many first editions and rare printings were part of this consignment, including The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams with a second state dust jacket which sold for £480; and Issac Asimov’s Foundation which made £950 on saleday.
Further books consignments are always welcome across all three of our salerooms, whether they are collections or individual works.
