Books & Periodicals

This miniature 17th century psalter in a contemporary pierced and engraved openwork silver binding is priced at £15,000 by Bernard Quaritch at Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair.

Remarkably, although a very successful and popular artist, no accounts of the work of the Georgian caricaturist James Gillray (1756-1815) were published in England during his lifetime.

Rupert Powell of Forum Auctions reflects on a busy year in the ‘stage-play’ of rare books

First editions are not always the be-all and end-all for collecting

A letter from Ernest Shackleton to a supporter, written from South Georgia on the eve of his final departure on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, was offered at Charles Miller’s (24% buyer’s premium) latest Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art sale.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Georgian period carried not only prayer books and bibles, but also books of poems and the annual miniature almanacs containing practical information on everything from the phases of the moon to the currency exchange rates of Europe.

Our regular listing of books and works on paper sales

The first ‘Thumb Bibles’, paraphrased or abridged versions of the good book, were published in the early 17th century – the London printer John Weever offering his 128- page An Agnus Dei, measuring just over 1in, in 1601.

Small books have long been objects of wonder. The history of tiny type can be traced back to the smallest cuneiform clay tablets of ancient Mesopotamia or the diminutive papyrus codices treasured by Christians in Roman Egypt.

Based on his own experiences and those of his clients, a seasoned rare books buyer offers advice on getting the most from the collecting journey

A selection of stand-out lots coming up at a variety of auctions

A wide range of dealers are set to offer a variety of items at upcoming fairs

ATG meets Jeffrey Johnson, whose collection of classic ‘Whodunnits’ was recently on public display at the Grolier Club in New York

Shapero Rare Books has given a vote of confidence to London’s West End by moving to even larger premises within Mayfair.

Dealer Sky Duthie brings an Arts & Crafts movement binding of The Ingoldsby Legends to this year’s PBFA London Summer Book Fair.

Theme of Firsts fair centres on works not being seen just as reading material but things of beauty

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