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.


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A 17th century rarity: unrecorded book emerges at Sussex auction

02 October 2023

An unrecorded 17th century printed book took £8800 hammer at a West Sussex sale.

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Shakespeare play was staged as a joint production

02 October 2023

Peter Harrington Rare Books is offering a first edition of 'The Two Noble Kinsmen' (1634) at Frieze Masters in London this month – the only extant Shakespeare play not included in any of the four folio editions.

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Fist editions: boxing books at auction

25 September 2023

Large group of pugilist-related works was collected over more than 50 years by London couple

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Houdini ready to wow the crowds in Bolton

25 September 2023

The sale of Vintage & Modern Magic at Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium) in Chicago on August 26 included this original theatre contract signed by Erik Weisz, the man better known as Harry Houdini (1874-1926).

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Archive tells story of the little-known Japanese Antarctic Expedition

25 September 2023

A trove of material related to the Japanese Antarctic Expedition (JAE) of 1910-12 comes to market at Potter & Potter in Chicago on October 12.

British and Irish book auctions, September 26-October 8, 2023

25 September 2023

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions held via thesaleroom.com

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Complete copy of Curtis' 40 volumes on offer at Hindman

25 September 2023

Hindman in Chicago will offer a complete copy of Edward S Curtis’ seminal work The North American Indian as part of an auction of Fine Books from the Dorros Family Collection on November 9.

Pamflyt Compiled Of Cheese

Say cheese: University buys Elizabethan manuscript on cheese making

19 September 2023

The University of Leeds Libraries has bought the earliest known book about cheese making in Britain.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, September 19-October 2, 2023

18 September 2023

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper auctions being staged on thesaleroom.com

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Mystery manuscript identified at Cornish auction

18 September 2023

One of two texts in a single volume revealed after eager bidding to be by Hungarian Jesuit

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How society folk lined up to sign a visitors’ book

18 September 2023

Almost 120 years ago at 13 Bruton Street an estimated 10,000 visitors were drawn to an exhibition that caught the public attention and attracted record queues.

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First principles: the Smiley library

18 September 2023

As co-publishers and editors of Firsts: The Book Collector’s Magazine established in 1991, Robin and Kathryn Smiley’s bookshelves were brimming with choice first editions from across the broad span of British and American literature.

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Baseball makes its debut in an early US publication

18 September 2023

The Book of Sports by Robin Carver is considered the first American publication to describe the sport of baseball.

Tikkunei Shabbat

Big bidding for a small prayer book: Hebrew manuscript takes five times estimate

11 September 2023

An 18th century copy of Tikkunei Shabbat (an amalgam of Hebrew prayers and devotions for the Sabbath) sold for £57,000 to an international phone bidder at Hansons on September 5.

Brockholes Nature Reserve

PBFA marks 50th with launch of Bath showpiece

11 September 2023

The PBFA (Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association) will celebrate its 50th anniversary in style next year with two new fairs: in Bath and Tunbridge Wells.

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Books and works on paper previews

11 September 2023

A special selection of upcoming auction lots

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What price an early Harry Potter book?

11 September 2023

The earliest book on the boy wizard continues to entrance collectors

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Harry Potter: the children’s book series that became a phenomenon

11 September 2023

“I get loads and loads of emails and calls all the time from people whose eyes have lit up when they see those words ‘first edition’…”

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Collector interview: fragments of our medieval past

11 September 2023

Robert Weaver, a teacher and keeper of the Fellows’ Library at Dulwich College in south London, has collected medieval manuscript fragments for close to 50 years

British and Irish book auctions, September 12-October 2, 2023

11 September 2023

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions running on thesaleroom.com

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